SAN JOSE — A housing tower with a slender look could sprout on the site of a blighted commercial building in San Jose and produce more than 100 homes a short distance from the city’s two mega malls.
The residential project is planned at 826 North Winchester Boulevard and would replace a graffiti-scarred building near Westfield Valley Fair and Santana Row.
The development envisions the creation of 135 residences on an L-shaped site, according to information that the project’s developer has presented to a community group and the office of San Jose City Councilmember Dev Davis, whose district includes the property.
Of the 135 units, 20 would be set aside as affordable housing, according to the project plans proposed by VCI Companies.
“We are very excited about that area because it’s near Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair,” said Kelly Erardi, director of entitlements for VCI Cos. “This is an excellent location. Long-term, we think the future is great for this area.”
The project would feature a tower whose sections would be connected by a sky bridge. This would appear to be one of the taller buildings in San Jose besides those in the downtown district of the Bay Area’s largest city.
The upper levels of the development would appear to command dramatic views in all directions of the compass, including toward downtown San Jose, the concepts associated with the project suggest.
The unit mix of the residences at present would consist of 70 one-bedroom units and 65 two-bedroom units.
These plans are very preliminary and could easily be adjusted depending on feedback from the neighborhoods near the project, city political leaders and municipal staffers, the project leaders note.
“As we reach out to the community, we are finding out what’s missing and what’s needed,” Erardi said.
Preliminary amenities and open space components include, according to the preliminary proposal:
— community outdoor open space totaling 13,000 square feet.
— outdoor open space within the building, 5,800 square feet.
— indoor amenity space, 7,500 square feet.
In addition to the street-level section of the project, tree-dotted and vegetation-filled open spaces are envisioned on two elevated sections of the development, a review of the concepts shows.
The developers noted that they want to obtain as much input from community residents and other stakeholders to fine-tune the project as it proceeds through the government review process.
In all instances regarding the open spaces and gathering areas, “the programming will be developed with community input,” according to the project plans.
This site has been in and out of foreclosure. The most recent foreclosure of a delinquent loan on the property came in June 2023.
But then in September 2023, an affiliate linked to San Jose-based VCI Cos. paid about $6.5 million for the property. The seller was the lender that had foreclosed on the site a few months earlier.
Now, a potentially eye-catching new housing hub is set to soar above a site that’s become increasingly blighted and even a fire hazard in recent years.
“We are just starting the process and there’s a long way to go,” Erardi said. “We are very excited about this housing. We hope this will become a landmark development for this neighborhood that everyone can be proud of.”