MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - On Tuesday, May 19, 2015, the City of Mountain View celebrated the grand opening of Studio 819, a new affordable community by ROEM Corporation and Eden Housing in partnership with the City of Mountain View. The grand opening celebration was held at 819 North Rengstorff Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94043.
Studio 819 offers 49 studio workforce housing apartments, including one manager’s unit, for residents with annual incomes at or below 45% of the Santa Clara County Area Median Income. This new community provides an environmentally-responsible and amenity-rich community for its residents with quality onsite management and supportive services provided by Eden Housing. Studio 819’s contemporary architectural style pays homage to Mountain View’s modern and Craftsman heritage.
“We are proud to celebrate the grand opening of Studio 819 in Mountain View during Affordable Housing Week,” said Mayor John McAlister. “In partnering with ROEM and Eden, we have taken another big step toward our goal to improve the quantity, diversity and affordability of housing in our community.”
Studio 819 has transformed this location into a new, modern community of workforce housing. The development consists of a three-story building with 41 parking spaces on a surface parking lot and 49 bicycle parking spaces. Building amenities include a community room with a kitchen, a computer room, laundry facilities, free wireless Internet, a ground-floor courtyard with a BBQ, and a third-floor roof deck. Studio 819 also provides approximately 1,640 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. ROEM and Eden are currently in negotiations with a popular local restaurant to lease the space.
“Studio 819 provides new homes for people who would otherwise not be able to afford to live in Mountain View,” said Linda Mandolini, President, Eden Housing. “We are happy to partner with the City and its commitment to making room in its community for new neighbors. Eden is pleased to be a partner in the development of Studio 819 and to contribute our experience in its onsite management and resident services.”
This exciting $18 million development was constructed using sustainable building methods and incorporates a number of green features designed to ensure its long-term energy-efficiency and sustainability. Studio 819 is pursuing USGBC's LEED-H Platinum certification, which is generally accepted as the toughest industry standard for sustainable building design. The project will also comply with CALGreen Building Codes.
“Studio 819 is a transformational development, bringing much needed workforce housing to our area residents,” said Robert Emami, CEO & President of ROEM Development Corporation. “ROEM’s intent for Studio 819 was to develop a community that is forward thinking in its design, sustainable in its construction, and offers access to high-quality living for our working residents. By combining ROEM’s experience and a strong partnership with Eden and the City of Mountain View, Studio 819 achieves these goals.”
To develop Studio 819 as a sustainable community, high-energy efficiency features were integrated into the design of the project from the conceptual stages, according to Keith Labus, AIA, LEED AP and Principal with national architecture and planning firm KTGY Group, Inc. "To achieve this, Studio 819 is designed to exceed Title-24 standard by 22.2% by incorporating features that optimize the building’s energy performance including: efficient HVAC systems for common spaces and residential units; 100% fluorescent lighting; Energy Star appliances; insulated windows and Low-E coating; and an extensive solar photovoltaic system that offsets the building common area energy load."
To ensure that Studio 819 uses water in the most thorough manner possible, it has implemented a water-efficient irrigation system that meets the City of Mountain View’s water conservation goals. Studio 819 also incorporates water-efficient landscaping with drought tolerant planting, has a naturally filtrating storm water runoff system and uses bio-swales for storm water treatment, quality and retention. On the interior, Studio 819 utilizes low-flow plumbing fixtures to allow for a more responsible use of household water.
Additionally, Studio 819 focuses on the integration of environmentally-preferable products by using locally-sourced materials as well as recycled materials, which include recycled content carpet and/or natural flooring/linoleum. Lastly, the project was built to divert at least 75% of construction waste from landfills by recycling used materials such as wood, metal, drywall, and concrete.
Studio 819 is financed with 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits with financial support from the City of Mountain View, Wells Fargo Community Lending & Investment, and the California Community Reinvestment Corporation. The architect is KTGY Group, Inc. and the general contractor ROEM Builders, Inc.
The grand opening speakers included: Hon. John Chiang, California State Treasurer; Hon. John McAlister, Mayor of the City of Mountain View; Jeff Bennett, Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo; Kevin Zwick, CEO Housing Trust Silicon Valley; Lisa Chung, Field Representative, Office of State Senator Jerry Hill, California’s 13th Senate District; Anna Ko, Principal Field Representative, Office of Assemblyman Rich Gordon, California’s 24th Assembly District; John Gaffney, Eden Housing Board of Directors; Linda Mandolini, President, Eden Housing; Robert Emami, President, ROEM Corporation; and Derek Allen, Vice President of Operations, ROEM Corporation.