Highlights

•     Completed a historically accurate façade restoration of a building originally built in downtown Palo Alto in1927

•     Recreated architectural features and elements that had been lost over the decades through misguided changes

•     Seamlessly integrated modern-day construction technologies and methods with traditional materials and techniques used in the original construction

•     Ensured that there was minimal disruption to pedestrian traffic and commerce in the area while the work was being done

In 1927, H.J. Hoffacker engaged Birge Clark, one of Palo Alto’s most prominent architects, and contractor, Wells Goodenough, to build the Hoffacker family home, as well as commercial space for his business, the Palo Alto Sport Shop — which served city residents for nearly 90 years. But after almost a century of use, the historic Spanish Colonial Revival building had begun to fade, and was in desperate need of a comprehensive facelift. To accomplish this, the owners turned to SiliconX Construction.

Challenge

The biggest challenge was upgrading the façade using modern technology and construction practices, while preserving the unique character of the building, which had been a Category 3 historic resource in the city since 1989. While many of the Spanish Revival features — such as the red tile roof, arched cornice detailing and natural, earthy tones — remained, other elements had been lost due to changes over the years. The goal was to restore as many of these as possible to reflect Clark’s original vision and enable the building to rise to a Category 2 historical designation.

Solution

SiliconX Construction needed to complete the renovation without disrupting commerce in the downtown Palo Alto area. To do this, the company created a tunnel pathway over the sidewalk for pedestrians to pass through while work was going on.

The façade was painstakingly recreated to bring the building back to its 1920s appearance. Some exterior architectural features were fashioned with foam and integrated into the concrete exterior, then covered with stucco mixed to match the style of the original. Window trim was recreated from powder-coated aluminum and handmade ceramic tile was sourced for the decorative wainscoting below the windows.

One of the biggest challenges was recreating the wrought iron balconies and other ironwork used on the building. SiliconX identified a subcontractor to produce what was needed to beautifully restore the architectural integrity of Clark’s original design.

Results

Today, 526 Waverley Street in Palo Alto stands as a testament to the historic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture typical of the 1920s in Palo Alto. This restored façade would likely meet with the approval of architect Clark today — while offering 5,800 sq. ft. of functional retail space on the ground floor and an additional 3,150 sq. ft. of multi-purpose space with an excellent window line on the mezzanine.

SiliconX Construction completed all of its painstaking work on budget — delivering a building that should stand up very well to the test of time for years to come.

Highlights

• Completed interior improvements for the upscale hair salon in its new space at Saich Way Station

• Worked closely with the property management team, architects and city planners to obtain all necessary approvals for the additional power and water required

• Finished all work within a tight eight-week timeframe — from lease signing to tenant move-in

In 2015, SiliconX Construction completed a 15,650 sq. ft., two-building retail center at 10095 Saich Way, across the street from Target on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino. The modern center with its sleek rooflines, stylish design and warm colors replaced an old strip mall that had been vacant for years following a major fire in one of the tenant spaces.

Saich Way Station was quickly leased to an impressive group of retailers including Vitamin Shoppe, T-Mobile USA, The Melt, Blast 825˚ Pizza, H&R Block, and TheCoderSchool.

Challenge

With only the end unit remaining, a business was identified to take half of that space, or approximately 800 sq. ft. The company was uBreakiFix, a specialized repair service for mobile phones, computers, tablets and game consoles.

This left the other half unit — 805 sq. ft. — as the sole remaining space at Saich Way Station. It also meant that SiliconX would have to work closely with the property management team at Borelli Investment Company, architect FCGA Architecture, and most importantly, Cupertino city planners to get approval for additional power and water needed by the final tenant: Parlour 17 hair salon.

Solution

Parlour 17 was moving to Saich Way Station from another location in Cupertino where its lease was ending. This created an additional challenge for SiliconX, which needed to complete the build-out of Parlour 17’s suite within eight weeks — from the signing of the lease agreement to move-in.

The work SiliconX completed on the extremely tight schedule included:

• Construction of a demising wall creating the space
• Installation of a new acoustical ceiling grid and light fixtures
• Installation of an HVAC system for the suite
• Stub out for the additional power and water in the concrete floor
• Concrete saw cutting for a new plumbing infrastructure
• Polishing of concrete floors and painting throughout the suite

The end result is a thing of beauty with added touches included rustic wood-covered walls and distinctive décor that presents a warm and inviting environment that’s comfortable for Parlour 17’s high-end clientele.

Results

Both the center’s new owner and the tenant were very pleased that SiliconX was able to complete its work on schedule and on budget. The seamless transition enabled Parlour 17 to avoid paying double rent for its old space and new space at Saich Way Station, while accommodating its clientele without missing an appointment. Meanwhile, the new owners of the center could begin collecting rent sooner and achieve 100% occupancy.

Overall, the owner has been very impressed from a fit and finish standpoint with the quality of SiliconX Construction’s work. The general contractor continues to provide facilities maintenance services and tenant improvement work at the center under the direction of property manager, Borelli Investment Company.

Highlights

• Completed interior demolition and demising of a free-standing 84,728 sq. ft. retail building in Gilroy for developer, the Alamo Group

• Handled all reconfiguration and remodeling for a new 30,000 sq. ft. Ashley Furniture HomeStore within the building — including everything from the polished concrete floors to new, energy-efficient LED lighting

• Carried out a comprehensive exterior facelift of the entire 85,000 sq. ft. building, in addition to refurbishing the building’s parking lot

• Finished all work within six months — on time and on budget — to accommodate store openings by the critical Labor Day weekend

 

The southern Santa Clara Valley encompassing Morgan Hill and Gilroy has become a major population center in Santa Clara County. Retailers must compete aggressively for a share of the lucrative market. In 2016, successful Danville-based shopping center developer, the Alamo Group, contacted SiliconX Construction to handle the interior demolition and demising as well as an exterior facelift of a stand-alone 84,728 sq. ft. building at 8777 San Ysidro Avenue in the Alamo Plaza shopping center in Gilroy.

 

Challenge

The large building sits in a prominent retail location, just down the street from Gilroy Premium Outlets and adjacent to busy Home Depot and Staples stores. It’s also clearly visible from the heavily traveled South Valley freeway (Hwy 101). Alamo Group wanted to ensure that it projected an appealing image that would draw customers to the retail businesses located there.

The biggest challenge was that with the upgrade not beginning until March, it was imperative that all work be completed by Labor Day weekend, the official start of the lucrative fall and, ultimately, holiday shopping season.

 

Solution

SiliconX started by demolishing the interior space and constructing the demising walls for the various tenant spaces. Soon after the project got underway, SiliconX was also contacted by Ashley Furniture to handle the reconfiguration and remodeling of a new 30,000 sq. ft. HomeStore that was going into the building. For Ashley Furniture, SiliconX took care of everything from the polished concrete floors to installation of the latest LED lighting with timers and multiple dimmers. The LED lights fully comply with California’s Title 24 building energy efficiency standards and create an inviting environment for shoppers.

In addition to the interior work, SiliconX completed an exterior facelift of the entire 85,000 sq. ft. building that not only houses the new Ashley Furniture store, but also locations for Gold’s Gym, Mancini’s Sleepworld, Sears Hometown, and a new Rockin’ Jump indoor trampoline park scheduled to open this winter.

To conveniently accommodate the increase in customers expected for the upgraded Alamo Plaza, SiliconX extensively refurbished the building’s parking lot as well.

 

Results

Exceptional planning and tight management kept the project on track throughout and enabled SiliconX to meet the ambitious deadline on time and on budget, so the stores could welcome customers beginning on Labor Day weekend.

The number one furniture retailer in the U.S. and one of the world’s top furniture stores, Ashley Furniture is using its 30,000 sq. ft. of space to showcase living room, dining room, bedroom, and home-office furniture — as well as mattresses and home accents at its new Gilroy store. The merchandise is all grouped within a variety of “lifestyles,” ranging from traditional and contemporary to urban and vintage casual.

From start to finish, SiliconX Construction’s innovative systems and processes plus strong project management provided the daily discipline to keep the work on schedule without costly overruns — ensuring that retailers could open their doors as planned.

 

 

Highlights

• Completely rebuilt shopping center after fire had destroyed previous property

• Efficiently navigated complex planning and entitlements process to create a dynamic new retail center under Cupertino’s Heart of the City Specific Plan

• Constructed sleek, stylish low-profile buildings, then worked directly with national tenants to complete high-quality tenant improvements on schedule and on budget

• With 95% of the center leased, listed project for sale less than two years after groundbreaking

In a flash, it was over. Cupertino restaurant Bombay Oven and neighboring businesses, including a 7-Eleven and other retail stores, were destroyed in a fire in July 2008. For the next five years, the site sat mostly vacant until developer Borelli Investment Company completed the arduous planning and entitlement process and obtained the City of Cupertino’s approval to build a sparkling new retail center.

Challenge

Cupertino is one of the most desirable cities in Northern California. Recognized for its outstanding public schools, parks and neighborhoods — and corporate home to Apple Computer— the city attracts residents and visitors from around the world. Recently, Cupertino adopted the Heart of the City Specific Plan, designed to create a greater sense of place and community identity along the Stevens Creek Boulevard corridor — resulting in positive and memorable experiences for residents and visitors alike.

The Saich Way property with the burned-out shell consisted of two narrow parcels fronting Stevens Creek Boulevard between Target and a Whole Foods store. Borelli Investment Company worked closely with city officials for many months to handle the entitlements required and obtain approval to expand the strip mall into a completely new, 15,650 sq. ft., two-building retail center at 20803 Stevens Creek Boulevard.

 

Solution

General contractor SiliconX Construction built an attractive, modern retail center with a low roofline, broad storefronts, stylish awnings, modern colors, and ample glass — making it a perfect fit for an upscale location. The center exceeds Cupertino’s standards for a pedestrian-oriented, environmentally conscious design. Saich Way Station features paved-stone walkways, benches and outdoor seating areas, plus bicycle racks — with abundant lighting and landscaping offering an inviting stroll for shoppers. Among the California Green features are a sophisticated drainage system that contains all runoff on-site. There’s also plenty of parking at the door in an oversized lot shared with neighbors Peet’s Coffee & Tea and Panera Bread.

SiliconX handles custom tenant improvements

As leasing progressed, SiliconX Construction was called upon to handle tenant improvements at the center. This included:

• Vitamin Shoppe — 3,500 sq. ft. of space fronting Stevens Creek Blvd.
• T-Mobile USA — 1,750 sq. ft. for the nation’s leader in wireless voice, messaging and data
• H&R Block — 1,515 sq. ft. for the world’s largest tax services provider
• TheCoderSchool — 1,025 sq. ft. used for a training center targeted at kids want to learn to write computer code
• UBreakiFix — 800 sq. ft. that the firm uses to fix smart phones, tablets, computers, and game consoles

One small retail unit remains to be leased in the center. SiliconX Construction was part of an impressive team, which included FCGA Architecture as architects, HMH as civil engineers, and Randol Mackley of SRS Real Estate Partners as broker. The needed $6.4 million construction loan was provided by Heritage Bank.

 

Results

Construction of the 15,650 sq. ft. shell began in the summer of 2014 and was signed off in early 2015. Vitamin Shoppe was quickly brought in as anchor tenant, with other retail firms following. SiliconX Construction not only completed the two buildings on time and on budget — but was also able to respond to the needs of retailers and finish all tenant improvements to each store’s custom specifications — while meeting tight deadlines for critical openings and effectively managing construction budgets.

From a design standpoint, the shopping center is a perfect fit for the affluent retail corridor along Stevens Creek Boulevard. Tenants have been pleased by the volume and quality of foot traffic attracted from the 30,000 vehicles that drive past the center daily.

With leasing 95% complete, in early 2016 the owners were able to list Saich Way Station for sale through the widely respected real estate brokerage firm, Marcus & Millichap. Interest has been strong from potential buyers around the globe.

“Saich Way Station is an ideally located retail center in a city with a pristine international reputation,” said Tom Purtell, chief operating officer of Borelli Investment Company. “We’re pleased to have been able to work with Cupertino to meet the city’s high standards for development – while offering our retail tenants a great shopping environment.”