Welcome to the Tamien Station TOD Website!!

We are pleased you dropped by for a visit to learn more about this proposal. The Tamien Station TOD project provides housing in an atmosphere of an unprecedented housing shortage in our region. The project includes 569 housing units with approximately 24% of the units designated affordable. The project also smartly proposes the housing units in an urban, infill location immediately adjacent to an existing multi-modal transit station for excellent and convenient access to the many job hubs up and down the transit corridors. Please review the plan and information and when you are done, feel welcome to contact us if you need more information or have questions.

Project History and Timeline

1995
  City of San Jose adopts the Tamien Station Area Specific Plan. The TSASP identified high-density residential uses adjacent to the station. It also calls for the creation and development of Tamien Park.
2014
  VTA Submits Zoning Application to City of San Jose.
2016
  Zoning approved for R-M(PD) Multiple Residential Zoning District to accommodate up to 440 multi-family residential units; 3,000 square feet of commercial space; 20% of the units to be affordable. Recommended by Staff, adopted by the Planning Commission, and approved by the City Council.
  VTA submitted a Request for Proposals to develop the Tamien Site.
 2017
  April – UrbanCo-Tamien LLC selected
  November – Community Meeting held
 2018
  January – Community Meeting with Madre a Madre held
  July – UrbanCo-Tamien LLC submits Zoning ApplicationThe Zoning designation will remain the same, but UrbanCo-Tamien requests up to 569 multi-family residential units, up to 3,000 square feet of commercial space, and approximately 24% affordable units with deeper levels of affordability than the previous project.  The affected land area remains the same.
  August – Community Meeting hosted by Councilman Peralez Office on a variety of Tamien neighborhood issues, including the Transit Station TOD Project
  December –  Community Meeting was noticed to a broader radius than standard, extending half a mile from the site. Additional social media posting on VTA’s website and signs at the Tamien Transit Station.
2019
  Project Zoning Processing
2020
Community Outreach

July 15, 2020 Community Meeting

Zoning Approved
2022
  Construction Complete (expected in Spring)

Tamien Station Project

Project Location

The approximately 6.96-acre site is located between Lick Avenue and the Tamien Station Transit Center.  To the north is Tamien Park. Phase II of Tamien Park is expected to be built soon (soccer field) to be located adjacent to the new existing park where there are climbers, basketball court, game tables, picnic areas, and other amenities. To the south of the site, is the existing Skyline 10- story development, as well as the currently vacant lot for Skyline II, its sister development.

Project Components

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The Tamien Station TOD Project provides much-needed housing conveniently located adjacent to the entrance of the multi-modal Tamien Station where a convergence of transit, bus, train, bike and pedestrian options are abundant.

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569 new housing units will be built in 3 buildings.  There will be 2-Market Rate buildings holding approximately 217 units each and an Affordable Housing building consisting of 135 units next door to Tamien Park. There will also be up to 3,000 SF of commercial space intended for a child care center.  Parking will be located under the buildings.

The front of the building along Lick will be 4-levels (stepping up to 5 further back) including units with front stoops to create pedestrian activity and street presence.  There will also be lobbies at the street level along Lick Avenue further adding to pedestrian activity.

From the Transit/Hwy 87 side, the project will be 6 stories, as the land dips lower in the back, relative to the Lick Avenue side. There will be entrances to the buildings on the transit side as well, so that residents can quickly and easily catch transit, go for walks to the park, bike ride down the trails, and more.

To create an aesthetically pleasing look from Lick Ave and from the Transit/Hwy 87 side, all three buildings are intended to be architecturally distinct.

Each building will be designed to have their own unique, high-quality architectural look, so as not to present a cookie-cutter appearance. Final design will come in a later application step in the development process.

On-site amenities include fitness rooms, bicycle kitchen, community/club room, and recreational space. We anticipate the project to be popular with employees who work off the transit line as it makes its way through the South Bay and beyond.

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This project invests a significant amount of capital in the neighborhood, as the Project developers believe in the future of this community.  We further believe the Tamien Station TOD project will bring a critical mass of new neighbors to contribute to the livelihood and well-being of the community.

Affordable Housing

The Tamien project helps bring many of the City’s policy goals to fruition. Through an increased supply of affordable housing units between 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, low-income families of various sizes can get access to quality housing and transit that connects easily to the entire Bay Area. The project also meets the funding goals related to revitalizing the community through neighborhood investment as this project will bring major improvements to the existing transit station. The project is designed to provide support for essential services for its most vulnerable populations and allocated resources for extremely low-income (ELI) and special needs residents.

The current proposal is to provide an affordable family-oriented project that provides Low, Very Low, and Extremely Low-income homes.

A Property Manager, Resident Service Manager, and Regional Manager will be on the property at a regular and ongoing basis. Programs may include but not necessarily be limited to: Computer skills and literacy training, ESL courses, money management and financial literacy, resume development, GED and vocational resources. Instructor led classes (minimum of 84 hours/year) for social and educations programs or presentations including nutrition, exercise, health information, on-site food cultivation and cooking classes, smoking cessation, art classes, and parenting.

Project Handout (English and Spanish)

  • Transit Oriented Development
  • Transit Oriented Development

Project Presentation (English)

Project Presentation (Spanish)

FAQs

1)  What is the timing for the application’s review?
It is early on in the development review process.  Rezoning will take many months as the applicant and City Staff embark on a back and forth review and respond period. Following some weeks doing that, the project will again be brought forth at yet another Community Meeting, then on to Public Hearings. On December 17, 2018, UrbanCo Tamien, LLC and VTA held a community meeting to present our project plans to residents and transit users.

2)  How many stories will the buildings be?
The Market-Rate buildings will be 4 stories on a podium.  From the Lick Avenue view, the project will appear to be 4 stories of residential, stepping up as it moves back. The Affordable building will be 5 stories at grade.

3) What is the anticipated timeline for the Project?
We expect construction to be completed in the Spring of 2022.

4)  Will the project include childcare?
We understand the need for childcare is great all over the region.  We plan to have commercial use at the site, and our choice is to include a 3,000 SF child care center.  We believe it will be very successful!

5)  Parking- some neighbors have expressed concern about transit users parking in the neighborhood.
In advance of project construction, a robust outreach plan will be implemented informing transit users of changes coming to the station affecting parking.  Users will also be educated to frequent other available transit stations, or take alternative transportation to the site.  Ample notice will be given to transit users to educate them to the changes to come.  Notices will also be posted directly on the transit platforms, and at the station.

6) Have you conducted Community Engagement in our neighborhood?
Community engagement is very important to us.  Since we were awarded the RFP in 2017, we have been meeting with neighbors in small groups and in larger forums. Most recently we held a community meeting on July 15, 2020, and will continue to engage with local leaders and residents.