Construction resumes on huge tech campus
SAN JOSE >> Construction has resumed on a huge tech campus in downtown San Jose, a project that could provide a major boost — and vote of confidence — for the urban core of the Bay Area's largest city.
Platform 16 development work is now underway again, Boston Properties, the project's principal owner and developer said Wednesday, a decision that ends a twoyear suspension of work triggered by the business shutdowns linked to the coronavirus outbreak.
“We are thrilled to have recommenced construction at Platform 16,” said Bob Pester, a Boston Properties executive vice president for the Bay Area region.
The resumption of construction arrives at a time when tech companies have resumed a wideranging hunt for office and research space in Silicon Valley, including San Jose, through numerous completed leases and property purchases.
“The larger South Bay community, and San Jose specifically, continues to see demand for highquality, creative workspaces outpace supply,” Pester said.
The tech campus, to be located at 440 W. Julian St. in San Jose near the Diridon train station, is being jointly developed by Boston Properties and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
In March 2020, with much fanfare, Boston Properties executives and San Jose city officials conducted a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official launch of the project's construction.
Within days, though, wideranging coronavirus-linked business shutdowns forced an abrupt halt of countless endeavors, including the construction of Platform 16. For two years, the prominent site was idle.
“Once a symbol of the pandemic uncertainty, Platform 16 is again a symbol, this time of momentum, the strength of Silicon Valley office demand and the pandemic receding,” said Scott Knies, executive director of the San Jose Downtown Association.
Platform 16 is a proposed development with a striking look, featuring 16 terraces in a project that is perched near the banks of the Guadalupe River and a short distance from Google's Downtown West neighborhood.
Once complete, the development would total 1.1 million square feet and consist of three office buildings and a garage on a site bounded by Autumn Parkway, West Julian Street, North Autumn Street, and a railroad line.
“Platform 16 combines an ideal location with the design and amenities that today's most innovative firms are seeking to recruit, retain, and motivate their workforces,” Pester said.
The first phase of the development will include the construction of a modern office building totaling 390,000 square feet. The building is slated to be ready for tenant customizations in late 2024. A belowgrade parking garage is also part of phase one.
San Jose city officials, some who were on hand in the spring of 2020 for the ground-breaking ceremonies for the tech campus, quickly embraced word that construction had resumed.
“Boston Properties' investment in our city reflects San Jose's continued desirability as a hub for jobs and economic growth,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said.
Just a few weeks ago, Boston Properties executives revealed during a conference call with Wall Street analysts that a decision was approaching on whether and when to restart the project.
“Platform 16's design, amenities, and access to Guadalupe River Park will allow the Downtown West area near Diridon Station to flourish and attract hightech tenants and talent for years to come,” Liccardo said.