Willow Glen Resident
News
Senior facility off Meridian gets green light from city
By Mayra Flores De Marcotte
Open space and vacant lots are slowly disappearing in San Jose, the most recent one being a parcel on Meridian Avenue and Curci Drive. It will be replaced with a 98-unit senior-care facility.
The project by developers Merill Gardens at Willow Glen will include the construction of a four-story rectangular building on a 1.17-acre site.
The first floor of the residential facility will include 13 "Alzheimer's studios," eight additional residential units, a wellness center, beauty salon, activity room and common dining area.
The second through fourth floors will include a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom units. All units will have balconies, with the exception of the Alzheimer's studios that will share a secure, common courtyard area with a landscaped walking path. The facility will have 26 onsite employees.
Although the San Jose Planning Commission approved the project on Nov. 15, the project has a long history of false starts.
In February 2004, San Jose City Council approved a rezoning for a planned development to allow up to 130 residential-care facility units and a public park on a larger 3.3-acre parcel, which included the subject site and the adjacent site to the west.
When the project was first proposed, land-use consultant Erik Schoennauer told the Willow Glen Resident the developer worked with the project's Meridian Avenue neighbors, the Casa de Willow Glen Homeowner's Association, on the design of the project.
Then in 2005, the land was subdivided and the western portion of the original site was rezoned to allow developer Pinn Brothers to build 46 three-story townhouse units and a public park. As part of the Pinn Brothers' approval, the city rezoned the site back to commercial office, said Schoennauer.
The remaining parcel was owned by Barry Swenson Builder, who considered developing the lot with a 57-unit loft project.
"As soon as there was an opportunity to bring in an assisted living developer, Barry chose to sell the site to Merill Gardens at Willow Glen," Schoennauer said.
In July, the application had evolved into the approved 98-unit senior-assisted living project, he said.
Schoennauer said, "We have gone through three separate projects, and neighbors have been supportive of all of them. They understand that there is a need in Willow Glen, and this project will allow their seniors to stay close to their family and friends."
The conceptual building design will be a Mediterranean-style architecture with stucco finishes. The plans include a landscaped courtyard that will wrap around the facility. There will be an underground parking garage with 69 parking spaces, with additional parking on Curci Drive.
The garage will be accessible via a ramp entrance from Curci Drive and emergency vehicle access will only be allowed from Meridian Avenue.
The care facility will target seniors 60 years or older and will be licensed by the state of California as a residential-care facility. It will offer a variety of services to its residents, including laundry and housekeeping, transportation to shopping and appointments, three meals daily, on-site transportation and security, and limited health-care facilities.
