Our goal was to produce high quality housing
The project was a complex assemblage of six parcels and more than a dozen property owners, including the largest tenant, Russell’s Furniture, according to Robert Freed, CEO of SummerHill Housing Group. “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is a celebration of the collaboration between the City of Santa Clara and SummerHill Apartment Communities. Our goal was to produce high quality housing located near jobs, transportation and existing services. We are proud to put our name and reputation on the Villas community and we look forward to working with the City of Santa Clara on future opportunities,” Freed said.
Russell’s Furniture had been at that location for over 48 years and closed its doors last month. Responding to changes in the furniture business, owners Richard and Eleanor Rusnak sought to downsize but hoped to remain in Santa Clara, the Rusnaks wrote to the City Council in November 2013. The Rusnaks recently announced that they will be opening a new store in Santa Clara in November at the corner of Lafayette Street and Walsh Avenue. “The City of Santa Clara staff worked very hard in helping us remain in the city. We are very grateful and thrilled to stay in the community,” said co-owner Eleanor Rusnak.
The site is part of the City’s 2010 General Plan El Camino Focus Area, which envisioned transforming the city’s most visible and identifiable commercial corridor into a tree-lined pedestrian- and transit-oriented corridor. “A high quality project like Villas on the Boulevard helps us meet our goal of revitalizing El Camino and creating economic vitality along this key corridor in our City - and we are very excited to see its completion," stated Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews.