2009
City forms Good Neighbor Committee
A place inspired
by San José
We’re working together to imagine this part of downtown — one that draws from San José’s culturally-rich history, vibrant personality and innovative spirit.
Here’s an overview of Downtown West
Location
Downtown West
In 2014, the City of San José adopted the Diridon Station Area Plan to create a mixed-use urban destination near public transit. Google is working with the City and community to help bring this vision to life.
Approach
Building on a decade of engagement
We've drawn on 10 years of the City of San José's planning and spoken to thousands of locals to create our mixed-use framework plan. Google is here for the long haul, and we’ll continue to engage with the City and community members to build a place that’s of San José.
As told by the people of San José
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What I love most about San José…
Diversity • The people • It isn’t pretentious • Small city feel with big city amenities • The potential • It’s a nerd mecca • It’s not San Francisco • The parks • Libraries • We keep it real • We’re the underdogs of Silicon Valley • It’s filled with people like me • The rich cultural history and racial diversity • How family-friendly the city is • The amazing people that cultivate the arts and the culture that exists and THRIVES here • Inclusivity • Great neighborhoods • The culture and people and food • Openness to new people • The art • Community events • Unique • It's growing and changing quickly • Weather and outside activities • One of the most beautiful cities • Variety, mix of culture and influences • Peaceful • Historic neighborhoods • It’s authentic
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What excites me most about Google in San José…
Job opportunities in the heart of SJ • The innovation and advances we could make • Using vacant lots to activate SJ’s downtown core • Walkable community with parks, recreation, and retail • SJ is coming up • My mom will get a job close to home • They will invest in the area and my family’s future by committing to the long run • Taking SJ to the next level • New jobs and new opportunities • Hands on learning • Providing opportunities for young people • Real community involvement • Better streetscapes and transit • Connecting greenways • More vibrant and safe Diridon • Opportunities to collaborate and innovate • More jobs more people more housing • Busier trails and parks • More night life • Positive upgrades to infrastructure • Community gathering space • Jobs for San Joséans
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What concerns me most about Google in San José…
Retaining our local culture • Not hiring San Joséans • The cost of housing • Displacement of low income residents • It isn’t here fast enough • How it will affect me financially • Don’t make the areas too stark, cold, museum-like • Traffic • Becoming a big city like SF, losing that sense of community • Enhance the education and wellness of our youth • Losing mom + pop shops • The people who live here feel welcomed everywhere • That it won’t actually happen • Loud voices in small numbers can be divisive • Keeping an authentic non-corporate character • Increase in congestion on highways and boulevards • Losing the city’s charm • Ensuring the project integrates surrounding neighborhoods • All the construction • Not having infrastructure to support it, losing our history to trying to be a tech center
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What I wish San José had…
More kid-friendly venues for teens • Late night establishments • Better public transportation • Affordable housing for the middle class • A history trail • More small shops and grocery stores • More community involvement • More lively downtown • More block parties • More vibrant hangout spots • Community events and functions • Awareness of how beautiful this city really is, we have so much to offer • Multicultural center • Skyscrapers • More places for kids downtown • More fun things to do • Safer walks to downtown for women • Improved creeks and rivers • More youth employment focused on tech • More jobs for locals • More cool public art • More festivals • Taller buildings more density • More affordable housing • More outdoor music and dance • More playgrounds • Cleaner streets
Priorities
Delivering on San José’s goals
We heard from San José - and we set the priorities for Downtown West together. The project and its programs are designed to respond to these meaningful and ambitious goals—and to also grow and evolve together with the community.
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Local job opportunities
5,700 + prevailing wages construction jobs with supplier diversity and local hire targets
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More housing, and affordable housing
4,000 new homes, and support for 25% affordable housing in the Diridon Station Area
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Help strengthen the community
$150M+ Community Stabilization & Opportunity Pathways Fund rooted in social equity and community participation
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An inclusive place
15 acres of public parks and open space with free year-round programming
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Ambitious climate targets
Zero net new carbon emission and 65% non-single-occupancy vehicle trips (walking, biking, carpooling, or public transit)
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Enhancing ecological health
Over 4.25 acres of enhanced riparian habitat, 2,280 new trees planted
Plan
A mixed-use plan for a variety of experiences
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A range of urban to nature across open spaces
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World-class multi-modal transit hub
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Local neighborhoods with diverse character and community
Downtown West will be a connected hub of activity and culture with easy access to nature and transit.
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7.3M sf
Office
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4,000
Housing units
*Studying up to 5,900 units -
15 acres
Parks, plazas and green spaces
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500K sf
Retail, cultural, arts, education, hotel and more
Proposed land use
Legend
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Office
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Residential
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Land dedicated to City for affordable housing
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Land dedicated to City for Unentitled DSAP potential affordable housing
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Active use (retail, cultural, arts, education etc)
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Parks + plazas + green spaces
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Downtown West Project Boundary
How it all comes together
Take a walk across the site
Downtown West is designed to provide a range of experiences from urban to natural, while fostering a lively and welcoming public realm, with free year-round programming.
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The Gateway
On the eastern edge of Downtown West, the Gateway will act as an immersive learning exchange that brings San José’s entrepreneurial, innovative spirit to life. It will bolster connections to adjacent neighborhoods and Downtown by offering a flexible plaza for temporary pop-up programming and events; it also celebrates adjacent natural resources.
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The Creekside Walk
Bounded by South Autumn Street to the west, Los Gatos Creek to the east, West Santa Clara Street to the north, and the VTA light rail corridor to the south, the Creekside Walk is a part of the social heart located at San José’s transit gateway emphasizing health, wellness and environmental education.
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Daytime on The Meander
A central social gathering place with shops, local food and places to learn and experience art and culture, the Meander bridges natural open space areas with more civic, active areas. It’s situated between West San Fernando Street and Park Avenue, serving as a pedestrian-only extension of South Montgomery Street. A flexible lawn accommodates workshops, classes and events, and is framed by adjacent temporary and permanent structures.
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Evening in The Meander
The Meander comes alive at night, bringing neighbors out to restaurants, bars, and exhibitions — or just for an evening stroll. A mix of businesses and organizations build on San José’s existing culture of food and art. Public seating, native plantings, film screenings, and performances enhance the actively programmed public realm.
Where are we in the process?
2009
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2014
City approves Diridon Station Area Plan -
AUG 2019
Google unveils draft mixed-use framework -
OCT 2019
Google submits Downtown West development application -
OCT 7, 2020
Draft documents for public review -
OCT 19, 2020
Development Application Community Meeting -
June 8, 2021
City Council approves Downtown West development application -
Today
Laying the groundwork for Downtown West and delivering on the Social Infrastructure Plan
2022
How we think about placemaking
Four guiding principles
We know when our local communities thrive, Google thrives. That’s why we committed $1 billion towards creating 20,000 new homes in the Bay Area. As we think about designing great places for people, we look to four guiding principles.
Community
Places are about people and connections between them. We want to contribute to vibrant places that promote well-being, inclusion, and interconnectivity.
Innovation
We aim to have a healthy disregard for the impossible. We design for adaptability and flexibility.
Nature
The well-being of people depends on the health of the planet. We aspire to build spaces and places that are resilient and circular, connect people to nature, and help us conserve resources and reduce waste.
Economics
We invest in bold ideas that create replicable solutions for a better future. We want our designs to give something back to the world that wasn’t already there.
We want to hear from you!
Explore the latest updates and events
Let's keep the conversation going
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FeaturedMay 07, 2022
Downtown West Spring Open House
We’re excited to invite the community to learn more about Downtown West at our spring open house on May 7, 2022.
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UpdateApr 06, 2021
A look at Downtown West’s Social Infrastructure Plan
We’re excited to introduce Downtown West’s Social Infrastructure Plan sharing how we’re creating an inclusive, welcoming place that creates new opportunities and delivers a range of public benefits for San José residents.
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UpdateJul 30, 2021
In Conversation with Valley Verde: Healthy equitable food
Valley Verde’s team talks with us about creating access to healthy and culturally diverse food as well as tips and tricks for how to grow these vegetables.
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UpdateJul 05, 2021
Downtown West Event Recap
On Saturday, June 26, over 160 community members joined us to clean up Los Gatos Creek and celebrate a new mural in Downtown West.
Project Team
- Lendlease: Development Advisor
- SITELAB urban studio: Master Planning + Urban Design
- Heatherwick Studio: Workplace Architecture
- Grimshaw Architects: Architecture
- Red Leaf: Design Visualization
- Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF): Architecture
- Fougeron Architecture: Architecture
- Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB): Architecture
- SHoP Architects: Architecture
- Architectural Resources Group (ARG): Historic Resource Consultant
- West8: Landscape Design
- Sherwood Design Engineers: Civil + Infrastructure
- HMH Engineers: Civil
- H.T.Harvey & Associates: Ecology
- San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI): Ecology
- Integral Group: Design Analytics
- David J Powers: Environmental
- Kier + Wright: Surveyors
- Prior + Partners: Urban Design + Station Integration
- ARUP: Rail, Transportation, + Sustainability
- Nelson Nygaard: Transportation
- Schaaf & Wheeler: Hydrology
- Johnson Aviation: Aviation
- Applied Wayfinding: Signage