Housing towers push ahead in downtown San Jose near Google village

SAN JOSE — A big residential development consisting of two towers is expected to sprout next spring in downtown San Jose next to the mixed-use transit village that Google has proposed.

The McEvoy and Dupont Apartments in downtown San Jose would produce 365 affordable residential units around the corner from Google’s future Downtown West transit-oriented neighborhood and the Diridon train station.

First Community Housing has teamed up with development giant Lendlease to build the double-tower apartment complex, which was designed by SERA Architects.

“We are working with First Community Housing to commence construction in April of next year,” said Russell White a general manager with Australia-based Lendlease.

Located at 280 McEvoy St. near West San Carlos Street, the project will be developed using mass-timber technology.

“The city is very excited about getting a mass-timber project, particularly for affordable housing,” said Veronica Hinkley Reck, a principal executive with SERA Architects. “This is the first mass-timber highrise project in San Jose.”

The development alliance is receiving building permit comments back from city planners, according to Lendlease and SERA.

Mass-timber construction techniques combine softwoods into ultra-tough and fire-resistant materials that are strong enough to build a highrise.

“Among the benefits of mass timber is you can reduce construction costs,” White said. “We can also produce a project that we can construct faster” than conventional steel and concrete highrises.

Each tower will be 12 stories high and the residential development will feature a variety of unit sizes.

The Dupont Tower on the east side of the project site will contain 141 apartments geared towards families in one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The McEvoy Tower on the west end will provide 224 studios for working individuals and couples.

“The units will have a lot of design elements that bring nature in and give people a sense of comfort,” Reck said.

Among the approaches: The units could have a European flair to them.

“We are allowed to expose a certain amount of timber in the units,” Reck said. “We expect that 20% of the ceilings will be exposed. That will create lovely quality,” Reck said. “It will have a warm, tactile feeling, a Scandinavian approach.”

The development will feature several amenities, Lendlease and SERA said.

“A large on-site urban farm, generous gathering areas, digital literacy classes, play areas, a fitness center, supportive services, a communal kitchen, transit passes for residents” are among the amenities in the project, the development and design alliance stated.

It’s expected that the urban farm will produce food for the residents, the developers said.

Four rooftops with green areas, community spaces and decks have been designed for the project.

In an effort to create a project that’s more environmentally friendly, the project will be an all-electric development, according to Lendlease and SERA Architects.

The final major step prior to the start of the project is to land a construction loan for the two towers.

“First Community Housing is securing the financing to construct the project,” White said. “They are waiting for their final tranche of financing to come through.”

The reduced costs and increased efficiency of the mass-timber project, along with the sustainability elements, could create a more favorable environment for financing the two towers.

“Financing is going to be more favorable for sustainable projects,” White said. “Mass-timber is one of the vehicles that allow us to deliver a more sustainable project.”