Mixed-Use in Palo Alto: College Terrace Centre

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The phrase, “live, work and play” has become the mantra for increasingly popular mixed-use developments. These all-inclusive improvements are popping up in areas that were not previously self-sustaining or didn’t offer residents a reason to frequent.

Both a catalyst for revitalization and to meet the needs of those wanting a ‘downtown living experience’, Palo Alto’s College Terrace Centre is no exception, embodying many forward-thinking architectural aspects. As evidence of this, the project was a finalist in the San Jose Business Journal 2014 Structures Awards that honors the Silicon Valley’s most impactful real estate projects and the people behind them.

Designed with a European ‘city center’ concept, College Terrace Centre offers a nucleus of residential, office and retail space all with a pedestrian-friendly focus as well as nearby access to public transportation and integration of numerous sustainable aspects.

Green building features are included throughout the entire project and encompasses drought-tolerant landscaping, the installation of solar panels, and plumbing that incorporates a two-story container in the basement to collect and store rainwater.

The College Terrace project will meet the LEED Silver standard green building certification program requirements for best-in-class building strategies and practices. It must also comply with Palo Alto’s development criteria for construction on its El Camino Real location.

A block from Stanford University, College Terrace Centre will contain eight residences, an 8,000 square foot grocery store as its primary retail anchor as well as 5,580 square feet of retail space and 40,000 square feet of offices. In true Euro-style, it will also have an open-air marketplace, substantial open public and green space with a park, a rooftop garden and two levels of below-ground parking. The blending of these various components has been designed to integrate seamlessly all while creating an inviting, thriving place to literally ‘live, work and play’.

Excavation has commenced and installation of plumbing and electrical is underway. Despite weathering its share of setbacks and issues, the College Terrace Centre is due to be completed in the fall of this year and is sure to be a distinct architectural feature along Palo Alto’s iconic El Camino Real.