Housing relief for the South Bay, but not for another 10 years

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Jesse Gary/KTVU) - A just unveiled plan could provide housing relief for the South Bay, and ease traffic congestion. 

“This is an overview if you’re looking at the entire project,” said  Architect Kurt Anderson inside his Campbell office.

He says a year’s worth of brainstorming went into creating these conceptual renderings of the Southwest Plaza at Bascom Station.

The 4.2 acre development would have 710-units of housing stretching 10-stories into the sky. The ground floor would provide 12,500 square feet of retail space..
 
“We’re real excited. The city has given us very positive encouragement to proceed with the project. So we’re real exited about moving forward,” said Anderson.
 
The “plaza” would replace the existing Shelter Creek apartment complex, and provide easy access to VTA’s Bascom Station directly across the street. The line links Winchester Station to the south, with downtown San Jose to the north.

"Pretty much all the other places near the other vta stations have those massive apartments already. So I was wondering when this was going to happen. It’s kind of inevitable is what I think,” said Shelter Apartment complex resident Avi Mukhopadhyay
 
City leaders such as District-6 Councilwoman Dev Davis have given the project a green light, eventually turning the Southwest Expressway area into an urban village..
 
“I’m excited to add more housing,” said  Davis in a statement to Fox-2. “It is especially needed for seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes,” her statement continued. The question of what comes next is forefront on the minds of current residents and their families..

“In a way it’s low key better. But for the current residents, it’s a little concerning. Because this is their house, this is their home,” said Maggie Zavala, who was visiting her mother, a resident at Shelter Apartments..
 
Anderson promises those who live at Shelter Creek won’t be left out in the cold in the name of progress..

“We have to assist these people in relocating to comparable housing. So that would all be part of this,” he said.
 
Anderson just received planned development zoning approval from the city, and hopes to get development permits by the Spring.
 
If all goes according to plan,  construction would be complete with residents moving in sometime in 2023.