Cambrian Park Village
Approved
14406 Union Ave, San Jose, CA 95124
Project Overview
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Project Type: Housing + Retail + Hotel + Assisted Living + Park
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Owner/Developer: Kimco Realty {formerly Weingarten)
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Presented to our members: February 2021
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Re-Scored by our members in July 2022
Catalyze SV evaluates project sustainability, equity, and vibrancy. Learn about our project review process.
For more information, please refer to our scorecard below or the following links:
* Projects go through several phases. Developers submit applications to the City, get their design reviewed, do redesigns based on City & community feedback, resubmit proposals for review, and get approval (though can even redesign after approval)
In Review
Cambrian Village Project Scorecard
Community Score: 5/5
Weingarten has conducted multiple rounds of in-depth community engagement efforts over many years. Weingarten incorporated ideas on how to make this project better from a range of voices, including community groups such as Friends of Cambrian Park Plaza and from Councilmember Foley. It used various strategies such as, surveys, community meetings, & direct outreach, to gain significant input & active participation from the neighborhood. From our perspective, Weingarten has been responsive to community feedback &, even after 5 years of outreach, continues to seek input from the community.
Vibrancy Score: 5/5
With its large amount of public open space, a mix of uses, & diverse community amenities, Cambrian Village will infuse a jolt of crucial vibrancy into the neighborhood. By putting parking underground to emphasize space for people while using commercial space to activate the street, plaza areas, and parks, the development will become a village center in the Cambrian community. With good connectivity throughout the site and the inclusion of a playground, exercise station, dog park, community garden, and amphitheater, this walkable village will encourage the health, enjoyment & wellness of residents & visitors. By providing homes for residents of every generation, retail/restaurants for neighbors, and a hotel for visitors, Cambrian Village delivers benefits for so many in our community. Catalyze SV’s members loved the idea of closing down Main Street for events and encourage this activation every weekend and during holidays. We also believe the activated public space should be extended to the playground. We’d also like to see an active sports facility such as a basketball court and Weingarten to explore public Wi-Fi throughout the village.
Transportation Score: 4/5
By putting the parking underground and renting it separately from homes (unbundled), Cambrian Village will create a village that prioritizes walkability. While walkability is a good foundation, our members believe bicycle/micromobility access and connectivity should be encouraged within the village. This includes providing bicycle lanes within the village and closing the new public street to thru car traffic, which should provide a safe bike route safety for kids when accessing the playground. We also believe the number of bike parking spaces should be increased for residents (1 space per unit) and visitors. To prioritize transit use, we hope to see bus stop improvements and encourage Weingarten to explore VTA Smart Passes for residents.
Sustainability Score: 3/5
With an expansion of green space, impervious surfaces, and added vegetation, Cambrian Village will vastly improve stormwater management over the existing strip mall. Our members appreciate that Weingarten has gone above what is required for the percent of EV parking spaces (although we’d still like to see higher than 16%) and is seeking LEED Neighborhood Development certification. Cambrian Village will become the center of the neighborhood, and thus should set an example by pursuing LEED Platinum (or Gold) for its buildings. We’d also like to see native plants throughout the development and the potential of rooftop solar.
Intensity/Zoning Score: 4/5
Cambrian Village’s combination of apartments, family homes, assisted living, independent living, hotel, and commercial space will create a lively, multi-generational neighborhood. Our members appreciate Weingarten’s recent addition of independent living and naturally affordable ADUs, which will increase housing types and residents. We understand that putting single-family homes as a buffer to the adjacent neighborhood was based on some neighbors’ feedback. Nevertheless, our members believe that developments like Cambrian Village (on the 6% of San Jose’s residential land not limited to single-family homes) should build denser and more affordable options. Considering the region’s ongoing housing crisis, we urge Weingarten to explore substituting out single-family homes to the new street and replacing them with at least townhomes or larger, 2-4 unit detached homes that can provide additional housing.
New Affordability Score: 3/5
Catalyze SV members were excited to hear that Kimco Realty made a commitment to increase the number of on-site affordable homes from 15 units to 30, and subsequently 50. Yet, our members believe that 100% AMI is very high for this project would like to see it reduce to 60 % or 80% of the AMI to ensure affordable homes are accessible to local teachers, retail workers, etc. Overall, our members hope to see Kimco go just a little further by providing more on-site homes and/or reduce the Area Median Income threshold to 60% or 80%.
February 2021 Score = 2
Legacy Score: 4/5
Understanding that Cambrian Park Plaza is a nostalgic location in our community, our members are glad to see Weingarten make efforts to preserve parts of the site. By bringing back the carousel and reusing the heavy timber currently there in the new development, the project can improve vibrancy while maintaining a small part of the site's history. We hope Weingarten will listen to community members in showcasing the preserved timber and finalizing the carousel location, as well as any other ideas for honoring the Cambrian neighborhood’s history & heritage.
Overall Re-Score: 4 out of 5
Previous Score: 3.8 out of 5
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