A proposed senior living facility on Soquel and Seabright avenues could be six stories tall. (Workbench)

SANTA CRUZ >> A proposal for as many as 281 apartments at Seabright and Soquel avenues was recently submitted to Santa Cruz city staff from local developer Workbench. 

The pre-application included two potential designs, one for 281 below-market-rate units and another for 173 homes for seniors. A community meeting is required and is not yet scheduled.

An updated version of another Workbench project, proposed housing behind Peace United Church, is set for a vote by the Santa Cruz City Council Tuesday.

A separate project that proposes a 46-unit building at Mission and Trescony streets is scheduled for discussion in a community meeting this month.

State housing laws severely restrict the city’s ability to change or block new developments. However, city leaders and residents can request voluntary design changes, and the final details of developments often differ from initial proposals.

The approval process for each project depends on which state laws developers invoke in their final applications.

Six-stories on Seabright Avenue

Workbench has put forth two proposals for a six-story housing complex on the corner of Soquel and Seabright avenues: a 173-unit senior living facility and 281 units of below-market-rate housing.

Either complex would take the place of a shopping center that includes Ace Hardware, The Bagelrey and the Santa Cruz Roller Palladium.

The development at 1214 Soquel Ave., named in pre-application plans as Bright Plaza, would also include an adjacent property across Gault Avenue. 

The project will require a full application with more detailed information about the design, unit size, and other details.

The proposal will require a community meeting, which has not been scheduled.

See more details and sign up for updates on the city’s webpage.

47 homes on High Street

An updated proposal for new housing behind Peace United Church is five stories. (Workbench)

Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council is set to consider an expanded version of a housing proposal approved in 2024 for 900 High St. The new proposal includes 47 units, up from 40. It includes studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, plus four- and five-bedroom “co-living units” that share common space. 

Four studios would be priced for very-low-income renters and four would be priced for moderate-income renters. Additionally, 10 bedrooms in the co-living units would be priced for low-income renters. Income cutoffs are set annually by the state.

• Attend the city council meeting 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 809 Center St. or by Zoom.
• To submit comments ahead of the meeting, email [email protected] by 5 p.m. Monday.

See full details of the new project and sign up for updates. 

Five stories on Mission and Trescony

A proposed five-story building on Mission Street would include space for shops on the ground floor, plus a courtyard and rooftop deck. (Anderson Architects Inc.)

Later this month, developers will present a proposal for a five-story building with ground-floor shops and 46 homes on the corner of Mission and Trescony streets.

The building at 1501-1511 Mission St. would replace a single-family home, the building housing Namaste Indian Cuisine and Falafel of Santa Cruz, and the building of Donnelly Chocolates. Preliminary plans include 42 parking spaces.

A community meeting with developers and city staff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18 on Zoom. 

See more details and sign up for updates on the city’s webpage for the project.

21 homes next to Mission Hill Middle

A proposal for 21 homes next to Mission Hill Middle School. (Workbench)

A proposal from Santa Cruz-based developer Workbench would replace two homes next to Mission Hill Middle School with 21 homes and space for shops. The proposed building is legally considered three stories, but has a partial fourth story described as a “loft”. It would have 18 parking spaces and a mix of one- two-, three- and four-bedroom units.

In the pre-application plans, Santa Cruz-based developer Workbench wrote that 20% of homes will be offered for low-income renters.

In project plans and a May 11 community meeting, developers said they intend to preserve a large redwood tree on an adjacent property. 

Watch a recording of the meeting, see more plan details and sign up for updates on the city’s webpage.

Four stories near Water and Market streets

The preliminary proposal for a development on Water Street includes in-unit laundry and private open space. (Workbench)

Another pre-application proposes a 13-unit housing project at 617 Water St., near Market Street. It would replace two existing buildings with a four-story building. The part of the building closest to the street would be three stories. 

The proposed development from Workbench would include room for stores on the ground floor and 10 parking spaces. It would have mostly two- and three-bedroom units, along with two studios and a four-bedroom unit.

A community meeting with developers and city staff was held April 20. Watch a recording, see more project details and sign up for updates on the city’s webpage.

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