The foundations are laid and the framing on one section of the project is complete. But some of the underlying concerns that led to the project's modifications still exist.

Dan Sarkisian, co-owner of the Gilman business Haig Precision Manufacturing Group, attended the planning commission meeting last March because he was worried about safety. Now, as the townhouses are going up, he still has reservations.

"I think this is a good project for the area," Sarkisian said. "But I still have concerns about safety. There's a lot of traffic."

He added that if children move into the area and ride their bikes on the street, there could be a potential hazard, with the big trucks that frequent the area.

Gilman Avenue, which bends into Sam Cava Lane, is a narrow road with limited visibility as vehicles turn the corner. Gilman Avenue is a mix of office buildings and light manufacturing. It feeds into Campbell Avenue, which Sarkisian said sometimes has drivers making quick turns and speeding down the road.

The townhouse project faces out onto Gilman Avenue and extends around the bend at Sam Cava Lane, with the parking entrance to the development off Gilman Avenue. This will lead into the development's new street—Heritage Place— that is scheduled for completion within the next month.

As the project's pace quickens, the installation of the onsite utilities is scheduled for next week, with the utility trench planned for completion by Sept. 12. The roofing, sheet metal and ventilation system are also on target. All outside construction is being timed for completion prior to the rainy season, Core Builders' Assistant Project Manager Geofrey Gutierrez said.

Overall, the entire project is being built on a very tight site, Gutierrez said.

The 1.28-acre site will hold 20 units, making this a high-density project. There will be 13 two-bedrooms at 1,322 square feet and six one-bedroom homes at 1,051 square feet. There will also be one larger two-bedroom unit at 1,452 square feet. Each townhouse will have a two-car garage, and 14 units will have a front-porch area with a rear deck. There will also be six visitor parking spaces available.

Three units will be sold below-market value, as affordable housing. But the city of Campbell has already closed its waiting list for these units.

The project was designed with approximately 26 percent of open space, which prior to the developments' approval was a concern for planning commissioner Liz Gibbons, who wanted to see a greater percentage of open space in the design.

The units closest to Sam Cava Lane will be built as four connected units, the ones off Gilman Avenue will be constructed as two sets of five connected units, and the townhouses closest to Dillon will be completed as six connected units.

Yet even with the project's tight parameters and potential safety concerns, Sarkisian said that it's still a good project for the area. These new homes will be within walking distance of downtown, Campbell Park and the future downtown light-rail station.

Core Development's Asset Manager Michelle Windisch said the company has already received numerous inquiries from potential homeowners about the project.

"The final pricing hasn't been confirmed," Windisch said.

But the developer is keeping a list of everyone who calls. The builder plans to have model homes ready for viewing by January 2004.

For more information, call Core Development at 408.292.7841.