A seven-story building with 70 affordable housing units is being constructed at Pacific Station South near the Santa Cruz Metro bus depot. Construction continues on Nov. 30, 2023. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
Last updated: February 2024
Project name: Pacific Station South and Pacific Station North
Location: Pacific Avenue
Pacific Station South is on the 800 block of Pacific Avenue and the 300 block of Front Street. Pacific Station North is where the bus depot stands.
Status: under construction
Pacific Station North: The Metro bus station closed on Feb. 12 and bus operations moved two blocks north. Construction started in February and is expected through February 2026.
Pacific Station South: Construction on Pacific Station South is expected to finish in late spring 2024. Lease information is expected in December or early 2024.
An official groundbreaking took place on May 19, 2022. The Santa Cruz City Council approved the two projects to be streamlined based on state law AB2162. The votes were in January 2021 and August 2020. Both projects also received coastal permits from the city’s zoning administrator
Developer
Nonprofit developers For the Future Housing (Pacific Station South) and First Community Housing (Pacific Station North).
Project overview
The Santa Cruz Metro bus depot is being redeveloped with two affordable housing projects: Pacific Station North and Pacific Station South. Pacific Station South is under construction with 70 affordable homes and is expected to finish in early 2024. All units in the two projects are expected to be affordable based on state income limits. Pacific Station South includes medical and dental offices, restaurant and retail space and a public paseo. Pacific Station North is expected to include 128 affordable homes and a new Downtown bus depot that faces Front Street.
Project description
Pacific Station South is between Pacific Avenue and Front Street south of Maple Alley. It’s a seven-story building with 70 affordable units that include studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. A Santa Cruz Community Health Center and Dientes Community Dental Care offices are expected on the ground floor as well as 3,660 square feet of retail and restaurant space. “This space is located on Pacific Avenue and will open up to the future public paseo on the east side of the building,” Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker wrote in a Sept. 5 statement. Santa Cruz Development Manager David McCormic is handling retail lease inquiries.
Pacific Station North is planned between Pacific Avenue and Front Street north of Maple Alley. It’s expected to be a seven-story building with 128 affordable units with offices, stores and the Santa Cruz Metro office and bus ticket windows. The project also includes up to 22 bus bays and a canopy. Elm Alley would cut through the site.
- Total units: 128.
- Affordable units: All units are expected to be affordable based on state income limits.
- Height: Seven stories for Pacific Station South and Pacific Station North.
- Details: The project does not include on-site parking. State law allows developers of affordable housing projects like these to not build any parking. No parking requirements make affordable housing projects easier and cheaper to build, but adds responsibility on parking districts to meet demand.
Pacific Station North is expected to redevelop the bus depot into affordable housing and reconfigure the bus lanes. (For the Future Housing)
Pacific Station South is expected to have 70 units of affordable housing on the 800 block of Pacific Avenue. (For the Future Housing)
The Pacific Station project will include bus ticket kiosks. (Eden Housing)
A walkway is included in the Pacific Station project. (Eden Housing)
Construction crews work on Pacific Station South on Aug. 11, 2023. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
Read more
- Downtown affordable housing projects advance — Jan. 26, 2021
- The future of Downtown Santa Cruz — Aug. 31, 2019
- City of Santa Cruz Pacific Station North application page
- City of Santa Cruz Pacific Station South application page
- Housing Santa Cruz Pacific Station North page
How to make your voice heard
Submit comments and questions on the City of Santa Cruz project application page for Pacific Station North and Pacific Station South.