"The developer Greystar wants to replace the Chase Bank at the corner of El Camino Real and Castro Street, as well as an adjacent surface parking lot and vacant restaurant, with 299 apartments and thousands of square feet of ground-floor retail space. On Wednesday evening, the city's Environmental Planning Commission unanimously signed off on the massive mixed-use development at 749 W. El Camino Real. The City Council is now expected to vote on the project at its Nov. 18 meeting."
"Environmental Planning Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the Greystar project this week, praising its potential to add a lot more housing along a major transit corridor as well as the developer's responsiveness to community concerns, like preserving the iconic artwork and architectural style associated with the existing Chase Bank. "There's a willingness to work together as a team to get things done. It's not just about profit motive, it's about meeting the needs of the community," Commissioner Jose Gutierrez said at the Oct. 15 meeting. But a few commissioners also voiced concerns that Greystar missed out on an opportunity to elevate the development's design and maximize its impact, especially with respect to its location at a key gateway to downtown Mountain View. "Given this premium location, which I'm sure you'll benefit from, you're not making the most of the responsibility of what the building should be doing on that site," Commissioner Joyce Yin said. "It's not just a missed opportunity. I feel like it's a role that isn't being fulfilled.""
The project would replace the Chase Bank, an adjacent surface parking lot and a vacant restaurant at 749 W. El Camino Real with a six-story mixed-use building containing 299 apartments and thousands of square feet of ground-floor retail. The Environmental Planning Commission unanimously approved the proposal and the City Council will consider final approval on Nov. 18. Commissioners praised the project for adding housing along a major transit corridor and for responsiveness to community concerns, including preserving the bank's iconic artwork and architectural style. Some commissioners cautioned that the building design misses an opportunity to better serve the prominent gateway location.
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