Nearly 100 homes could fill a vacant block next to downtown Campbell that has dragged through the development process for almost a decade.
Roseville-based Cresleigh Homes recently submitted plans for a 90-home development at 600 E. Campbell Ave., sandwiched between The Pruneyard and the city’s historic downtown. Plans for the five- and six-story development include around 5,000 square feet of retail space on the bottom floor and 13 affordable homes. Approximately 111 parking and 112 bike spaces will be provided on the 1-acre site.
The site, bordered by Gilman and Dillon avenues, has been empty since 2021 when Paul Del Grande Auto Parts and Machine Shop and record store, On the Corner Music, were demolished. The Planning Commission will review the project’s newest design in about four to six months. The development doesn’t need Campbell City Council approval due to the city’s streamlined housing process.
Community Development Director Rob Eastwood said the plan was always to develop the site into mixed-use housing to extend and enhance the downtown’s corridor along East Campbell Avenue. Campbell’s state-mandated housing plan, which requires it to build at least 2,977 homes by 2031, lists the site as a prime development location. The development could increase to 108 homes under the city’s housing plan.
The project is part of the East Campbell Avenue master plan, which aims to boost downtown’s vibrancy outside its central streets through public improvements and urban design, according to city documents.
“I’m hoping once they start breaking ground and building, and we have nearby housing projects approved with local property owners, that it really just starts the ball rolling on redeveloping our boulevard right there,” Eastwood told San José Spotlight.
The development has been delayed since 2016 when Cresleigh Homes first proposed a smaller project.
Original plans included a four- and five-story development with 59 homes and 6,500 square feet of retail space. The city council asked Cresleigh Homes to rethink the design in 2017 after the community raised concerns over the development’s height, parking spaces and a look that didn’t fit with the area. The city council approved the project’s entitlements in 2019, but the pandemic delayed construction.
Jeremy Lui, development project manager, said Cresleigh Homes redid the project’s design to build more homes and address the housing crisis. He said the project would fill a critical connecting point in the city.
“We feel optimistic that Campbell has a brighter future now than what we felt five years ago,” he told San José Spotlight. “Cresleigh builds projects for the long term and we see the future of Campbell as a city that will continue to be a destination for residents and businesses with its lively community atmosphere.”
If approved, the development could add to another approved project slated for Gilman and Dillon avenues — 25 townhomes, 10 apartments and 12 tiny homes. The site is also across from Campbell Park and strip mall Lloyd Square.
Rhenna Mendez, optician at Vision Design Optometry in Lloyd Square, said the businesses there have been waiting for the vacant lot to be filled. She’s eager for its approval, seeing it as a new source of foot traffic.
“It would (be a) benefit more than anything,” Mendez told San José Spotlight.
The project could add a unique development near downtown where housing is mostly single-family residences and townhomes. Bigger developments, including a recent proposal for a 173-home project, have typically been planned near wider streets such as San Tomas Expressway.
Mayor Sergio Lopez said the development could amplify the amenities already in Campbell’s historic downtown. The project straddles Lopez’s District 2 and Vice Mayor Dan Furtado’s District 3.
“Campbell’s downtown core is one of the most walkable in the region, with easy access to parks, civic spaces, public transit, restaurants and shops,” Lopez told San José Spotlight. “I always look forward to welcoming new neighbors anywhere in Campbell who want to be part of our vibrant community.”
Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X.
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