An eight-story, 245-unit apartment building is proposed at 201 Front St. in downtown Santa Cruz. (Lincoln Property Co.)
Last updated: May 2025
Location: 201 Front St., Santa Cruz
The site is bounded by Pacific Avenue and Laurel, Front and Spruce streets. Ace Hardware and its parking lot are on the site now.
Status
- A community meeting is set for 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, 2025 on Zoom or by phone at 669-444-9171 meeting ID 882 0034 3888. Submit comments on the Santa Cruz city project page for 201 Front St.
- San Francisco-based Lincoln Property Company submitted a pre-application in January to build 245 units south of Laurel Street at the site of the Ace Hardware.
Developer
San Francisco-based Lincoln Property Co.
Project description
- Total housing units: 245.
- Unit types: 16 studios, 40 junior one-bedrooms, 99 one-bedrooms, 78 two-bedrooms, six three-bedrooms and six large live-work units.
- Height: Eight stories or 84 feet.
- Amenities: First floor includes 10,000 sq ft of commercial space, a coworking coffee lounge and a pet spa. There is a fitness room and a large terrace in the building.
- Parking: 256 stalls.
- Below-market-rate units: Information is not in the pre-application.
The proposal is across the street from a seven-story apartment complex at Pacific Avenue, Front and Laurel streets that opened in 2024.
Details
The Front Street site is within the downtown expansion plan that the Santa Cruz City Council approved in May 2025.
The downtown expansion plan includes:
- Taller building heights south of Laurel Street with a 29-acre extension of downtown.
- A goal to build 1,600 new homes to help satisfy state targets.
- Bike and pedestrian improvements.
- A 3,200-seat, permanent Santa Cruz Warriors arena at Spruce and Front streets.
- A pedestrian plaza along Spruce Street.
- More seating and landscaping along the Riverwalk on the San Lorenzo River levee.
- Better connections between downtown and the river and beach areas, including a revamped Cliff Street stairs and viewpoint.
- Increased tax revenue for the city and new economic opportunities for local businesses and workers.
An apartment complex is proposed at Ace Hardware and its parking lot on the block bounded by Pacific Avenue and Laurel, Front and Spruce streets. (Mike Kolar)
The downtown expansion plan increases building height limits in Downtown Santa Cruz, though those height limits could still be exceeded under state density bonus laws. (City of Santa Cruz)
An eight-story building is shown at Pacific Avenue and Spruce Street. (Lincoln Property Co.)
Front Street could be the sole entry for a 256-stall parking garage at 201 Front St. (Lincoln Property Co.)
A view of the building facing Pacific Avenue from the Laurel Street intersection. (Lincoln Property Co.)
A view of the proposed building at Pacific Avenue and Spruce Street. (Lincoln Property Co.)
Ground floor shops or other commercial space is shown on Laurel Street. (Lincoln Property Co.)
Spruce Street is proposed to be closed to vehicles. (Lincoln Property Co.)
The building is proposed to be eight stories. (Lincoln Property Co.)
A Santa Cruz Warriors arena could potentially replace the Spruce Street parking lot and pink apartments, across Spruce from the proposed apartments at 201 Front St. (Mike Kolar)
Read more
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.