A rooftop deck is expected on the library near Cedar and Cathcart streets, with five stories of housing over a three-story parking garage in the rear. (Ten Over Studio)

Read about other notable housing and construction projects in Santa Cruz County.

Last updated: May 2025

Location

Cedar Street between Lincoln and Cathcart streets, Santa Cruz. Two city parking lots are expected to be redeveloped.

Status 

  • Construction is expected to start in June 2025. It will take two years and happen in two phases. The first phase includes the library, housing, child care facility and parking garage. The second phase is expected to finish the library’s interior and business space, said Santa Cruz Development Manager Brian Borguno, in a May 2025 email.
  • The Downtown Farmers’ Market is set to move by June 2025 to a parking lot next to the existing downtown library at 224 Church St. and part of Cedar and Church streets next to the lot.

Developer

Housing interest list

Project details

The library project includes 124 homes including a manager’s unit and a garage. 

The plans include:

  • A 41,000 square foot library. 
  • 123 below-market-rate housing units and one manager’s unit.
  • A child care facility with 1,231 square feet indoors and 674 square feet outdoors.
  • Commercial space.
  • 240 parking spaces including 25 electric vehicle charging stations.
  • 203 bike parking spaces, bike lockers and e-bike charging. 
  • A roof deck for library patrons and events.
  • 14 new trees on site to replace 12 trees to be removed. Wood from the removed trees “will be prioritized for potential use in the project.” Twenty-two more trees are expected to be planted elsewhere in the city.

Farmers Market location: On Oct. 14, 2022, city and farmers market leaders said they signed a memorandum of understanding that expressed that they are “jointly committed to identifying and securing a permanent home for the market in Downtown Santa Cruz,” city spokeswoman Eileen Cross wrote in a statement. The city has allocated more than $1.7 million for the construction of a new farmers market facility with an overhead structure for year-round use.

Existing library site: City staff started a public process to consider options for the existing library at 224 Church St. Based on public feedback, a 2021 consultant team recommended:

  • Affordable housing
  • Community-oriented (not commercial) ground-floor options
  • A civic plaza or park focused on daily uses for downtown residents, such as a dog park
  • Potential to host the downtown farmers market

A library, housing and parking garage are planned at a parking lot at Cedar and Cathcart streets in Downtown Santa Cruz. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file.)

A rendering of the library complex from Cedar and Lincoln streets. (Ten Over Studio)

A three-level library is slated for Cedar and Cathcart streets. (Ten Over Studio)

A rooftop terrace and patio are part of the library plans. (Ten Over Studio)

The library is expected to include meeting spaces. (Ten Over Studio)

A third-level roof deck includes lounge space. (Ten Over Studio)

Childrens’ areas are included in the library design. (Ten Over Studio)

Special collections are expected to be displayed. (Ten Over Studio)

The new library is designed to radiate some light at dusk. (Ten Over Studio)

Construction is expected to start in June 2025, about five years after the Santa Cruz City Council’s first approval of the project. (Ten Over Studio)

  • Downtown Santa Cruz library updated plans May 10 2022
  • Downtown Santa Cruz Library updated plan
  • Downtown Santa Cruz Library updated plan
  • Downtown Santa Cruz Library updated plan
  • Downtown Santa Cruz Library updated plan

Site plans from a 2022 Santa Cruz City Council meeting. (Jayson Architecture)

Measure O on the November 2022 ballot

Measure O on the November 2022 ballot would have halted the library, garage and housing project. The measure tried to force renovation of the current Downtown Santa Cruz library on Church Street. Some Measure O proponents said the farmers market should not be displaced. Farmers market leaders said they were not opposed to a new location. Some opponents of the planned library complex envisioned a public square where the city parking lot stands at Cathcart and Cedar streets.

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