Google Village

After purchasing several government and city-owned properties, Google has received approval to break ground for their 8.5-acre development in downtown San Jose. This transit-oriented development will not only provide Downtown with 1.04 million sqft of office space in two towers, but will also develop a residential tower with 300+ housing units, and 35,000 sqft of retail space. Spanning from Lenzen Ave. to the north down to Auzerais Ave. and I-280 to the south, the development will include updates to the existing San Jose Diridon transit station. This construction will be a game-changer for Downtown San Jose, with talks of Diridon Station becoming the “Grand Central Station of the West.” The goal is to create not just another high-rise office building, but instead to create a community space to revitalize Downtown, increasing housing while transforming the face of urban transportation. Google aims to add value by providing a mixed-use community offering– not just office spaces, but also residences, shopping, and retail establishments, restaurants, and amenities.

 

In 2017 San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said, “It won’t be a gated community of a corporate campus… It’s about transit and urban design and the space between buildings. We have to get the paseos, parks, and plazas right. That’s how the city will be judged.” And while Google may not begin construction until 2023, we’re already seeing increases in home values along the edges of the proposed campus.