These two “vertical neighborhoods” will be the company’s largest
projects to date and represent the distinct and innovative potential of
large-scale urban coliving developments for Starcity’s future growth.
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#coliving–Today Starcity,
the pioneering community-based living startup, has announced it has
secured approval from the City of San Francisco and the City of San Jose
respectively for two large-scale purpose-built coliving projects.
Purpose-built Coliving Communities contain furnished private bedrooms
and private bathrooms, directly accessible off a common hallway along
with generously-sized communal cooking, dining, lounge, and laundry
spaces offered on a floor-by-floor basis. Communities also include
best-in-class community-wide amenities integrated throughout the
building such as roof terraces, co-working spaces, and bicycle
facilities.
The first in San Francisco is “Starcity Minna”, is a 270-unit high-rise
planned for Minna & 5th Streets in the centrally-located SoMa area of
San Francisco, and “Starcity San Jose”, an 803-unit high-rise planned
for downtown San Jose, just three blocks from San Pedro Square and a
short walk to Diridon Station.
Both projects are slated to open in 2021 and will feature the following:
-
Starcity Minna: Located at 475 Minna Street, the building will have
270 coliving units, 50% of which will be priced at deed-restricted
below market rates starting as low as the approximately $850. The
project will break ground in early 2020. -
Starcity Bassett: Located at 199 Bassett Street, the building will
have 803 units, and will be the largest coliving development in the
world when completed. Rents will be targeted below 110% area median
income. A defining feature of the building’s program is the notion of
“vertical neighborhoods,” where multiple residential floors are
internally linked by centrally-located large, double-height communal
spaces and terraces with interconnecting stairs. A broad array of
residents from multiple floors can interact and engage with one
another socially within the building’s various communal spaces. The
typical communal amenities included on each floor are media rooms, 3-4
chef’s style kitchens, and both large group and more intimate dining
areas. Building-wide amenities will include a multi-level 5,000 SF
fitness center, bike storage, bike share, & repair facilities,
skyline-facing roof terrace, co-working spaces, subterranean parking,
and food & beverage oriented retail offerings on the ground floor such
as a potential small cafe/grocer and/or bar.
Since last Fall, Starcity has also worked closely with the City of San
Jose on an amendment to the City’s Planning Code to add “Coliving” as a
formally recognized use category, distinct from Multi-Family and other
conventional residential uses. This is the first dedicated Coliving
zoning code to be established in the US. Other cities facing a similar
affordability crisis will be able to follow suit and adopt similar
zoning legislation in order to encourage new and more sustainable types
of housing. The Coliving ordinance amendment went before and unanimously
passed City Council on February 26th and became effective on April 12th.
This allowed Starcity’s project to move forward with an entitlement
change from the previously approved Multi-Family project (by KT Urban)
to a truly purpose-built Coliving development. Starcity resubmitted a
project application to the city in late April and formally received
project approvals on May 29th at the Planning Director’s Hearing. The
project is now formally entitled to development.
“We struggle so greatly just to get a shovel in the ground to get
housing in the city, because construction costs are so high right now,”
says San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “The fact that the developer had found
an approach that could get housing built was a good enough signal to me
that we should get any obstacles out of the way.”
“To truly make an impact on the housing deficit in California, we need
to look to developments that serve both low-income and middle-income
residents, especially in our core urban centers near public transit,”
said Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), author of SB 35, which was
used to streamline the San Francisco project. “A solution like Starcity
can help provide critically needed housing at scale, and help cities
like San Francisco and San Jose retain our middle class families and
workforce. I am proud that this development, with a large percentage of
affordable housing, will be streamlined by SB 35.”
About Starcity
Starcity creates beautifully designed co-living communities, offering
its members a private, fully furnished bedroom, complemented by shared
kitchens and living spaces, so residents can opt-in to be a part of a
greater community while living in comfort. With community-building at
its core, Starcity works with local community stakeholders and
nonprofits to understand the neighborhood in which they offer housing,
offer volunteer and engagement opportunities to its residents, and
become a source of energy and opportunity for the neighborhoods in which
they offer housing. Starcity software makes the entire process work with
a suite of products that making living as a group efficient and
enjoyable. Leases are designed with flexible terms starting at a minimum
of 3 months, and one convenient monthly payment includes residential
utilities and shared supplies, as well as shared services like home
cleaning, with the option to add on other services like laundry or dog
walking. Designed to foster community and social interaction amongst its
members, Starcity delivers a welcoming living experience while adding as
much as three times as many units of housing to the market compared to
traditional apartment rentals.
Founded in 2016 by CEO Jon Dishotsky, Chief Investment Officer Mo
Sakrani, CTO Josh Lehman and COO Jesse Suarez, Starcity employs 60
people and has offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Contacts
Starcity
Jon Dishotsky
[email protected]
