Construction has started for the four-story affordable housing complex at 231 Grant Avenue in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County. The project will open 110 units for teachers, school district staff, and their families, including staff in Santa Clara County and several southern San Mateo County school districts. The project has been a joint venture between Abode Communities and Mercy Housing.
231 Grant Avenue aerial view, rendering by Van Meter Williams Pollack
The 50-foot structure will yield around 115,000 square feet, including 1,100 square feet for a commercial flex space for a potential cafe or retail. Unit sizes will vary, with 24 studios, 61 one-bedrooms, and 25 two-bedrooms. Units will be designated as affordable to households earning between 60% to 140% of the Area Median Income.
Parking will be included at ground level for 112 cars, utilizing stackers to maximize floor efficiency. The driveways will connect to Birch Avenue and Park Boulevard. A landscaped welcome grove along Grant Avenue will usher residents and visitors to the lobby. The upper floors will be divided into two U-shaped sections connected by a bridge.
231 Grant Avenue overlooking Grant, rendering by Van Meter Williams Pollack
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou said, “on behalf of the Palo Alto community, we are thrilled to celebrate the start of this wonderful affordable housing project that will serve teachers, school district staff, and their families. Kou went on to say, “thank you to County Supervisor Joe Simitian, plus co-developers Abode Communities and Mercy Housing California, and Meta for their investment and leadership in furthering affordable housing in our community.”
Meta provided the development team with a $25 million grant. Additional funding for the roughly $99 million project came from the County of Santa Clara, the City of Palo Alto, the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund, Century Housing Corp, and the School Districts of Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View, and Foothill-DeAnza Community College.
231 Grant Avenue Palo Alto First Floor via Mercy Housing
Van Meter Williams Pollack is the project architect. The low-rise podium block will feature an articulated facade to break up the massing and a trio of exterior material palettes built over a darker foundational ground level. Pedestrians passing by will find three public plazas, an accessible community room, retail cafe space, and new sidewalk landscaping.
With construction started now, work is scheduled to progress for the next two years. Teachers are expected to move in by early 2025. Cahill is serving as the general contractor.
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