The San Jose City Council has put the kibosh on VCI Companies’ controversial twin-tower project in the Cory neighborhood.
On June 10, officials rejected VCI’s request to amend the land-use designation of 826 North Winchester Boulevard that would’ve allowed a 17-story and a 14-story building to rise above the single-family enclave, The Mercury News reported. The San Jose-based developer’s plans are now effectively dead.
VCI acquired the 0.6-acre parcel in 2023 for more than $6.5 million after previous owner Kochland went into foreclosure. The site’s current zoning designation limits building height to 35 feet on some portions of the property and 50 feet on other parts.
The building, dubbed the North Winchester ICON, would have brought 135 apartments, including 20 units set aside for affordable housing, to the suburban neighborhood near the Westfield Valley Fair and Santana Row malls. The company was “ready to work on compromises,” including committing to reducing the height to a maximum of 11 stories, VCI’s director of entitlements, Kelly Erardi, told the city.
VCI’s proposal faced significant pushback from locals who didn’t want to see a so-called “monstrosity” pop up in their neighborhood. Longtime residents told the Mercury News that while they were open to the idea of high-density housing, VCI’s proposal was too massive for the neighborhood.
The site’s location just a few blocks from the Santa Clara city border prompted Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Vice Mayor Kelly Cox to write a letter to the San Jose City Council blasting the project’s size, compatibility with the surrounding area, and possible impacts on traffic, safety and roads.
“Our residents are not opposed to well-integrated housing solutions,” Gillmor and Cox wrote in a letter to the San Jose City Council, per the Mercury News. “However, this proposal does not reflect sound, balanced planning for a transitional neighborhood of this type. The proposed height and density are not appropriate for this location and would have direct, negative impacts on adjacent Santa Clara neighborhoods.”
San Jose is still on the hook to build 62,200 units of housing by 2031 to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation. The city of Santa Clara committed to building 11,632 units by then. — Chris Malone Méndez
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