University proposes affordable housing, tech incubator project

SANJOSE » Santa Clara University, in a quest to create affordable homes and a center for advanced innovations that could turn students into tech entrepreneurs, on Thursday proposed a mixed-use complex in San Jose across from the school.

The proposal calls for as many as 295 apartments to house staff and faculty at Santa Clara University. The project also includes a ground-floor tech incubator totaling 20,000 square feet.

“The shortage of affordable housing has become an acute issue affecting all nonprofits and educational institutions throughout the Bay Area,” said John Ottoboni, Santa Clara University’s chief operating officer. “This project will help meet the very serious housing needs of our faculty and staff while also incubating numerous startups.”

The development would be across the train tracks from the fast- expanding Coleman Highline development, whose tenants include up-and- coming tech firms such as Roku and 8×8. That proximity could bolster the incubator, which is a unique component of a housing development.

“The purpose of the incubator is to offerways for students to get together with tech companies that are nearby,” said Erik Schoennauer, a San Jose- based land- use and planning consultant who is helping to shepherd the university’s project through the San Jose city process. “The students can create new products and start new companies.”

The project is called Santa Clara University Technology Innovation Center & Educator Faculty/ Staff Housing.

The housing crisis, punctuated by home prices and rental rates that have soared, has alarmed university officials. With skyrocketing costs, more people are shut out of the market.

“What was once one of our concerns has now become our top concern,” said Chris Shay, associate vice president for university operations.

The university is also concerned that it might have trouble recruiting or retaining employees if it doesn’t take steps such as this development.

“You can’t maintain a world- class university and attract the most talented educators or staff without local affordable housing,” Shay said.

Located across from the left-field corner of the Steven Schott Stadium baseball field, the development would rise on a site that’s occupied by some old industrial buildings. It would be flanked by existing residences on Campbell Avenue.

“It is an innovative, transit- centric use of an isolated patch of property surrounded on all sides by residential structures,” Schoennauer said.