Senior housing coming to San Jose

California Construction News staff writer

San Jose council has approved a plan to turn a historic two-story downtown building into a high-rise apartment tower for hundreds of seniors.

Roygbiv Real Estate Development will gut the Realty Building at 19 N. 2nd St. and maintain the historic facade and part of the building’s roof.

The two-story Realty Building was designated as a city historic landmark since 2001, occupies a 0.22-acre site at 19 N. 2nd St. near the corner of Santa Clara Street.

The project was previously approved by the Historic Landmarks Commission.

The 22-story tower will be built on the 0.22-acre site and 220 apartments are planned to be rented at below market-rate to people aged 55 and older.

Architect Kurt Anderson has said the project could break ground in about 18 months to two years, and once started, construction would take about two and a half years.