Santa Cruz Changes 73 - 900 High Street

Peace United Church, at 900 High Street, is proposing a development called "Peace Village Housing".  The City project page has this description: "Project Size: Large Development Project; Project APN: 001-022-40; City of Santa Cruz Project Number: CP22-0164

Minor Land Division, Design Permit, Slope Development Permit, and Density Bonus Request to divide a lot into two lots and construct a 40 unit (including 4 Low-Income units and 5 Very Low-Income units), four story apartment building within 20 feet of a 30 percent slope, with a concession for stories/height, on a site with an existing church in the R-1-10 (Single Family Residence) zone district.

On October 4th, 2023, this item will be agendized at the Zoning Administrator meeting. 

• October 4, 2023 Zoning Administrator Meeting 

Contact: Senior Planner: Brittany Whitehill: (831) 420-5134; bwhitehill@santacruzca.gov"

The proposed housing location is uphill from the upper parking lot of the existing church facilities, as shown below (High Street runs left-right at the bottom of this view):

 

Santa Cruz Changes 72 - 1800 Soquel Avenue

 

Another large Santa Cruz mixed use project gets its first public hearing (hybrid) before the Planning Commission next Thursday, Sep. 21, 7:00 pm.  The image above is one of the architect's rendering of the development proposed for 1800 Soquel Avenue, at the corner of Hagemann Avenue (across Hagemann from Walgreen's). Following is the city project description from the Planning Commission agenda:

"1800, 1812, 1818 Soquel Avenue - Commercial Demolition Authorization Permit to demolish an existing commercial building , Boundary Adjustment to merge three parcels, Design Permit, Special Use Permit, and Density Bonus Request involving incentives, concessions and waivers to development standards, including exceeding height, and a reduction in auto and bike parking and open space requirements, to construct a four-story mixed-use project consisting of 1,928 square feet of ground level commercial space, and 84 residential units on a parcel located in the CC (Community Commercial) zone district and within the Eastside Business Improvement Plan Area. (Environmental Determination: Categorical Exemption)"

A video of a May 3 public information meeting staged by the developer is available via a link on the city project page. Project plans and other information can also be found on the project page.

Redevelopment of this corner has been in discussions since May's restaurant closed several years ago, but nothing has happened yet. The Google Street View image below shows the current appearance of the location.

Santa Cruz Changes 71 - Mitigation Measures for Parking Structures

Until we kick the individual-motor-vehicle habit, large unattractive parking structures will remain part of urban landscapes. 

However, Santa Cruz and Watsonville have recognized that those blank concrete facades can become canvases for artists. 

A new mosaic mural now adorns the River Street facade of "Public Parking Lot 10" (aka River-Front parking garage) in Santa Cruz - seen in the image at right (courtesy of Kevin Painchaud and Lookout Santa Cruz).

Meanwhile, in Watsonville a similar project (left) has been proceeding in stages. Mosaic artist Kathleen Crocetti contributed her mosaic skills to both projects, partnering with artists Maha Taitano (Santa Cruz) and Juan R. Fuentes (Watsonville).

Fellow change-trackers will remember that Crocetti did the mosaic tile work on the 2020 China Bridge dragon sculpture, and has previously contributed decorative mosaic tile to the Water Street and Soquel Avenue bridges.