Downtown Sunnyvale Revitalization Gets Desperately Needed Kickstart
Revitalization of Sunnyvale's downtown area has been an on again, off again, on again, but mostly off again scenario, and the centerpiece of downtown Sunnyvale, the Town Center mall, has been closed for quite a while with the exception of the Macy's and Target anchor stores.
Sunnyvale has a suburban image, and while it's consistently one of the safest cities in America and has easy access to 101, 280, 85, and the San Jose Airport, a revitalization of its downtown area could do a lot to cement its place as a must-live destination in the Heart of Silicon Valley. But they're going to have to blow up the Target to do it...
New Developer, Better Chances
Finally, after years of delays by the Georgia-based Forum Development Group, the Silicon Valley Business Journal reports today, the project to revitalize downtown Sunnyvale has been sold to a new developer who has more political sway with the local council, San Mateo's Sand Hill Property.
Their experience includes Bridgepointe Mall in San Mateo and Tree Farm in Los Altos, and while the San Jose Mercury News reports that the Sunnyvale plan is far more complex than those projects, the Sunnyvale council has allowed Sandhill to explore a 200 room hotel --- something the previous developer couldn't get on the table.
The project is planned to be a mixed-use development with condominiums, restaurants, and office space. How similar it is to the open and walkable Santana Row or Pruneyard remains to be seen, but under the new plan, almost all of the existing mall would be demolished, including the Target. It will be replaced by a new Target which will be larger by almost 30,000 square feet.
