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A proposal to build a six-story apartment complex in place of a longtime strip mall on Moffett Boulevard is a step closer to getting built despite community concerns that it does not have enough ground floor retail space for small businesses.
Prometheus Real Estate is planning to build 175 apartments at 400 Moffett Blvd., near the Moffett Mobile Home Park. The area is currently largely single-family homes and low-rise commercial buildings, but the city is looking to encourage major housing growth along the corridor.
City staff approved the 400 Moffett Blvd. development at an administrative zoning hearing on Aug. 27. The project doesn’t require City Council approval, city spokesperson Lenka Wright said. An appeal can still be submitted to the council, but none have been so far, Wright said. The deadline is Sept. 12.
Prometheus is planning to raze Moffett Plaza, a strip mall that includes a restaurant, wine and liquor store, hair and nail salon, and dry cleaner. In its place, the developer is proposing to build about 2,000 square feet of ground floor commercial retail, a much smaller footprint than what currently exists on the 1.67-acre site.
Nearly all the public comments at the Aug. 27 meeting urged Prometheus to add more retail space to support local businesses and make the site more inviting for the public.
“We’ve been living in a rather dry area,” said Mountain View resident George Markle, advocating for more retail and community gathering spots on Moffett Boulevard.
Don Peterson, Prometheus’ senior vice president of development, acknowledged the community concerns but did not commit to adding more retail, instead saying that the developer was not legally required to provide more commercial space.
Prometheus plans to make 15% of the apartments affordable for very low-income households. Under state law, that means the project qualifies for a number of waivers and reductions in development standards, including the amount of required commercial space, according to a letter Prometheus sent the city on Aug. 20.
For its part, the city said that it had to approve the project in accordance with the state’s density bonus law.
“I know that that can be disappointing to some community members, and I understand that,” said Amber Blizinski, assistant community development director, who presided over the hearing. “But sometimes there’s not much that the city can do, to be completely honest.”
Business owners facing displacement react
It was not just the scarcity of commercial space that troubled community members. The project also would displace existing businesses, a concern that has been raised in previous public hearings about the future of Moffett Boulevard.
“It’s a bit disappointing,” said Alberto Sousa, owner of Sousa’s Wine Food and Liquor, one of the impacted businesses at Moffett Plaza. “It’s going to be difficult to relocate as rent is so expensive.” Sousa and his wife have been tenants for 26 years, he told the Voice.
Los Portales, a Mexican restaurant at Moffett Plaza, is also feeling the pinch, according to Sara Puga, the owner’s daughter. Los Portales, which has been in business for 33 years, will have to relocate or possibly close its doors for good, Puga told the Voice.
At the public hearing, Peterson said that it likely would be two years before construction would start, and existing businesses would be retained for as long as possible.
To a lesser extent, some community members also expressed concerns about the proposed density of the project, saying that the building was too tall at 85 feet, far exceeding local development standards.
Others however said they welcomed the possibility of more multifamily housing in the area, especially so close to the downtown transit center.
“There has to be a first building somewhere. One of them will be out of place,” said Mountain View resident Yashna Peerthum.
The project at 400 Moffett Blvd. isn’t the only high-density housing development planned for the area. Others are also in development, or recently built, at 555 W. Middlefield Road, 730 Central Ave., and 777 W. Middlefield Road.
It would be great if the existing businesses had first crack at the new store fronts that will be built..
“a strip mall that includes a restaurant, wine and liquor store, hair and nail salon, and dry cleaner”
You forgot the gun shop. A 14 year tenant and a 75 year history over three generations in Mountain View.
Oh sorry, nobody wants that. Tear it down. LOL!!!
I think what we learned at Whitman Station is that it will be tough to make retail work if there is very little parking and no large anchor for traffic. That retail has been empty.
The Elan works because of Rose Grocery, but the parking situation is brutal.
The city needs to designate high streets for foot and retail traffic.
Oh. And those tenants had sweetheart deals on rent while the land owner sat on low taxes, thanks Prop 13.
So now, rent won’t be cheap since taxes will be higher.
@ramirez
Yes, the rents were very reasonable, but the building was reassessed at one point. They paid a lot more in taxes than you might think.
15% affordable means 26 units, and the developer can choose those to be studios if he wants. There’s no shortage of market rate apartments, just affordable ones, and this project does little to solve that problem. Meanwhile the building will be allowed to literally overshadow the adjacent mobile home park.
Build it!
It will be a win to have more dense housing that close to downtown and the train station. It’s a missed opportunity to not have as much storefront and offices as possible on the ground floor on Moffett though.
@Nihonsuki, all supply is good supply. Older, unremodeled units become the ‘affordable’ units as people who can afford newer/nicer units move into those, and the older not-as-nice units can’t compete and must charge less. Where do you think the people renting the new ‘market rate’ housing come from?
Who owns that land?
A Mountain View family that has been here since 1902. If you were that invested in knowing, you would already know.
My apologies for not already knowing the answer to that question.
Here is another question that I don’t already know the answer to: Are the owners of the property cooperating with this, or is it some form of eminent domain, etc? Thank you.
They sold the property to Prometheus. That’s how development works. Eminent domain is used much less often than you think, and it would be illegal in any case to use it to build an apartment building.
Thank you!!
The housing is nice but the neighborhood businesses will be missed. This housing will be very expensive. Not true that all housing is good housing. Expensive housing just brings in residents from other cities that find the project more appealing than their current home. The best thing would be if it were to be ownership housing, but it’s not. However, it’s a real question if it will actually get built soon. Investment in expensive housing is not something that is a good bet in this economy. An investor can just put the investment where land is cheaper and the housing is less risky. Job losses in the local area are a real risk due to the immigration focus where the USA is discouraging skilled workers from relocating here as they have done int the past. A $5500 monthly apartment rent is not going to be the attractive to workers moving here from elsewhere, nationally or internationally.
It’s heartbreaking to see our small businesses— the backbone of our community— struggling under unfair pressures. Big developers seem to have the city council’s ear, while small business owners, for example, face lawsuits from unscrupulous individuals and greedy lawyers exploiting ADA regulations. Worse, the city, which grants permits to these businesses, often turns a blind eye to their plight.
I’m actively working to support these local heroes, and I need your help. Small businesses drive our economy and create vibrant neighborhoods, but they’re being squeezed out. At the same time, we must balance the need for affordable housing to keep our community thriving.
Mountain View and developers have set a precedent. Both Rose Market & The Milk Pail got to return to their former complexes when the new developments were completed. Why not do the same in this case??
Here’s how you can make a difference:
Spread the word: Share this issue with friends or on social media using #SaveOurSmallBiz.
Contact city officials: Urge them to protect small businesses from predatory lawsuits.
Together, we can ensure our city supports both small businesses and fair housing policies.
I totaly agree with Kalwant Sandhuoriginaly at first i heard that was goint to be retail in the bottom floor and apatments above it, that all changed, Prometheus not in the business of building retail space, just look at the corner of Moffett blvd and Central expressway. no retail and the city wants to extend downtown to Moffett ?
@Kalwant and others. I totally agree with you. What the article failed to mentioned is that Sousa’s has a very poor name “Sousa’s Wines & Liquor” that does not represent the value to Mountain View. Sousa’s is the only grocery store serving the Brazilian and Portuguese community in Mountain View and one of the few in the whole Bay Area. I am one of those that go to Sousa’s to get some Brazilian sodas (Guarana), farofa (yuca root seasoned flour), requeijao (Brazilian cream cheese), Bacalhau (Portuguese salted cod) and so many other groceries I can not find anywhere else! Do you have any city offices contact to recommend?
@Kalwant and others. I totally agree with you. What the article failed to mentioned is that Sousa’s has a very poor name “Sousa’s Wines & Liquor” that does not represent the value to Mountain View. Sousa’s is the only grocery store serving the Brazilian and Portuguese community in Mountain View and one of the few in the whole Bay Area. I am one of those that go to Sousa’s to get some Brazilian sodas (Guarana), farofa (yuca root seasoned flour), requeijao (Brazilian cream cheese), Bacalhau (Portuguese salted cod) and so many other groceries I can not find anywhere else! Do you have any city offices contact to recommend?