377 new homes may sprout near Google’s downtown village
SAN JOSE >> A big residential development that could produce hundreds of apartments is being eyed on a site near downtown San Jose’s Diridon train station and proposed Google transit village.
Mill Creek Residential, a veteran homebuilder, has proposed the development of a big apartment complex near the corner of Park Avenue and Gifford Avenue in downtown San Jose, according to a preliminary filing with the city Planning Department.
The development would consist of 377 apartment units at and near 461 Park Ave. in San Jose, the documents on file with the city show. The site currently has a mix of mainly small office buildings and some homes.
“We are going to see a whole lot more housing development in downtown San Jose,” said Mark Ritchie, president of Ritchie Commerical, a real estate firm. “We will see a lot more residences to accommodate Google and others.”
The Google transit-oriented development, known as Downtown West, would create a new neighborhood of office buildings, homes, shops, restaurants, hotel facilities and could accommodate up to 20,000 Google workers.
Adobe is completing a
new office tower at 333 W. San Fernando St., a highrise that could accommodate at least 3,000 workers and would dramatically expand the size of the tech titan’s downtown San Jose headquarters complex that currently totals three buildings.
The proposed Mill Creek project is slated to be an eight-story building, according to the city files.
Mill Creek Residential would have to assemble nine parcels to create the 1.8 acres that it states that it requires to develop the project, which at present is being called Gifford Park in the planning documents.
The project could experience success and high leasing levels once the development is complete, said Scott
Knies, executive director of the San Jose Downtown Association.
“We have been talking to a lot of apartment owners who have developed multifamily housing during the pandemic,” Knies said.
“All of them are leased up very well, north of 90% occupancy.”
Among those, according to Ritchie and others, is Miro, a double tower of apartments with groundfloor retail located on East Santa Clara Street between North Fourth Street and North Fifth Street whose principal owner is Bayview Development Group.
It is possible concerns could emerge among some neighbors of the proposed development, which if built would rise next to the Lakehouse
District of downtown San Jose, warned Bob Staedler, principal executive with Silicon Valley, a land-use consultancy. Staedler also advises the Diridon Area Neighborhood Group.
This is a very complicated development site, with a creek to the rear and historic Lakehouse homes adjacent,” Staedler said. It’s important to be respectful of the historic district and the nearby homes.”
Despite potential uncertainties, what does appear to be certain is the demand for housing won’t evaporate any time soon.
“The last time I checked, we still have a housing shortage, a problem that’s going to be with us for a long time,” Ritchie said.