Transit-Oriented Development

Centering on Health

We put health care innovation at the heart of this mixed-use community in Silicon Valley.

San Jose, California

Valley Transportation Authority, Bayview Development Group, Bouygues Group, IBI Group
800,000 sq. ft.
Office, residential, retail, civic

View related assets in Knowledge Bank

Challenge

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s property around Curtner Station has long been underutilized. In 2018, the authority (VTA) decided to repurpose the five-acre park-and-ride facility into a mixed-income community to generate revenue and increase ridership on its light rail and bus networks. The potential public benefits of this type of development are clear, in terms of connectivity, health, and environmental integrity. Success hinges on identifying the combination of uses that will best serve the long-term needs of the surrounding neighborhoods—in this case, an affluent area with a mix of historic and modern single-family homes and, on balance, an ageing population. WOWA initiated the public-private partnership of VTA and the development team to realize our proposal for the site, which integrates the VTA’s objectives, the City of San Jose’s General Plan, and the priorities of local residents and transit users.

Solution

WOWA created a team that unites the international investment of Bouygues Group with a Silicon Valley developer and the expertise of technology-driven design firm IBI Group. Together, we produced a vision for Curtner Station that is informed by rigorous analysis and centered on health and quality of life. We analyzed municipal regulations and policy, examined the market and local demographics, and considered the layout of the site to redefine the station within a multimodal transportation hub. We found that the combination of 240,000 square feet of office space for Silicon Valley health care companies and 180 apartments for assisted and affordable living, along with the mobility hub, neighborhood retail, health care access, and a child care center, would provide the basis for a vibrant community that harnesses world-class innovation to meet local needs and transforms the VTA’s existing assets.

Impact

To guide Curtner Station’s strategic definition, we developed a holistic framework that sees human health and environmental integrity as mutually sustaining. We combined a health-centered program with infrastructure that supports active transportation options and master planning, design, construction, and operations oriented toward the same principles. Crucially, these priorities were driven by market analysis, demonstrating their importance from an economic as well as a policy and regulation standpoint. The community’s mix of uses will ensure its lasting relevance and vibrancy, creating an important revenue stream for the VTA. Healthy and sustainable food systems, living and solar roofs, and landscaping inspired by the ecology of the nearby foothills will contribute to human well-being, provide essential ecosystem services, promote biodiversity, and contribute to the development’s net-zero water and emissions policies. Community stakeholders can learn more about Curtner Station in the WOWA Knowledge Bank.