New Fmali
Student-focused housing plus commercial and industrial, within walking distance of two supermarkets and many amenities including public transit and Santa Cruz’s Rail/Trail. This location, steeped in industrial history, seeks to support more innovators in R&D, food services, tech and retail as well as the next generation of Santa Cruz workers in a vibrant residential community that supports environmental principles of smart growth and livable streets.
Location
Westside Santa Cruz
Scale
120 Units, 1 beds, 2 beds and 3 beds
Resident Amenities, Industrial, and Commercial spaces
Status
SB330 Pre-application
Services
Architecture and Development
Expertise
SB330, Density-Bonus, AB2097, Modular Design
The project includes two new buildings split across a mixed-use main building with three bar-shaped structures and a smaller, wedge- shaped industrial/commercial building.
The proposed new construction provides pedestrian friendly commercial and industrial space on the ground floor corner facing Almar avenue and a new internal multi-use access lane providing pedestrian-friendly passage to both buildings.
A publicly accessible court opens on to the internal lane acts as a spill-out space for the surrounding industrial commercial spaces. Planters and bollards protect and define the pedestrian only access paths in the otherwise curb-less lane.
New Fmali includes both parking garage with electric vehicle charging stations and accessible parking as well as parking for over 400 bicycles.
The existing building is vacant and currently underutilizes the subject parcel.
Nearly fifty years ago, in the wake of departing manufacturers like Wrigley and Lipton, Ben Zaricor and Louise Veninga helped initiate a new industrial culture here in Santa Cruz. Among the first to establish trade with China, their company, Fmali Herbs, introduced Chinese ginseng to an American market. (Louise authored the ginseng book, in fact.) Their Good Earth teas found an appreciative audience worldwide.
New Fmali will support more jobs than the current facilities ever did, jobs in R&D, food services, tech and retail. And just as importantly, the next generation of Santa Cruz workers and students will have a vibrant residential community that supports environmental principles of smart growth and livable streets.
