The Cupertino Courier
News
Election puts properties on hold for at least one more year
By HUGH BIGGAR
In the aftermath of the Nov. 7 elections, one thing is certain for two Cupertino properties--they are to remain the same for a year. After that, their future is an open question.
Both sites, 32 acres of empty land at Finch Avenue and Stevens Creek Boulevard, and Vallco Fashion Park land next to Highway 280, were the focus of the two referendums on the ballot.
The referendums successfully overturned city-approved rezoning that would have paved the way for a mix of retail and condominiums at both locations.
As a part of that reversal, no rezoning decisions can be discussed for either site for one year.
Hewlett-Packard officials, who own the Finch Avenue location--the largest piece of undeveloped land in Cupertino--said the land remains under contract to be sold to the residential development company, Toll Brothers contingent on it being rezoned.
"For now, that's put on hold," Shawna Holmes, Hewlett-Packard's government affairs official, said.
Toll Brothers had hoped to build 380 condominiums on the Hewlett-Packard land.
At Vallco, mall officials had hoped a 137-condominium project, along with a 16-screen multiplex (scheduled to open in December) would help revitalize the struggling shopping center.
With the condominiums no longer a part of those plans, Mike Rohde, general manager of the shopping center, has said the backup plan is a hotel on the site.
Regardless of the future of the sites, those developing them will have to start over.
"They will have to start from scratch," Cupertino Planning Commissioner Gilbert Wong said. "[Planners] won't be able to come in and make small changes to the old designs."
Whether the future designs will resemble the old ones with their focus on high-density condominiums mixed in with retail also remains to be seen.
"There is still a demand for housing, and Cupertino remains a viable place for that," Wong said. "But perhaps high-density condominiums is not the right way to go."
