Proposed Clocktower Center will create up to 260 homes and enhance pedestrian experience in downtown Santa Cruz.

News

Apr 3

The Workbench project re-imagines an underutilized urban site as a sustainable high-rise community.

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA — Workbench is pleased to announce plans to redevelop their premier downtown property at 2020 N. Pacific Avenue. The proposed mixed-use project, Clocktower Center, is planned as net-zero energy building and will add up to 260 homes to the heart of Santa Cruz.

“Our work is directly influenced by each of our day-to-day experiences living here in Santa Cruz.” Says Principal and Owner Tim Gordin, “I see long-term residents leaving due to rising unaffordability, observe increasing homelessness due to lack of housing, and witness the enduring systemic inequalities people face when finding or keeping housing. Santa Cruz is the people, not just the place. We need to create homes for our community to live in. Projects like Clocktower Center reinforce the purpose behind our endeavors, underscore the critical need for more projects like this one, and get us one step closer to solving the housing crisis.”

Clocktower Center responds to citizens’ and City officials’ desire to focus high-density housing in the downtown core. Designed as an anchor for the northern portion of Pacific Avenue, the project will bookend the downtown corridor, with similar housing projects in-process on the southern part of the stretch. An emphasis has been placed on providing an active street-level experience and creating additional public space, extending the pedestrian experience north of Water Street.

According to Jamileh Cannon, Founding Partner of Workbench, “Our goal is to create a beautiful place to live and an anchor for the north end of Pacific Avenue. Adding density where there are services will create a vibrant housing project and an economically viable, thriving downtown.”

Workbench submitted two concurrent SB330 applications to the City of Santa Cruz and is exploring feasibility and investment models for the project(s) before submitting a Planning Application. The first application is for an eighteen-story high-rise building, utilizing a 100% density bonus to reach 260 units. The second application is for an eight-story mid-rise building with 174 units.

In addition to providing needed housing within a walkable neighborhood, Clocktower Center is envisioned as a sustainable, nature-infused urban living experience. The project seeks to optimize energy efficiency by including onsite renewables, utilizing passive design strategies, and integrating biophilic principles to create spaces that serve residents, passers-by, and the community at large. Amenities and incentives will be provided to encourage residents to go car-free.

In 2024, Workbench has submitted ten project applications in the city of Santa Cruz, totaling 16.5% of the 3,736 new homes called for in the city’s current RHNA cycle. The company is seeking investors and potential commercial partners for Clocktower Center.

Visit the Clocktower Center Project Page

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