SAN JOSE — A veteran developer has proposed a new hotel and a car wash on part of a north San Jose block dotted by vacant lots and aging structures, a fresh indicator that Silicon Valley’s lodging market remains robust.

Bay West Development and BlueWave Express are seeking to develop a hotel and an adjacent car wash near the corner of Oakland Road and Horning Street, a project that could tap into expansions by tech companies in the area such as those being envisioned by Google.

The hotel would have 116 rooms and be accompanied by 100 parking spaces, according to Bay West Development. Brokers Henry Bose and Nicholas Whitstone of CBRE, a commercial real estate firm, are marketing the hotel portion of the development.

“Five or 10 years ago, if somebody had proposed a hotel for this location, I probably would have said you’re crazy,” said Bose, a CBRE senior vice president specializing in property sales and hotel brokerage. “But the viability of this site is a testament to how the whole downtown San Jose core has changed.”

An unprecedented development boom is underway in downtown San Jose, spurred by major expansions being envisioned by tech titans Google and Adobe, as well as a host of developers such as Jay Paul Co., Boston Properties, Urban Catalyst, and a joint venture of Gary Dillabough and mega-developer Westbank.

Plus, digital giants such as Google and Apple have begun to purchase or lease future office sites in north San Jose.

“The downtown, Japantown, the airport area are all making strides, and more hotel brands are getting interested in San Jose,” Bose said.

The site’s owner, BlueWave Express Development, is an affiliate headed up by Bay West Development executive and founder Bill Poland. Poland also is a principal executive with BlueWave Express, a car wash company that has begun a significant expansion in the Bay Area.

“There is a strong push in Northern California with two existing stores in San Rafael and Elk Grove, and the start of construction for both Morgan Hill and San Jose this year,” according to information provided to this news organization by BlueWave Express.

A typical BlueWave location features a long tunnel with advanced equipment that includes a conveyor car wash system, vacuum bays with free vacuums, and an express pay station.

A vehicle can typically get through the car wash in about three minutes, according to BlueWave Express.

“BlueWave is known for selecting prime, high-traffic retail locations,” the company stated.

The car wash portion of the development site will be built and owned by BlueWave Express, according to Bay West Development officials.

The addresses involved in the development site are at 935, 937, 939, and 995 Oakland Road, according to Santa Clara County assessment documents.

The BlueWave Express Development affiliate bought the property in 2020, paying $6 million for parcels along Oakland Road. The development firm also obtained a $3.9 million loan from Comerica at the time of the purchase.

The property owners and the CBRE brokers have begun to scout for a hotel chain as the brand for the hotel, as well as for an operator of the proposed lodging facility.

A mid-priced lodging, an extended-stay hotel, or one of the newer brands launched companies such as Hilton or Marriott would be the type of hotel well-suited for the location.

“In addition to downtown San Jose, we are seeing developers look for more submarkets for hotels in San Jose,” Bose said.