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Condo project on The Alameda gets dramatic facade changes

By Mary Gottschalk

Developers who hope to build two new buildings at 746 and 850 The Alameda are bringing their designs before the local community for a second time on Jan. 8.

At the first community meeting in September, close to 40 residents, business and property owners near the two sites turned out to express opposition to the modern-looking designs of the two buildings and raise questions about parking.

Architect John Ha, founder of Innovative Design Architecture in Sunnyvale, designed three-story structures for both sites, with condominiums above street- level retail spaces. At 746 The Alameda, at Bush Street, his proposal was for eight condos on the 0.24-acre site. At 850 The Alameda, at Sunol Street where Miracle Auto was located, the proposal was for nine condos on the 0.30-acre site.

Businessman John Nguyen, who owns the properties, which are listed on tax rolls as limited liability corporations, told those attending the September meeting that he had asked Ha to design "something edgy." After listening to neighbors complain about the designs being too modern, too industrial-looking and not in keeping with the more historical design environment of The Alameda, Nguyen promised he would change the design of the facades.

Nguyen told the gathering he would ask Ha to come up with one and possibly two new facades to show the community in hopes of gaining support.

However, Nguyen now says he is "no longer involved" in the project and referred all questions to Ha.

The architect says the design has changed "a lot. It has a very, very nice façade now."

"We redesigned it per our last meeting, and facing The Alameda, we did substantial changes."

A comparison of the sketches for the project does show a dramatic difference.

In the first set of drawings, the exteriors looked very industrial with angled roofs criss-crossing, exposed cable supports for overhangs and a wall of floor to ceiling windows facing The Alameda.

The drawings Ha plans to present at the Jan. 8 meeting show a more traditional structure with tile roof, a partial brick façade and fewer, smaller windows.

Ha says the number of units has not changed.

In addition to design questions, neighbors also expressed concern about parking, for both residents and visitors.

Nguyen and Ha proposed installing automated stackable parking equipment in some of the spaces, to double their use. The devices, which work much like an elevator, lifting and lowering cars, are used in parking lots in cities such as New York and New Orleans.

Ha says they are still proposing the stackable parking equipment to achieve the number of parking spaces per unit required by San Jose.

As for visitor parking, at the September meeting Nguyen said visitors could use street parking.

Both properties are adjacent to the St. Leo's Parking Permit District. Permits are not available to addresses on The Alameda, which means they would not be available to condominium owners.

Neighbors made it clear they would oppose exemptions for these developments.

Before anything can happen, the properties must be rezoned from their current light industrial zoning to planned development.

The Jan. 8 meeting to look at the latest proposals is 6:30 to 8: 30 p.m. at Downtown College Prep, 1460 The Alameda, at Lenzen Avenue.

Sanhita Mallick, project manager for the planning department, is accepting comments and input on the projects via e-mail to sanhita.mallick@sanjoseca.gov or by telephone to 408.535.7836.