San Jose apartment project with hundreds of units gets final city OK

SAN JOSE A San Jose apartment project linked to the city s purchase of a downtown historic building has landed final city approval despite concerns raised by some neighbors and a union-backed group. The project would produce 276 apartments at 470 West San Carlos St. in downtown San Jose. The City Council approved the development on Oct. 20 through a 10-0 vote. The vote upheld a previous decision by San Jose city planners to approve the proposed eight-story project. The decision also rejected an appeal of that prior ruling by the municipality s planning staff administrators. Stakeholders + Neighborhoods Initiative, a group formed by some residents who live near the development site, led the opposition to the apartment project, which is known as The Gifford. Kathy Sutherland, president of Stakeholders + Neighborhoods, says her group is worried about the project s design and how well it would mesh with the area. Related Articles To increase housing, San Jose to study tiere