An article in Friday’s Palo Alto Weekly describes a new apartment building proposed for the corner of Wellesley and College Avenue in College Terrace. The project by San Francisco-based Cato Investments would house 24 units in a three-story apartment building on two side-by-side lots at 2239 and 2241 Wellesley St. Today, both lots contain single-family homes.
The developer is applying under Palo Alto’s Planned Home Zoning (PHZ) designation, which allows developers providing affordable housing to request exceptions to development standards. Eligible developments must offer at least 20% of the project to below-market-rate units. The project would also require exemptions for parking, height, and setback requirements.
A project website – WellesleyHousing.com – lays out the developer’s vision to provide missing middle housing in a walkable neighborhood close to public transit, in a part of College Terrace that already contains multi-family housing. The developers plan to hold a community meeting before the City’s formal pre-screening of the project, although there is no date set for that community meeting yet. There is also a link on the website for a community survey, but it isn’t active yet either.
We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available. In the meantime, we recommend reading the articles in the Weekly and San Jose Inside, as well as the project website.
Absolutely unacceptable – 24 units in place of two homes. We have to stop this!
Let us know how we can provide feedback. 24 units is too many.
What is unacceptable is requiring more space than is necessary. But more importantly, the nimby attitude is what’s unacceptable. There is a real need for more affordable housing. I mean, whats the problem? I hope that we see more of this in Palo Alto. Not only does density make sense in this neighborhood, but also creates housing near public transportation. Where would you propose they build more housing?
Our City designates and decides where multi-family housing can go – take a look at the City’s zoning map – you can see where the single family zoning is, like the proposed project site and its surrounds – that’s what I would propose to be for single family homes. The rest of the. City could potentially accommodate more density if the City Council approves. Here’s the reference: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/8188
Three stories and 24 units is widely out of scale for the inner Terrace. Not a single nod to the prevailing architecture of the neighborhood. Has this developer visited College Terrace?
Great point – I don’t trust anyone who reached out to the press before reaching out to their neighbors. Their behavior is suspect and rude and unneighborly – it’s almost like they don’t acre about any of the neighbors. Also their ruse that they care about low income or below Markey housing is belied by the fact that they are only doing what is required.
I understand that 24 units seems like a lot. But this will boost usage of the library that was fought so hard for; and it may provide enough patrons to keep the new market in good health. Its right by transit, and actually alongside other, albeit smaller, apartment units. As for architectural integrity – surely its at least as good as these modern’ish houses that are going up all over CT that will probably age poorly over the years.
It may not be perfect, but let’s not kill all ideas that have their eye on a future that provides opportunities for more folks.