Apartment complex planned near downtown San Jose’s Google village

SAN JOSE — A busy development group has proposed an 84-unit apartment complex where hundreds could live in downtown San Jose, a couple of blocks away from a transit village being planned by tech titan Google.

Madera @ Google Village would create 84 new apartment units on West San Carlos Street near Gifford Avenue, according to developer Urban Catalyst and local firm Aedis Architects, which have formed a joint venture to build the complex.

The venture has submitted preliminary plans to San Jose city officials for the Madera project, which would be able to accommodate an estimated 250 tenants.

The development also would include 4,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, the proposal states.

Urban Catalyst is a real estate firm formed to create an investment fund that can capitalize on the tax savings made possible by opportunity zones.

Just down the street, Google has proposed a transit-oriented community of office buildings, hotel spaces, homes, shops, restaurants, cultural amenities, entertainment hubs, and open spaces where the search giant would employ 25,000 people near the Diridon train station and SAP Center.

“Within walking distance to many of our other properties and close to the future Google campus, this project encourages pedestrian mobility, reduces traffic congestion and drives revitalization of the area,” said Josh Burroughs, chief operating officer with Urban Catalyst.

The project also will use a type of construction that’s become popular in Europe in a quest to curb some of the effects of fast-rising construction and materials costs that some experts believe have hobbled development activity for some types of projects in the Bay Area.

Madera @ Google Village is expected to feature what’s called cross-laminated timber. This type of timber uses multiple layers of wood that are glued together to form strong structural panels. This material has been tested extensively in Europe, the developers said.

Urban Catalyst and Aedis Architects intend to begin construction in early 2021 and complete the new apartment complex sometime in late 2022. A wide-ranging set of city approvals is needed before the builders can break ground.

“Providing housing and amenities so close to a transit hub is a great way to activate the area as we work to make downtown San Jose a more sustainable and livable option,” said Paul Ring, an Urban Catalyst executive vice president of development and construction.

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