Capitola Starter Homes

This multi-home infill project seeks to provide new entry level homes in a market in which this housing typology is rarely constructed. This dense collection of small-footprint homes will create the opportunity for a tight knit community of first time home buyers looking to grow in Santa Cruz.

Modern row of houses with geometric design, featuring large windows and wooden facades, set alongside a street with trees and parked cars.

Location

Santa Cruz, California

Scale

15 Single Family Homes, each with an attached ADU. Total of 30 new units

Status

In Entitlement

Services

Architecture, Development, Future Construction

Expertise

SB330, Density Bonus, Sustainability

Targeting a form of entry level housing that is missing in Santa Cruz County, 841 Capitola is a row of 15 detached single family homes along a new private road. Each unit is a three bedroom, two and a half bath home with large kitchen and living room, a private roof terrace and private rear yard for each home. A sizeable storage space on the ground floor presents an opportunity for a conversion ADU.

Aerial architectural layout of a row of buildings with surrounding green areas, pathways, and a parking lot in a residential neighborhood.
Architectural floor plan showing a two-story house layout with bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper floor and living, kitchen, and dining areas on the lower floor.

Each entry level home has the opportunity for a conversion ADU, generating income for entry level homeowners and lowering the threshold to home ownership.

The townhomes embrace a clean, modern aesthetic using a repeating gable form cantilevered over volumes of smooth cement plaster. Wood-look siding is introduced on the insides of the gable forms and wraps the deck and surrounding soffits, bringing warmth and human scale to the simple architectural lines.

Modern townhouses with balconies, wooden siding, and a landscaped garden; people and a dog visible.

Novelty

The design of the home proposes a "reverse floor plan", entering on the ground floor through a side yard entry to the bedroom level in order to provide lofted ceiling spaces at the upper living and kitchen spaces. The repeating shed roof forms and curved facade created a stacked undulating wave pattern when viewed up and down the new private road. Opportunities for personalization are sought by pops of color at window shades and sofffits. Warm wood-look siding bring texture to the human scale.

Modern townhouses with large windows and landscaped gardens along a quiet street, with a cyclist and pedestrian.
Modern residential street with contemporary houses featuring wooden facades and flat roofs. People walk and cycle along the sidewalk, trees lining the street. A parked car is visible on the road.
Modern townhouse complex with wooden and white facades, featuring rooftop terraces and a garden area. People are outside on balconies and walking along a fenced pathway with trees and greenery surrounding the area.
Architectural floor plan showing two levels of a house. The upper level includes two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a washer/dryer area. The lower level features a kitchen/dining area, a living room, and a bathroom. Outdoor patios are also shown.
Aerial view of a site plan for a townhouse development, showing multiple rectangular building units aligned in a row, with green spaces and pathways. Surrounding residential neighborhood is visible.
Modern residential street lined with identical two-story houses featuring curved white facades and wooden accents, with a cyclist, pedestrian, and parked car on the street.
Modern row of two-story houses with wooden and white exteriors, featuring balconies and fenced yards. Individuals are interacting outside, and one person is on a balcony. A small dog is lying on a patio.
Modern row of townhouses with wooden facades, large windows, and solar panels, featuring a cyclist and pedestrians on a tree-lined street under a blue sky.
Modern townhouses with angular designs and large windows, featuring wooden siding and small yards. A car is parked in front of one house, and a couple walks nearby. Trees and a blue sky can be seen in the background.
Modern townhouse complex with white and wood exteriors, featuring large windows and adjacent greenery, under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern townhouses with a tree-lined street, featuring a sidewalk and people walking and biking.

Sustainability

The amenities of private yards and shed roofs that slope to maximize daylight and solar exposure optimize the units for a neighborhood of families that seek to connect to the outdoors and take advantage of the moderate Santa Cruz climate. All-electric design, solar photovoltaics, passive ventilation and a small living footprint contribute to minimizing a family's carbon footprint while maximizing livability.

Consultants

Civil: Ifland Engineering
Landscape Architecture: Megan Bishop, MBLA

Person wearing a blue patterned shirt with arms crossed, displaying a tattoo and a watch, in front of a white background.

Interested in investing in one of our projects?


Whether you have your own project and are in need of expertise, or are seeking investment, please reach out. We look forward to the opportunity to build together!

TIM GORDIN
Founding Partner, Developer

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