CATALYZE SV

Catalyze SV has been actively working for the last two years to ensure the best development possible is built on 115 acres of empty land in East San José that was once the Pleasant Hills Golf Course.

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Unfortunately, the current proposal fails to meet our community's need for a vibrant, walkable neighborhood with lots of homes, public space, and shops and services.​

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So, Catalyze SV staff—inspired by the success story of the Agrihood development in Santa Clara and based on input from our members—created our own design of what should be built on the site.​​

 

Explained below are key features of our design:

• ​The project would include 4 main layers. Starting from the exterior of the site moving inward:

  1. Greenbelt: Surrounding the exterior of the entire site would be a tree-covered greenbelt that includes a trail for walking, running, biking, etc. This provides a near-continuous recreational loop for new and existing residents, as well as a buffer between the multi-story buildings within the site and the single-family homes surrounding three sides of it​.

  2. Mid-rise buildings: As you move to the center of the site from the greenbelt, mid-rise buildings of 5-8 stories would encircle the three sides of the site closest to single-family homes

  3. High-rise buildings: Further inside the site would be high-rise buildings above 15 stories on all four sides of the development, including on the western side of the site closest to Lake Cunningham Park, offering views looking west to the Park and Downtown San Jose.

  4. Central plaza: At the center of the site surrounded on three sides by high-rise, mixed-use buildings would be a large, central plaza as a focal point for the development and a gathering spot for the neighborhood. It could be programmed with beautification measures like a fountain or public art and regular activities like a farmers market, etc. The northern edge of the plaza would open up to a main boulevard so people walking or driving along it would see the plaza as they go through the center of the site.

• Main Street: This “main boulevard” or main street running east-west would include major beautification elements. It would run through the longest portion of the site in the north connecting Flint Ave. to White Road. As it reaches White Road on its western edge, this Main Street would lead across White into the public entrance and driveway to Lake Cunningham Park.

• Mixed-use, high-rise buildings providing ground floor activation would be centered around the plaza and Main Street where the highest concentration of residents would be to emphasize walkability and vibrancy, as well as shadow neighbors from noise, nightlife, etc. 

• A grid design throughout would break up building massing and emphasize walkable blocks.

• Two parks, more programmed than the greenbelt, would be on opposite ends at the northeast and southwest corners of the site.

• A signature amphitheater on the western edge of the site with a grand entrance would open up to Lake Cunningham Park (available for musical and theater performances, for instance).

• Roads: Efforts would be made to integrate the development into the neighborhood’s existing roads so current residents can easily walk or drive into the new development. 8 roads would lead into and out of the site and connect to existing roads:

  1. Main Street on the eastern edge of the site leading into Flint Ave; 

  2. Main Street on the western edge of the site leading into White Road;

  3. Vista Verde Road on the eastern edge of the site would continue into the site and end at the eastern side of the central plaza;

  4. Floresta Drive on the eastern edge of the site;

  5. Floresta Drive would continue west all the way through the Pleasant Hills site and lead into White Road;

  6. Sueno Drive on the eastern edge of the site would continue into the site and end near Tully Road;

  7. a north-south road that starts at the greenbelt in the northwestern corner of the greenbelt and leads into Tully Road closer to White Road;

  8. another running north-south that starts in the north-central edge of the greenbelt and leads into Tully Road closer to the southeastern corner of the site; 

• Mini plaza: A small, second plaza suitable for a meeting spot would be located on the southern edge of the site

• Signature architecture: The southern and western corners of the site include some sharp angles, so we propose these mid-rise buildings would include signature architectural elements like a “flatiron” concept that draw people into the site at its edges and make the development a memorable part of San Jose.