Downtown Draw
Sunnyvale,
Calif., among Silicon Valley’s larger cities with 148,000 residents, was facing
an increasingly common urban problem: It had downtown employers but lacked new
housing with amenities and nearby after-hours attractions. Efforts to revitalize
the area with a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly core had begun. Two multistory apartment
complexes were among the initial efforts. On
opposite sides of a street where an old parking lot and retail mall once stood,
the mixed-use Loft House opened this past December, with 133 market-rate
apartments.
Fitting In
Developer Carmel
Partners and KTGY Architecture + Planners, both based in San Francisco,
designed Loft House as two separate, low-rise buildings atop podiums, to take
advantage of views of Plaza del Sol and historic Murphy Avenue. The 7,000
square feet of ground-floor retail space works as a neighborhood connector,
especially because of its popular Philz Coffee shop. The larger building,
designed in a “U” shape and with Plaza views, rises five stories and contains
85 units, including six two-story townhomes. The other building stands four
stories high and houses 48 apartments. All units have one or two bedrooms. To
lend a lively street rhythm, the exteriors of both structures are patterned in French
gray, white, and green siding, but in
inverse schemes, says KTGY principal David Senden.
Parallel
Socializing
The developer
requested a cool, urban aesthetic inspired by boutique-style hotels that would
appeal to a young, but not “hipster,” demographic, says designer Karen Mattice,
owner of Studio 4D, based in Denver. She went for clean, organic lines; warm
wood detailing; and accents of pale green and taupe/gray. And because the
overall architectural trend is for public spaces to reflect an open, loft-style
plan rather than be compartmentalized—similar to what’s occurred in the
units—the common areas serve multiple functions. “People are willing to hang
out in the same area and maybe share a long communal table, but they may not
socialize with each other,” Mattice says.
Night and Day
Because of the
California location, outdoor space became a key asset for Loft House, with the
units designed to include a terrace or balcony; two courtyards for gathering;
and a streetscape spruced up with Hungarian oak trees, benches, and improved
pavement. “We wanted more of a dialogue between the neighborhood and buildings
yet also have some contrast and punch,” says landscape architect Cathy Garrett,
president of PGAdesign, Landscape Architects, in Oakland. The larger building’s
third-floor outdoor space is busiest during daytime, with a resort-style pool
and cabanas, outdoor kitchen, and mature palms. Conversely, the smaller
building’s ground-level courtyard, with fire pit, barbecues, dining area, and
stage, make it more of a nighttime draw.
Green Scene
Both buildings
demonstrate Carmel Partners’ interest in obtaining California’s GreenPoint
Rated certification for Loft House, which it did through the project’s
transit-oriented location, car-charging stations, drought-tolerant plants, and
efficient irrigation system. Also contributing to its green status are the
development’s energy-efficient lighting, windows, and insulation, as well as
the natural light admitted through its oversized windows.
Big-City
Alternative
The downtown
neighborhood hasn’t become a high-density urban core, but it’s transitioning
from being a 1960s-style community with suburban sensibilities into something
far busier and younger, says Garrett. “The plaza was never used [before], and
now there are tons of people to give it a greater sense of community,” she
says.
For many, Sunnyvale represents a less–traffic-heavy and less-costly alternative to San Francisco, says Eric Snow, director, development, for Carmel Partners. Rents at Loft House range from $3,320 for 675 square feet to $5,800 for 1,461 square feet. The buildings were fully leased by their completion and are now at about 97% occupancy.
“It’s exactly what Sunnyvale needed,” Snow says. And more is in the pipeline: A short distance from the local train station, more than 100 apartments are being built that will expand the metro’s living options.
