Received this City of Santa Cruz project update today:
On April 28, the Community Development Department issued a building permit for a new six-story affordable housing project at 915 Water Street. This 110,000 square foot development will replace existing structures with 83 apartments, offering a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. All units are designed for mobility or are adaptable for persons with disabilities.
The building will feature ground floor commercial space and a leasing office, alongside various resident amenities. These include a community room, an exterior courtyard with a children’s play area, co-working spaces, and onsite laundry.
To support city sustainability goals, the project is fully electric. The site will also include electric vehicle charging stations and the supporting infrastructure for future EV needs.
The design of this project has changed a lot from the "four-story, 74,290 sq. ft. mixed-use building with . . . 105 SRO's" proposed in 2022. The site is on the north side of Water Street between N. Branciforte and Stanford, across from Branciforte School. Buildings to be demolished have been vacant since 2024, as seen in this Google Street View screen grab:
