As with every other recent year, 2025 has seen a lot of changes in Santa Cruz - despite the slowdown noted in Changes 135. First, some updates to stories from Changes 130, a mid-year report, and other progress:
* The senior housing project at 126 Eucalyptus Avenue is closed in, installing windows and roofing.
* The new Santa Cruz downtown library construction is underway, and the downtown farmers market seems to be doing fine at its new location (Changes 127).
* Work continues on the Murray Street bridge seismic retrofit. In November, the city considered but abandoned a proposal to build a temporary rail/trail bypass on the railroad trestle.
* The city ban on gas-powered leaf blowers (Changes 131) has noticeably reduced noise in my Westside neighborhood.
* The Capitola Avenue bridge rebuild over Hwy. 1 is not yet open, but close.
* Work on the Mar Vista Drive walk/bike bridge over Hwy. 1 in Aptos is underway.
* Work on the mixed-use project at 831 Water Street (Changes 108) is underway, and a similar project in the 900 block received city approval.
* Work continues on the UCSC "East Meadow" housing (Changes 95).
* The Cabrillo/UCSC student housing collaboration (Changes 139) was scheduled to break ground in September, but I haven't been out there to confirm that.
* Two downtown mixed-use projects are nearing completion: Pacific Station North (which includes the Transit Center replacement), and "River Row" on Front Street.
New Changes in the second half of the year.
* A developer proposes to replace the building housing The Catalyst music venue with a new mixed-use structure similar to others in the area (Changes 142).
* A new proposal aims to replace the Neptune Apartments on lower Pacific Avenue with another tall mixed-use building.
* The developer of the big mixed-use project at 908 Ocean Street has backed out.
* In November, the city considered but abandoned a proposal to build a temporary rail/trail bypass on the railroad trestle.
* New openings: the "Whale Bridge", a new New Leaf, a new La Bahia.
