Residence Inn by Marriott, Berkeley, CA

Residence Inn by Marriott Berkeley is a 16-story Residence Inn by Marriott hotel at 2121 Center Street and Shattuck Avenue in Downtown Berkeley, Berkeley, California. Completed in 2021, it is among the tallest buildings constructed in Berkeley since the late 1960s and has been discussed in the context of downtown redevelopment, transit-oriented planning near The Downtown Berkeley BART station, and institutional real estate investment following its acquisition by the University of California.

History and planning

Before redevelopment, the parcel consisted of low-rise commercial structures, including a Bank of America branch at 2129 Shattuck Avenue and, historically, a mixed-use building known as the “Fink Building” (later “Fink Apartments”). Construction of the underground Downtown Berkeley BART station in the late 1960s and early 1970s significantly altered the surrounding downtown area and later informed planning policies encouraging higher-density development near transit.

Proposals for a high-rise hotel at the site emerged in the early 2010s. The development team, led by Center Street Partners, LLC and investor James Didion, described the project as an effort to expand downtown hotel capacity to support conferences, academic visitors, and business activity. The proposal entered Berkeley's entitlement process during a period of debate over building height limits, community benefits, and zoning intensity within the Downtown Mixed-Use district. Under the city's 2012 Downtown Area Plan, taller buildings near BART required environmental review, design scrutiny, and community-benefit negotiations. Local reporting documented multiple public hearings and CEQA-related steps preceding approval of the zoning permit.

In 2015, the City initiated environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the proposed “2129 Shattuck Avenue Project,” a 16-story hotel and commercial development within the Downtown Mixed-Use zoning district. CEQA documents detailed the project's height, program, and transit-oriented context.

Architecture and design

The building was designed by JRDV Architects as a high-rise hotel with street-level commercial space, conference facilities, and guest rooms on upper floors. Development reporting described the structure as rising approximately 168 feet and noted its contemporary tower form with materials scaled to the surrounding streetscape.

Study Hall rooftop venue

Food and culture coverage linked the hotel's opening to the debut of Study Hall, a rooftop bar and restaurant on the 12th floor. Described as the highest rooftop venue in Berkeley, the space includes views of the University of California, Berkeley campus, the Berkeley Hills, and the San Francisco Bay.

Sustainability

Development reporting identified sustainability features including energy-efficient building systems and proximity to regional transit. The building has been reported to have achieved LEED Gold certification.

Ownership and economic impact

In October 2025, the hotel was acquired for approximately $175.8 million by UC Investments, the investment management arm of the University of California. Regional reporting described the acquisition as a major downtown real-estate purchase and noted the hotel's role in supporting academic visitors and transient-occupancy tax revenue. Trade publications placed the purchase in the context of post-pandemic hospitality market conditions and the university's broader real-estate strategy.

See also

• Downtown Berkeley
• Downtown Berkeley station