Santa Clara hasn't had a downtown since the 1960s: Here's how it's looking to change that
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- The city of Santa Clara has begun seeking a development partner for the first phase of a long-planned effort to create a downtown destination, releasing a request for proposals for nearly five acres of city-owned land near Santa Clara University.
The project site, located at 900 and 1000 Lafayette Street, is envisioned as a mixed-use development featuring housing, restaurants, retail space, public gathering areas and cultural amenities.
City officials say the project is intended to help rebuild downtown Santa Clara, an effort that has been discussed for decades.
"That has been a long time in the making, for sure," said Reena Brilliot, the city's director of Economic Development and Sustainability.
Brilliot said the city is seeking a developer to bring its vision to life.
"We really want to find the right partner," she said.
According to the city's request for proposals, the development is expected to include at least 300 residential units, with 25% designated as affordable housing for low-income households.
Other proposed features include:
- a two-story food and beverage hall
- a town square and arts commons plaza
- ground-floor retail space
- parking
- a cultural arts space
- a theater recreating the historic Santa Clara Theater
"That piece of property we think is going to help kick off the revitalization of our downtown," she said.
The project area currently includes longtime businesses, such as The Hungry Hound and Frozos. City officials say they will likely demolish those buildings as part of redevelopment plans.
"There are a lot of mom-and-pop shops that have been around for a long time that we certainly want to pay attention to and to support," Brilliot said.
Several business owners in the area said they hope they can afford to return if redevelopment moves forward.
Among those welcoming the city's latest effort is Dan Ondrasek, a co-chair of Reclaiming Our Downtown, a grassroots group founded a decade ago to advocate for rebuilding downtown Santa Clara.
Ondrasek remembers visiting downtown as a child.
"We'd get a teen burger and then we drove downtown," he said.
He also recalls the beautiful neon signs of the theater.
"I saw the theater right there get torn down," Ondrasek said.
According to Ondrasek, plans to restore downtown never came to fruition.
"It never materialized. Then, the feds pulled the money," he said.
Despite that history, Ondrasek said he is encouraged by the city's plans for a mixed-use development centered on housing, retail, restaurants and transit access.
"My dream is to have that theater sign once again rise up 40 feet and say 'Santa Clara,'" he said. "This city has been waiting 60 years for the return of their heart."
The city will hold a mandatory pre-proposal conference for interested developers on Nov. 18. Officials estimate that selecting a developer could take about nine months, with construction and redevelopment still years away.
