Posted on: February 26, 2021
Source: The Mercury News; Author: George Avalos
Nearly 200 affordable homes might rise on former site of popular San Jose restaurant
Very preliminary site plan for affordable housing development at 1371 Kooser Road in San Jose, concept. Nearly 200 affordable homes could sprout on the site of a now-closed Chuck E. Cheese family restaurant in San Jose, according to very preliminary plans being reviewed by city planners.
SAN JOSE — Nearly 200 affordable homes could sprout on the site of a now-closed Chuck E. Cheese family restaurant in San Jose, according to preliminary plans being reviewed by city planners.
Affirmed Housing is planning a 100% affordable residential development on Kooser Road between Blossom Hill Road and Meridian Avenue, the plans show.
“There is not a lot of affordable housing in this area,” said Rob Wilkins, regional director of Northern California for Affirmed Housing. “It’s a great spot for affordable housing.”
Chuck E. Cheese restaurant, now closed, at 1371 Kooser Road in San Jose. // Google Maps
The 1.6-acre site at 1371 Kooser Road is the location of a popular Chuck E. Cheese that closed its doors in 2020 amid the economic ravages unleashed by the deadly coronavirus.
“This is a high-resource area, with low poverty, good schools, good amenities nearby,” Wilkins said.
The amenities include restaurants and retail.
The property is also suitable because it is on a parcel that’s large enough for a new project.
“It is a vacant site, on an island of its own,” Wilkins said. “There are great place-making opportunities.”
Some retail uses that wouldn’t be part of the development are adjacent and some shared parking arrangements are under discussion.
Another shuttered restaurant site in south San Jose is under consideration for affordable development in the vicinity.
About a mile away at 1007 Blossom Hill Road, a development of 269 affordable homes is being considered on a 1.9-acre site where Fish Market had operated a popular seafood restaurant until coronavirus-linked economic woes forced it to close permanently.
At the Chuck E. Cheese site on Kooser Road, the developers have obtained a contract to buy the property.
The development would be six stories high and would include on-site amenities such as a community room. The project also might include ground-floor retail.
The project’s developers, however, emphasized that the preliminary plans have been fashioned and filed primarily as a trial balloon to obtain early-stage observations and assessments from the community and city planners.
“The plans could change based on community feedback and the city review,” Wilkins said. “We will go out to the community. A lot of what we do and how we operate is we conduct a lot of outreach to the community.
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Transforming the former Chuck E. Cheese site into affordable housing is a promising step toward addressing San Jose’s ongoing housing challenges. Projects like this can give families and individuals access to stable homes in neighborhoods with established schools, shopping, and other essential services. Beyond increasing the housing supply, thoughtful development can strengthen the community by creating welcoming spaces where residents from different backgrounds can thrive. It is also important to consider neighborhood feedback, traffic, parking, public transportation, and access to community resources to ensure the project benefits both future residents and the surrounding area. With careful planning and a strong commitment to long-term affordability, this development could become a meaningful investment in a more inclusive and sustainable San Jose.