Apple plans construction work on north San Jose offices, will build housing to accommodate homeless

Cupertino-based Apple will be starting construction on a portion of its north San Jose property in the near future, a company spokesperson has told the San Jose Mercury-News.

This work “would represent the vanguard of the tech titan’s expansion at the 85-acre San Jose campus,” the newspaper reported on Aug. 18. At the same time, the company reportedly will spend millions to relocate and house people living in a homeless encampment on the company’s property.

“It’s wonderful to see Apple’s expansion in north San Jose, where they’ve already demonstrated their strong commitment to the community through their generous efforts to support our unhoused residents in that neighborhood,” San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo was quoted as saying.

Initial work will focus on two existing office buildings, with wide-ranging tenant improvements. One of the structures as 286,000 sq. ft. of space, and the second has 202,000 sq. ft.

Part of the campus site will be devoted to affordable housing, but specific plans have yet to emerge about the number of homes and acres where the residences would sprout, the published report says.

The Apple campus is a short distance from where Google is preparing plans for a green-friendly and pedestrian-oriented office campus called Midpoint that’s located near the corner of North First Street and Nortech Parkway.

These projects mean two household names in the tech world are pushing ahead with plans for major campuses in north San Jose at the same time.

“North San Jose appears poised for a strong surge with Apple and Google’s growth, and all the more if we can finally build housing there without incurring a lawsuit from the city of Santa Clara,” Mayor Liccardo said.