Project Overview
The N 13th Street project is a mixed-use residential development in San Jose that pairs active ground-floor retail with residential units above. The program includes two large retail spaces facing the sidewalk and 12 dwelling units on the second, third, and fourth floors.
Arbel Design prepared a feasibility study, existing and proposed plans, and an enhanced design option for preliminary review. The goal was to use the constrained corner lot efficiently while creating an attractive street presence, practical residential layouts, and a balanced relationship between the commercial and residential uses.
Project Information
The 10,827-square-foot corner property is within San Jose’s CP Commercial Pedestrian zoning district and is designated Mixed Use Commercial in the General Plan.
The four-story building contains two ground-floor retail spaces totaling approximately 5,414 square feet and 12 residential units totaling approximately 17,215 square feet. The total conditioned floor area is approximately 22,629 square feet.
The building is approximately 49 feet 2 inches tall and provides 21 parking spaces.
Site and Design Challenges
The project had to comply with zero-foot front and side setbacks, a 25-foot rear setback, and development standards that require approximately half of the lot area to be dedicated to commercial use. These requirements limited the space available for residential circulation, parking, building services, and outdoor areas.
The General Plan density allowance of up to 50 dwelling units per acre resulted in a calculated maximum of approximately 12.43 units, limiting the project to 12 whole dwelling units.
Providing 21 parking spaces on the restricted lot was another major challenge and directly influenced the ground-floor layout and residential unit mix.
Design Solution
Approximately half of the ground floor is dedicated to two retail spaces featuring tall storefront glazing. The transparent frontage fosters visual interaction between the businesses and pedestrians and supports a more active sidewalk environment. Outdoor seating, tables, or public art could further strengthen this connection, subject to City approval.
To accommodate the required parking, seven mechanical parking lifts provide 14 stacked spaces within the footprint of seven conventional stalls. Seven additional spaces bring the total to 21, preserving more ground-floor area for retail and circulation.
The upper three floors contain 12 dwelling units, arranged for efficient circulation and private balconies. Recessed balconies reduce the building’s apparent mass, provide outdoor space for residents, and add depth to the exterior elevations.
White stucco, exterior siding, large windows, varied wall planes, and recessed balconies and projected bedroom volumes at the four corners create a contemporary composition. Together, the active storefronts and residential elevations lend the San Jose mixed-use building a lively urban character and a strong connection to the surrounding pedestrian environment.
Services Provided
Arbel Design provided feasibility analysis, site and zoning review, mixed-use programming, existing and proposed plans, design alternatives, residential mixed-use building design, retail layout development, dwelling-unit planning, exterior elevations, massing studies, 3D visualization, parking studies, and preliminary review support.
Planning a Residential Mixed-Use Development in San Jose?
A successful mixed-use project should balance commercial visibility, residential quality, parking, density, circulation, and neighborhood character.
Contact Arbel Design to discuss your San Jose retail, residential, or mixed-use development project.
