Overview
This is a place for community: the new, the established, and the future. Our pedestrian-oriented approach activates Castro and its businesses. We will create ground-floor retail, shops, and restaurants. The corner Gateway Park, which has seen better days, will be “activated” and vibrant. Perhaps, a wraparound pony-wall exclaiming “Welcome to Mountain View” and shielding the noise of traffic and ensuring the safety of pedestrians. Imagine a recessed arcade for outdoor dining and a pedestrian walking/shopping experience that will activate both Castro Street and Gateway Park with music, drinks, and fun in an intersection that has not been historically viewed as an entrance into the great town of Mountain View.
The project is proposing to close Fairmont Street to cars and create a new pedestrian, bike, and scooter-friendly “paseo.” In other words, a plaza! While encouraging mobility, at the same time it helps to bridge a divide between Castro Street, the downtown, and the neighborhood to the east. Paseos include; space for outdoor dining and seating, raised landscape planters, unique lighting, and other pedestrian features to further promote a walkable addition to the neighborhood.
^ Currently Fairmont Avenue
Castro Street’s vibrant downtown atmosphere has long been an attractive focal point conducive to both work and play, and we intend to extend this lifestyle to the gateway to downtown. By providing healthy amenities and vibrant activities, individuals will have the complete experience of Mountain View all within the palms of their hands—all without leaving Castro Street!
However, we need to discuss the elephant in the room. Home of one of the most attractive corners of the Bay Area, Mountain View’s growth has faced a crisis affecting many seeking to live in the area: housing. With this in mind, we are proposing our project, Castro Commons, to help the city develop new homes providing more equitable and inclusive housing opportunities. The project will include a selection of market-rate and below-market-rate housing.
^ Currently Fairmont Avenue
Castro Commons is proposing to revitalize the local area by providing public spaces with a mix of retail, dining, and open spaces with outdoor amenities. Drawing inspiration from active and vibrant spaces like Santana Row, downtown Santa Barbara, and even Paris! We see this project embodying that outdoor-indoor living and dining experience. In fact, that lifestyle was amplified locally by COVID-19. Take the North end of downtown Mountain View on Castro Street near the train station, for example. Very vibrant! In a way, the Fairmont paseo will function like the street closures you see there, reclaimed by footsteps and dining setups. Our goal is to support local businesses and residents, both familiar faces and new.
The project is environmentally conscious at its core, offering a sustainable site design, promoting walkability, and bicycle and pedestrian-friendly access to Gateway Park from the paseo, which connects to the residential neighborhood. We are dedicated to enhancing Gateway Park and conserving its prominence within the community. Many Heritage Trees will remain! The project proposes to take advantage of solar. Electric vehicle charging stations for residential and visitor parking will be available. We want to be a part of the green solution.
Centralized in Silicon Valley, this project will provide convenient and walkable access to various amenities, retail and restaurants, and short commutes. With its prime location and pedestrian appeal, Castro Commons connects to variety of services without the burden of increased parking and traffic, delivering the additional benefit of reduced carbon emissions.
^ Currently Hope Street
Centralized in the Silicon Valley, Castro Commons provides convenient and walkable access to various amenities, retail and restaurants, and short commutes to some of the world’s largest companies such as Google, Apple, and Meta.