River Oaks Parkway Streetscape
The River Oaks Neighboorhood Association is dedicated to preserving and improving the quality of life along River Oaks Parkway in North San Jose, California.

Looking to contact us? Email info@ro-na.org.

Development Projects around River Oaks
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Master Planning
For More Information
North San Jose Taskforce
The taskforce is a 21-member body comprised of neighborhood, corporate, and developer representatives. They will be responsible for producing a neighborhoods master plan that advises and supports staff efforts on the preparation of an implementation plan. This plan is intended to guide the design and construction of parks, schools, retail, public safety, and community serving amenitis. The effort will include the selection of potential sites for public amenities and identification of funding mechanisms to acquire the site.

"Sony" -- 3300 Zanker
Status: Rezoning Approved, Construction Permit Pending
Permit: PD07-006
Events: Community Meeting, October 8, 2008, 9:00am (meeting notice)
Developer: Irvine
Acres: 38.25
Units: 1900 apartments, 5-acre crescent park
Details:
"Cadence" -- 555 River Oaks
Status: applying for rezoning
Permit: PDC08-056
Events: permit hearings: Planning Commission 5/28/2008 PASSED (agenda TBA here), City Council 6/17/2008 (agenda TBA here)
Developer: Essex
Acres: 14.5 acres, of which 2.8 acres is a park
Units: 785 apartments
Details:
  • Traffic Operational Analysis
  • Updates 5/1/2008: Site Plan
    • The park has been moved to the back along the creek.
    • The height of the tall buildings have been lowered to 5 stories (over 1/2 story of parking above ground + 1 1/2 stories of parking below ground).
    • The new negotiated transition height limit of 45 degrees from the property line seems to have been met.
    • The city still feels that there is a structural problem with the exit onto River Oaks.
    • 1.1 acres public right-of-way + 2.8 acres park + 10.5 acres residential = 14.5 acres total
    • 1358 total parking spaces, or 1.73 spaces/unit
    • 785 units/ 10.5 acres = 74.9 du/ac
    • Sun/shadow studies: Winter Solstice 9am, Winter Solstice 3pm
    • Elevation along Seely and Crescendo
    • Landscaping
  • March 6, 2007 update: Essex has sent us a letter saying they have reduced the height of their 8-story tower to 5-stories, and improved the general site layout in terms of trafficflow (more public streets with parking) and park layout (closer to existing neighborhood) and added more pedestrian linkages. Read the full text of the letter.
  • Community Meeting 1/7/2008 6:30pm at Cadence Bldg. 3 Cafeteria; meeting notice here
  • Dec 2007, updated plan map. The buildings closest to River Oaks are 4 stories of apartments over 1 story of parking. The building between the apartments and the park is an 8-story condominium complex.
  • Mike Bertram has filed a protest with the city and developers on behalf of RONA regarding the height/density issues and lack of cooperation with te developers. Read it here.
  • We met informally with an Essex representative on 10/22/2007. They gave us an updated site plan.
    • Their notes: "Progress since last Community Meeting:"
      • Architecture has been updated to incorporate changes to site plan.
      • Multiple meetings with Planning staff to discuss how to incorporate community comments/concerns.
      • Participated in Redevelopment Agency Design Guideline/Park Planning meeting with community prior to initial task force meeting.
      • Became involved in Neighborhood Planning Task Force to see how our project can get "out ahead" of any recommendations that may be presented to council next year.
      • Incorporated 45 degree angle setback condition as was used in Baypointe area which was suggested by Planning to help mitigate height impact. This situation can be used in cases of adjacent development of differing height or density.
      • Developed 3D models of neighborhood, including proposed projects (Irvine, & Cadence Building 10) to show ultimate build-out of entire neighborhood.
      • Completed shade/shadow study which shows minimal shadow impact on neighboring properties.
      • Completed a Hazardous Materials Risk Assessment which shows no risk to new residential development from potential chemical release from surrounding properties.
      • Allowed time for new District 3 councilperson (Kansen Chu) to take office and have engaged him and solicited feedback on our project.
      • Rodrigo Orduna, the second Planning Staff member assigned to our project has resigned and we are now beginning the process with our third Planner.
    • RONA's Notes:
      • They have changed very little from their last proposal.
      • The buildings are back just a few feet from where they were, the tallest only 56 feet from the property line. The tallest buildings are still 8 stories, although the angle of the buildings changed slightly. They didn't even know the city had been presenting a different park locations (along the creek). They said the city is saying the setback requirement is 45 degree angle up to 50 feet distance, then no limit. The city still has not shown them the design guidelines.
      • Their design still had the park on the far side. They said they were open to moving the park to the front side as a buffer, but the city won't let them.
      • The next Essex community meeting will probably be mid to late November.
      • They have briefed Kansen Chu, but he has not taken any position.
      • We told them the height issue was still a major problem for us.
      • We told them the traffic flow (everything dumping onto River Oaks) was a big problem for us and their residents.
  • park 2.4 acres back along the Coyote Creek Trail
  • 2/22/2007 Meeting Notice
  • Map of the site
  • Elevation of the proposed buildings
  • Notice of proposed development
  • Previous community meeting was held on 11/30/2006.
"Next to Parkside" -- 401 and 405 River Oaks
Status: pending rezoning
Permit: PDC07-060
Events: ?
Developer: EMRI Group
Acres: 8.1 acres
Units: 490 condos
Details:
  • City feedback on initial developer's plan has been posted: < a href="projects/PDC07-060/405rop_20071220_page1.gif">page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, page 5
  • Development will not likely occur until the current lease ends in 2 years, since it apparently is very profitable terms.
  • 60.5 du/ac, with 1.68 parking spaces/dwelling unit. See unit & parking breakdown here. Plans claim they are in transit area and so use the smaller numbers for parking -- we need to correct them on this issue
  • Condos, mix of 1-story flats and 2-story lofts. The flats range from 930sqft to 1315 sqft.
  • Split into 2 buildings (see layout):
    • Building A -- 401 River Oaks Parkway (western half):
      5-stories (75 feet) of condos wrapped around a core parking structure. (see elevation diagram)
    • Building B -- 405 River Oaks Parkway (eastern half):
      4-stories (60 feet) of condos over an underground parking level. (see elevation diagram)
      In front of Bldg B will be a drop-off and entry, see this elevation diagram.
  • Setback from Building A to western lot line is 43 feet. Setback from Building B to River Oaks Parkway is 34 feet at minimum.
  • Setback from Building B to Parkside lot line is 57 feet. Setback from Building B to River Oaks Parkway is 65 feet.
  • Buildings are surrounded by an access road and guest/townhome parkingm with landscaping. Lots of parking along the backside by the creek
  • Architecture looks urban-modern, see the design sketch.
"Cisco" -- Cisco Way to Tasman
Status: Removal of Transit/Employment overlay on the Cisco Properties
Permit: GP09-04-02
Events: Community Meeting, October 6, 2009, 6:30pm (meeting notice)
Developer: N/A
Acres: 33.6
Units: N/A
Details:
  • June 2, 2010 update: staff report.
  • The application asks for:
    • the removal of the Transit/Employment Residential District Overlay and Floating Park designations on a 33.6 gross acre site located on Cisco Way, north of River Oaks Parkway, and
    • the addition of a Transit/Employment Residential District Overlay and Floating Park designation on a 33.6 gross acre site located on the south side of W. Tasman Drive, approximately 900 feet easterly of Lick Mill Blvd. (See meeting notice for a map.)
"251 ROP" -- NW Corner OF River Oaks at Cisco Drive
Status: Preliminary Review Request
Permit: PRE07-190
Events:
Developer: ? (probably Irvine)
Acres: 3.6 acres
Units: 160 units
Details:
  • Most likely this is Irvine trying out plans to expand north of River Oaks, with the 1-acre extension park.
"199 ROP" -- NE corner of River Oaks @ Zanker
Status: Pending Rezoning
Permit: PRE07-226 and PDC07-102
Events: Community Meeting on 199 ROP -- Monday, March 24, 2008, 6:30 PM, (more information)
Developer: BRE Properites
Acres: 2.75 acres
Units: 294 units
Details:
  • Update 12/11/2008: Maps and elevation in this document. Also, some questions RONA asked of BRE and their answers:
    1. Q: What traffic-controls are going to be in place in the new intersection? Is the median removed at the new intersection?
      A: Please see the attached median exhibit - there will not any new controls (stoplight, stop sign) at our new project entrance other than the median re-work.
    2. Q: What is the setback from ROP and the height of the buildings?
      A: We have an average setback of 20' from the back of curb at River Oaks Parkway and the average building height is 55'.
    3. Q: What landscaping/trees are along ROP?
      A: We are currently planning to plant Chinese Pistache street trees along River Oaks Parkway (in the landscaping ROW) per the City's street tree guidelines. In addition we will also have shrubs, groundcover, and Japanese Blueberry trees along the private property fronting the Parkway.
  • Update 8/5/2008: Some notes from a July 14, 2008 Land Use Meeting: here.
  • Update 7/2/2008 (apparently there is a meeting scheduled for 7/14 but flyers did not reach all residents):
    • # Homes & Housing Type : 299 units- high density attached rental units
    • Proposed Density (net): 91 du/ac
    • Proposed Heights : 60 feet
    • Site Size: 3.69 acres
    • Mixed Use? Square Footage?: Residential only
    • Proposed # Parking Spaces/Parking Ratio: 520 stalls - 1.74 parking ratio
    • Current Uses on Site: Light industrial & office
    • Surrounding Uses: North - Agnews Developmental Center / South - Sony/Irvine Apartment Communities Site / West - Orchard / East - Vacant office
    • Affordability: Market rate rents and complying with SJ affordable housing ordinance
    • Current GP Designation & Zoning: IP - Industrial
    • Proximity to Transit-list bus routes or rail lines: 1/3 mile to River Oaks VTA Light Rail Stop; River Oaks Light Rail Shuttle - VTA #203 in front of property
    • Proximity to Services-retail, schools, parks, etc: Moitozo Park - ½ mile Retail & Restaurant - 0.6 mile
    • Compatibility w/Surrounding Uses: Approved 1900 rental units across the street; Existing attached residential projects 0.4 miles away along River Oaks; North Park apartment project across Zanker
    • Onsite Amenities: Recreation room, outdoor pool and spa, fitness center, yoga room, business center and conference room, outdoor courtyard and cabanas
    • Relevant Hearing Dates: Planning Commission PD Rezone 6/11/08
    • Community Concerns: Community meeting held on 3/24/08 - major concerns addressed
    • Other Information: Will contain green building features
  • Property layout diagram
  • Unit mix:
    unit typecountmixsqft/unitSJ parking
    requirement
    1 bedroom JR4816%6801.5/unit or 72 total
    1 bedroom11037%7501.5/unit or 72 total
    2 bedroom13145%10301.8/unit or 72 total
    3 bedroom52%12502.0/unit or 72 total
    TOTAL294100% 1.64/unit or 483 total
  • Current plans provide 500 normal + 14 tandem parking spaces, for a total of 514.
"Lockheed Martin" -- 3100-3200 Zanker
Status: Pre-application for expansion
Permit: PRE07-199
Events: none pending
Developer: Boston Properties
Acres: 24 acres
Units: high-density office space
Details:
  • Update 3/5/2008
    • Two new office buildings, parking replacement, other improvements:
      • Building B1 at SW corner of site -- 9 stories, 150 ft, 278,000 sqft
      • Building B2 at SE corner of site -- 7 stories, 120 ft, 215,000 sqft
      • Garage G1 at NW corner -- 7 levels, 70 ft, 1500 spaces
      • Garage G2 at NE corner -- 3 levesl, 40 ft, 1470 spaces
      • Exterior upgrade of existing buildings
      • Extensive landscape redesign and improvement
      • Build-out and public dedication of Henry Ford II Drive
    • Paying $5.5 million in Traffic Impact Fees, doing extensive traffic studies, contributing frontage land to accomodate road widening, upgrading street frontages to city standards
    • LEED environmental certification for new buildings, increase focus on alternative-transit
    • Schedule:
      • Approval for site permit by May
      • Start construction on Henry Ford II Drive Fall 2008
      • Start Phase I construction (B1,G1) in early 2009
      • Project completion (Phase I & II) in 2012
  • Minutes from the 8/2/2007 meeting are posted here.
  • Presentation from the 8/2/2007 meeting here
    We'd like to stress that this presentation contains preliminary information and is subject to change
  • On behalf of Boston Properties, I am writing to notify you of our intent to re-develop the property at 3200 Zanker Road, currently the home of Lockheed Martin. Our goal is to upgrade the property to an attractive, modern office/R&D complex.
    • Addition of two new buildings at the SE and SW corners of the property;
    • Addition of two parking structures at the NE and NW corners of the property to replace surface parking and support the office uses;
    • Potential re-cladding of the four existing buildings in the central area of the property;
    • Extensive landscape improvements to integrate the buildings into a cohesive "campus", and improve aesthetic appeal;
    • Re-alignment of Henry Ford Drive II and its dedication for public use.
"Northpointe" -- 3811 Tasman @ Zanker
Status: Pending Rezoning
Permit: PDC06-093
Events: dates changed from their mailer: Sept 12 Planning Commission; Sept 25th Council Hearing
Developer: Fairfield Development LP
Acres: 10.1
Units: 704, approx 61 du/ac
Details:
  • 20,000 sqft retail along Tasman, underground parking garages
  • Presentation from 9/25 City Council Hearing
  • 8/16 Community Meeting Notice
    • Lots of photos of the meeting information are here
    • Summary of the meeting:
      • 206 condos proposed at the corner of Baypointe Parkway and Tasman on 3 acres, over 2 levels of parking
      • 498 apartments proposed at the corner of Zanker and Tasman on 6 acres, over 2 levels of parking + 20,000 sqft retail, total of 5 stories
      • street-level will be fronted by units with stoops and porches to create urban feel
      • 140 parking spaces for retail, apartments 1.8 spaces/unit, condos 1.9 spaces/unit
      • new public street dividing the complexes, main access to parking garages on this street, street will have parallel parking
      • in addition to automobile parking, they will have 1 space per 4 units for bicycles, and also 1/4 for motorcycles
      • private pool and rec center gives them the equivalent of 1.85 acres of their PDO (Park Dedication Ordinance) fee
      • they will be donating the 2.3 acre parcel (Potential Park B) between Baypointe Pkwy and Westwind to the city as the rest of their PDO requirement
      • the owner of the property labelled Potential Park A is willing to sell, giving another 3 acres; however the city has to buy this itself
      • park will include various ball fields, a tot lot, picnic area. suggested to work with Westwind to connect thru their wall
      • there will be a 32-foot wide public paseo (walking path) along the northern edge of Northpointe, well-lit, landscaped, interlocking pavers, seating areas
      • demolition would start in June 2008 at the earliest, construction complete would take 2.5 years after that
      • retail is hoping to attract 2 sit-down restaurants and some personal-service vendors (eg. bank, dryclean, flowers)
      • apartments will split: 55% 1 bedroom, 45% 2 bedroom, 5% 3 bedroom; they are targeting the luxury aparment and condo market
      • building architecture is broken into multiple buildings with different styles to incorporate urban setting without seeming monolithic
  • Map of the site
  • Elevation of the proposed buildings
  • Notice of proposed development
  • prelim permit: PRE06-237
"Baypointe" -- 163 Baypointe Pkwy
Status: Pending Rezoning
Permit: PDC06-061
Events: ?
Developer: Fairfield Development LP
Acres: 3.16
Units: 183 condos
Details:
"?" -- 166 Baypointe Pkwy
Status: Pending Rezoning
Permit: PDC07-080 and PD08-023
Events: ?
Developer: Trammell Crow
Acres: 2.86
Units: 229 + 6,000 sqft retail
Details:
"@First" -- Hwy 237 at North First Street
Status: Pending Rezoning
Permit: CP07-038 and C07-026 and CP07-070
Events: ?
Developer: Hunter/Storm
Acres: 36.3
Units: 73,000 square foot shopping center and a 170 room hotel on 9.8 acres and 880,000 sqft for Brocade's new headquarters (so far)
Details:
  • Jan 2010: Mercury News confirms that Brocade's HQ, a "boutique" hotel (Hotel Sierra, 160 rooms), and a 138,00 sqft Target store will be anchoring the @First site. The site will also include 70,000 sqft of additional retail. The developer is hoping to attract a drugstore or small grocery.
  • Dec 2008: The @First project is proposing to include buildings for Brocade's new headquarters, but needs redevelopment agency funds to do so. The details from their council presentation:
    • Map of the HQ buildings
    • Perspective View
    • Phase 1: 562,000 square feet of office space, with an agency investment of $2.5 million.
    • Phase 2: 320,000 square feet of office space, with an agency investment of $1.5 million.
    • Cost-benefit analysis:
      • Direct job impact: 1800 jobs
      • Indirect job impact: 5750 jobs
      • Direct economic output: $936 million per year
      • Indirect economic output: $1.532 billion per year
      • Direct construction jobs: 1280 jobs
      • Indirect construction jobs: 2040 jobs
      • Net increase to general fund: $1.2 million (over term of agreement)
      • Net increase to agency fund: $8.5 million (over term of agreement)
      • City and agency benefits will continue beyond the term of the agreement for as long as Brocade remains in San Jose.
  • Feb 2008: Layout of the site
  • Feb 2008: Rendered Buildings
  • proposed 1 big-box store (rumored to be Target), one smaller niche grocer (rumored to be Trader Joe's), and sit-down restaurants
  • The various permits associated with this project list:
    • CP07-070: Conditional Use Permit to construct three buildings, for a total of 164,665 square feet, for commercial retail and garden center uses on a 14.10 gross acre site.
    • CP07-038: Conditional Use Permit for the construction of a 73,000 square foot shopping center and a 170 room hotel on a 9.8 gross acre site.
    • C07-026: Conforming Conventional Zoning from the IP Industrial Park Zoning District to the CG Commercial General Zoning District to allow commercial uses on a 9.8 gross acres site.
  • GP06-04-03 rezoning permit
  • Notice of proposed development
"Wyse" -- 3469 North First Street
Status: pending rezoning
Permit: PDC07-057
Events: Planning Commission 1/28/2008
Developer: WTI, Inc.
Acres: 32.6
Units: 1664 units, 41,550 square feet of retail space, 5.2 acre park, 3 acres of private courtyards
Details:
  • The Wyse/WTI development is going before the planning commission for rezoning in late January. Here are some updates from the latest filed plans: Also, see the minutes from our 1/21 board meeting. Jim Foran wrote a letter that reiterates our concern with the riparian cooridor language.
  • The city staff's response letter.
  • Previous community meeting: Tue, October 23, 2007 at the ATT Training Center 1 River Oaks Place at 6:30 pm
  • The proposed site map of "Riverview" is here. The 5-acre park is along the Guadalupe River frontage, and the retail space looks to have 17,000 sqft reserved for a "market". The community meeting information shows some tall 16-story buildings (182 feet).
"81 Vista Montana" -- Vista Montana @ Tasman @ North First
Status: Rezoning approved?
Permit: PD07-082 and ?
Events: ?
Developer: ?
Acres: 12.1 + 8.7 (including 1 acre park)
Units: 444 condos + 554 apartments
  • The 444 condos are going in between N 1st Street, Vista Montana, and the eastern corner of Renaissance Drive, across Vista Montana is a 5-acre park. The density is 62 dwelling units per acre. You can see a site map here, and an elevation sketch here.
  • The apartments are going at the corner of Tasman Drive, Renaissance Drive, and Vista Montana. Along the eastern property line of the apartments is a rectancular 1-acre park, dimensions 460 feet by 90 feet. The density is 72 dwelling units per acre. You can see a site map here, and an elevation sketch here.
  • Rezoning permits: PDC07-054 and PDC07-055
  • Previous developer withdrew PDC06-013 and PDC06-116. Old information:
"Hyundai" -- Montague @ Guadalupe River
Status: Rezoning approved on 3/28
Permit: PDC05-099
Events: 4/17/2007 City Council Hearing with vicinity map
Developer: Legacy
Acres: 11.19
Units: 575 units and 2700 sqft retail
Details:
To add information to this page, contact info@ro-na.org.
River Oaks Neighborhood Association, San Jose, California -- web@ro-na.org