New Developments Around Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz is a true paradise for those seeking a vibrant community, breathtaking natural beauty, and a relaxed coastal lifestyle. But, there aren't that many new builds over the last 20 years.
There are a total of 28 new build projects now thriving in Santa Cruz County in place right now and here are our top 8 of them listed below.
1. Dream Inn parking lot housing project
Location: 190 West Cliff, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Project description:
Total units: This project calls for 89 housing units to replace a parking lot at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz
Affordable units: Eight units for people with very low incomes, two units for people with low incomes. Income limits for these units are set by the state.
Height: The project would be 47 feet, about as high as the white condos that are across Bay Street. For comparison, the Dream Inn is at 83 feet.
Proponents and Opponents: The project received opposition from some neighbors, including residents of the mobile home park Clearview Court. Reasons included traffic, noise, the building’s height and mass and the lack of an environmental impact report. Supporters of the project said housing is sorely needed in Santa Cruz.
Status: The California Coastal Commission denied an appeal of the project in July 2023. “The applicants can now begin the process of completing construction drawings and applying for a building permit,” Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker wrote in a statement. Santa Cruz city staff is expected to handle the building permit without further approvals needed from the Santa Cruz Planning Commission or Santa Cruz City Council, Santa Cruz Senior Planner Ryan Bane wrote in a July 24 email. Construction could start as soon as July 2024, Huffaker said.
Developer: Cliff Bay Partners and Ensemble Investments. Cliff Bay Partners is affiliated with Ensemble. Ensemble has owned the Dream Inn since 2006.
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
2. Marea Sol Hotel, formerly Coastview Inn
Location: 301 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Project description:
Details: Design and coastal permits were approved to construct an additional five rooms, two new floors and an exterior remodel.
Height: 55 feet
Status: A remodel and expansion of the hotel is complete. The Zoning Administrator approved a remodel and expansion of the hotel in October 2015. Construction continued through 2022, hotel owner Prakash Babu said in November 2022.
Developer: Santa Cruz Hotel Corp.
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
3. La Bahia Hotel and Spa
Location: 215 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Project Description:
Total units: 155-room luxury hotel and spa
Ameneties: Will include a swimming pool, luxury spa and rooftop oasis.
Parking: Includes an underground parking garage for 300 visitors and staff.
Preserves: The historic bell tower currently located on the site.
Status: Under construction. Project expected to finish late 2024 according to a Swenson spokesman.
Developer: Swenson Builder
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
4. Peace United Church housing project
Location: 900 High St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Project description:
Total units: This project calls for 40 units. It includes 11 studios, three one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units; 4 three-bedroom units, six four-bedroom co-living units; and one five-bedroom co-living unit. The co-living units would house single adults who rent a bedroom, small kitchen and dining area and a shared bathroom. Tenants would have a large, common living and dining area. Monthly rent is expected to be about $1,200.
Affordable units: There would be nine affordable units, excluding the co-living units.
Height: Four stories.
Proponents and Opponents: Jim Weller, a representative of Peace United Church of Christ, said the church’s congregation of about 300 is supportive of the project. City leaders have not yet scheduled a public meeting or received formal feedback from residents.
Status: Plans were submitted to Santa Cruz city planners in November 2022. If the project is approved, construction is expected to take 18 months and could be completed as soon as summer 2025, Weller said.
Developer: Workbench
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
5. Pacific Front Laurel downtown housing project
Location: The entire downtown block between Pacific Avenue, Front, and Laurel streets.
Project description:
Total units: This project calls for 205 market-rate housing units with ground-floor shops. The project has six stories plus two levels of underground parking.
Affordable units: All the units are market rate. Instead of building affordable units, the developers dedicated nearby land to the city. City leaders plan to use that land for Pacific Station, a planned affordable housing project. City and state law allow developers to dedicate land in lieu of building affordable housing.
Height: The project has six stories plus two levels of underground parking.
Proponents and Opponents: Two residents sued the city in 2019 about the developer’s land deal with the city. City leaders settled that lawsuit in 2019. City leaders agreed to increase the inclusionary rate for rentals and ownership units from 10% to 15% across the city. Inclusionary rates are the percentage of housing units in new projects that developers are required to offer at affordable rents or prices to people with lower incomes.
Status: Approved by Santa Cruz City in December 2018. Construction began in 2021. Construction began in 2021 and is 50% completed as of November 2022. The construction is estimated to be completed by the early of 2024.
Developer: Devcon Construction and LHH Partners
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
6. 530 Front St. housing project
Location: 530 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Project description:
Total residential units: 276 units including 169 studios, 102 one-bedroom units, and 5 two-bedroom units. All units will be rentals.
Affordable units: Twenty-eight units are expected for “very low” income renters and nine units for low-income renters. Income limits are set by the state annually.
Height: The buildings are seven and eight stories up to 89 feet.
Details: The project calls for two wings that are eight stories and another wing that is seven stories.
Status: The Santa Cruz City Council approved the project at its meeting on April 25, 2023.
Developer: Swenson Builder
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
7. Ocean Place condominiums
Location: 908 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Project description
Revised plans: Include 351 apartments in three- and five-story buildings. A plan from 2018 included 390 homes, four stories and mainly one-bedroom units and studios.
Details: There is a proposal to demolish eight commercial buildings and 12 residential units and combine 20 lots. Eight heritage trees would be removed. A revised plan set and renderings were posted in early 2023. An older plan set has been abandoned.
Status: As of February 2023, two pre-application plan sets have been submitted to the city for the new development: a “density bonus” plan and a “base” plan.
Developer: High Street Residential
Reference: Santa Cruz Local
8. Student Housing West at UC Santa Cruz
Location: Heller Drive and at Hagar and Coolidge Drives.
Project details:
Student Housing West is a proposal to build housing on two sites with beds for more than 3,000 students. It includes approximately 2,700 apartment and community-style beds for upper-division undergraduates, 220 studio and community-style beds for graduate students, and 140 two-bedroom apartments geared toward students with families. The plan also includes a community room and a new early childhood education center.
Status: The University of California Board of Regents approved the project and finance plan at a meeting in March 2023. A lawsuit from advocacy group Habitat and Watershed Caretakers has stalled the project. It remained in court in July, said UCSC representative Scott Hernandez-Jason. UCSC leaders hope to start construction at the Hagar Drive site early 2024 and open it in fall 2025.
Developer: UCSC leaders plan to solicit bids in the second half of 2023.
Reference: Santa Cruz Local