Ohlone Court shows that urban life can thrive in suburbia Story-Date: 04:17 a.m. PST Sunday , October 5, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------ Ohlone Court shows that urban life can thrive in suburbia FREMONT'S recent rejection of a 111-unit affordable housing project in the Mission San Jose area spotlights again the preposterous notion that such projects are neighborhood blights. The latest proof in a long string of well-designed affordable housing projects is Ohlone Court at Chynoweth Avenue and Winfield Boulevard in San Jose. This 135-unit, $15 million apartment project, which celebrated its grand opening last month, is in some ways better than some of the best upscale market-rate housing in the area. Slightly smaller units, maybe, and less surface glitz -- but still solid community design. For example, where a showplace such as Villa Torino at Market and Julian streets, lavished with San Jose Redevelopment attention, turns a formal face and a high wall to the street, Ohlone opens up to build links to its new neighborhood. Of course, most of Ohlone's immediate vicinity is still in its infancy as a neighborhood. But the vacant land, once a pear orchard, is a type of neighborhood that we will be seeing more of in the future. Look around Ohlone Court and you see that new suburb growing. In the distance you can see the hills of Almaden, but in the foreground is another mountain, this one the massive barrier reef formed by Highway 85 running along its crest. In front of it chug the light rail trains running to and from the Chynoweth station, sitting beneath the soaring concrete viaducts of Highway 87. In planners' terms, it's an internodal location defined by transportation: the soaring concrete viaducts and spaghetti on- and off-ramps of Highway 87, the tracks of the transit system, the patter of pedestrian feet. Light rail access combined with the intersection of two freeways, near a major concentration of shopping centers at Santa Teresa Boulevard and Blossom Hill Road, make it the perfect place for high-density housing. The area has some drawbacks that earlier planning could have avoided. To avoid those same pitfalls, planning should start now for other high-density housing sites along the light rail track through north San Jose, Santa Clara and Mountain View. The lack of convenient footpaths from Ohlone Court to the nearby shopping area is one of the area's flaws. Inconvenient access to the freeways and major surface streets makes for another drawback. Plans to build possibly 200 more housing units on the rest of the site's undeveloped land and on adjacent county transportation agency land will have to address these problems, too. With the older tract home areas already surrounding this classic "infill" site, the area deserves proper access to Blossom Hill and the freeways. But the new Ohlone Court does a good job of providing a building that looks outward, ready to tie into future developments. The project was designed by McLarand, Vasquez & Partners, and developed by Bridge Housing Corp. and the San Jose Housing Authority. Ohlone Court is more like a miniature village than an apartment complex. It's not just the big and little towers that pepper the complex of buildings. Wake up here and step through the door onto your balcony, and you're likely to see neighbors walking past. They're on the way to the light rail station, a two-minute stroll away. Compare that to the average flat-roofed, boxy market-rate apartments that look like Holiday Inns. There, your (mostly) invisible neighbors disappear into a basement garage in the morning to be spirited away in their cars. That's one of the secrets of Ohlone's simple architecture. It's more than a series of apartment units and parking spaces. And it's one example of why some of the best ideas for community-oriented architecture adapted to new lifestyles are coming from affordable housing projects. The hipped roofs and wide eaves on the two- and three-story buildings vary in an irregular rhythm, echoing the variety of a suburban streetscape. Look closely and you'll see how this is done while still meeting its budget: Several of the buildings are mirror images of each other, flipped over and dappled with a range of tones and shades to highlight the varied massing and architectural features. With gray tile roofs and stucco walls, the architecture is not exciting or stylish, but the towers, balconies and variety give it energy and appeal. The main entry to each building is marked by a large gateway entry. Balconies and windows overlook the street. Compare this inward-looking building set on a wrap-around street to Villa Torino at Julian and Market streets. It's a fine building, but it's also a doughnut -- a square block that hides its treasures away on the inside for the sole use of its residents. It is a private gated suburbia in an urban shell. Ohlone Court, on the other hand, is something very different: an urban building hidden in the suburbs. It brings the pleasurable aspects of higher density housing to an ultra-suburban location. The outdoor corridors have entryway decks off them to create semi-public spaces for people to see their neighbors. The street, not the inner courtyard, becomes the outlook. The detached buildings are placed along streets -- actually part of the parking system. Traditional downtown characteristics are morphing into suburban features, and vice versa. This change is inevitable as the suburbs become more complex and busy. The good design reflected in Ohlone Court, however, was not inevitable -- and so is to be praised that much more. Inside, the living units are not significantly different in arrangement than those in Villa Torino -- and only slightly smaller. Both Villa Torino and Ohlone apartments feature combined kitchen and living rooms, with counters and pass-throughs. In the larger units, mini-halls provide some separation between the living areas and bedrooms. In both complexes, most units have outdoor decks. Each has green space, lawn, trees and a pool. Only the health club at Villa Torino isn't matched at Ohlone Court -- but Ohlone has a playground that Villa Torino lacks. Why these charming, middle-of-the-road affordable housing projects should be controversial is still astounding. Ohlone Court, San Jose's Plaza Maria, the YWCA's Villa Nueva and other affordable complexes respond to today's lifestyles. Some have separate room suites for a grandparent or teenager who desires a little more privacy. Some combine shops, day care or community centers to maximize the use of infill sites. Ohlone is within walking distance of a light rail station. These are the kinds of creative designs that answer the problems of building infill. These are the designs that strengthen a community. They don't tear them down. ------------------------------------------------------------