Victims’ Families of Tragic Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire Welcome New Affordable Housing Proposal at Site

In a significant development for the Fruitvale neighborhood, Oakland non-profit The Unity Council plans to build a new housing project at the Ghost Ship warehouse site. This initiative aims to transform the location, which gained notoriety after a tragic fire in 2016 killed 36 people there, into a five-story affordable housing complex.

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 Mary Alexander, who is the founding Attorney of Mary Alexander & Associates, represented the families of 13 victims of the Ghost Warehouse tragedy. Alexander spoke with Fox 2 and said that she believes that the plans for the new development are fitting and that the victims’ families believe it would be good for the community.

 “It is a wonderful thing that is happening to turn this property into such a beautiful place,” Alexander said. “I’ve seen the pictures, the drawings, and it will transform this whole area, and it will be, I think, in and of itself, a kind of memorial to the people who died there.”

 Emilie Grandchamps, a mother whose son was a victim of the Ghost Ship tragedy, expressed that she could envision living there to feel closer to her late son.

 The developers are committed to honoring the memory of the victims while revitalizing the space. They have also agreed to the families’ request to add a memorial to the development. Many families of the victims meet monthly with the developers and architects of the proposed building to ensure that the victims are appropriately honored in the new project.

 The proposed 76,000-square-foot building will have about 60 affordable apartment units. The project seeks to aid in Oakland’s pressing housing crisis, where many residents struggle with high rents and limited availability of affordable options.

 The Unity Council aims to begin construction in 2026 if everything proceeds as planned with funding and city approvals.

About Mary Alexander & Associates, P.C.

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