$6.5B mega project in Santa Clara could be biggest private development ever

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KTVU) - It's a massive billion dollar project in the South Bay putting two cities at odds. On Thursday, there are growing concerns after the Santa Clara City Council approved "City Place," considered the largest private development of its kind in Silicon Valley, north of Levi's Stadium.

One look at the renderings and the $6.5 billion project, said to rival San Jose's Santana Row, appears to be a no brainer. It's win win for the City of Santa Clara. However, the City of San Jose is raising questions.

"It's a massive project and ultimately could be a location for thousands of jobs, which for a regional prospective could be a good thing, but the real problem is this project only comes with several hundred homes," said City of San Jose Spokesman David Vossbrink. "Where are these people going to live?"

Vossbrink called the project "out of balance." Approved by the Santa Clara City Council this week, the project is 9 million square feet. It will sit on a former landfill now a city-owned golf course and dirt track. It will include office, retail, entertainment, hotel and apartment units not to mention a park.

"Although they might see the narrow benefits for their city," said Vossbrink. "It's the rest of our region, the rest of the valley that will be paying the cost to this in terms of quality of life, congestion, high price of housing," said Vossbrink.

"In the next few years, we have a plan to build up to 10,000 housing units," said Santa Clara Acting City Manager Rajeev Batra.

Batra said the city is addressing the housing issue with projects along Tasman and El Camino Real in the works.

Batra is expecting it will bring at least $8 milion in general tax revenue. Improvements to the freeway and South Bay infrastructure are also promised. The developer said to be working an arrangement to provide parking for events at Levi's Stadium.

"As far as them taking any action that's any city's prerogative but we strongly believe that this project has mitigated all the impacts," said Batra.

At least one Santa Clara resident praised the project.

"Santa Clara is such a wonderful city," said Heather Harris of Santa Clara. "Besides Rivermark, there's not a whole lot going on in the city."

If all goes as planned, this project could break ground late summer or fall of next year.