Each unit has it’s own gas fueled hydronic heating and air conditioning system with all gas, “energy star” appliances. Flooring is linoleum in the kitchen and bathrooms and recycled content “Interface” carpet squares in the living room and bedrooms. Cabinets are “medite” with no-VOC, water-based varnish finish.

The Community Building includes a large lounge, computer room, restrooms and the manager’s office which is furnished with “Baltix” wheatboard furniture.

Resident services include: free “Eco Passes” for all tenants [for county-wide buses and light rail], an after-school homework club facilitated by MACSA [Mexican American Cultural Services Agency] and a savings club sponsored by CitiBank.

Casa Feliz is the recipient of a USGBC LEED NC Gold certification. Rob Quiqley Architects, FAIA, is the award-winning, nationally-recognized architectural firm, that designed this building.

• On-site supportive services provider serving special-needs residents
• On-site manager and maintenance person
• Exceeding energy-efficiency requirements by 12%
• Energy-efficient windows and extensive use of green building materials
• Laundry facility
• Community room
• Lounge and computer lab with Internet access
• “Green living” roof
• Eco Passes for all residents for free public transportation
• Adjacent to bus line

Housing Choices Coalition (HCC) provides Resident Services Coordination to Casa Feliz residents with developmental disabilities, and facilitates communication between these residents and property management, providing one point of contact for the purposes of continuity and comprehensive communication. This includes a comprehensive marketing and screening process to ensure that appropriate services are in place before a client signs a lease. HCC works with these special needs residents to create a sense of community and to encourage a support network among their neighbors and friends.

The common areas include a Waiting Lounge, Reading Room, Vending Room with Support Kitchen, Second Floor Commons (with unit kitchen), and a Media Room with DSL computer stations. The architectural design employs a three-story entrance pavilion as the main focal point in the complex. This element houses most of the common and support facilities. Two residential wings radiate from this pavilion paralleling their respective street frontages thus creating a well-protected interior courtyard.

The Courtyard provides areas for outdoor gardening activities including individual planting beds, a central plaza with a small fountain, and a trellis and lawn area for groups.

Curtner Studios provides 179 urban suites tailored to single occupancy at 701 Curtner Avenue between Guadalupe Parkway and Almaden Expressway. Curtner Studios is located near retail, restaurants, commercial services, churches, a supermarket, pharmacy, schools, a public library, parks and a medical facility.

Multiple public transportation options are within a couple blocks of the site. The Curtner Light Rail Station and a Park and Ride facility are less than a tenth of a mile away, and the nearest bus stop is located immediately in front of the building. The typical air-conditioned 207SF studio has a simple efficient layout containing a private bathroom and kitchenette with microwave, small refrigerator and garbage disposal.

The common areas include a waiting lounge, computer center, exercise room, vending area, laundry facilities, and a reception/office area. This level also provides access to an outdoor deck.

Over 45% of Paseo residents work in the area. All residents receive free “Eco Passes” for County-wide buses and light rail. Local Planning regulations required a .5 parking ratio or 49 parking spaces for the 98 units.

Each unit has a kitchenette, built-in storage and closets, a certified maple bed and a complete bathroom. The units range from 285SF to 310SF and have individual heating and air conditioning controls. The floors are recycled content carpet with linoleum in the bathroom and kitchen. The kitchen cabinets and built in shelving are made from non-urea formaldehyde “medite” and finished with a three coat no-VOC, water based lacquer. These “green” amenities ensure a higher level of indoor air quality.

Amenities include: an outdoor courtyard, computer room, vending room, laundry room, first floor lounge and small gym. Hallways have fully glazed end walls allowing natural daylight to flood the hallways.

Paseo Studios has been recognized with AIA Santa Clara Valley Chapter Merit Award for architectural design as well as a Gold Nugget Merit Award 2004 for Sustainable/Green Project of the year and the 2004 “Excellence in Design” Runner-up award from the Environmental Design + Construction Magazine.

Gish Apartments is the recipient of the LEED for Homes GOLD certification and the LEED NC GOLD certification. Gish Apartments won the citation for excellence in architectural design from the American Institute of Architects, East Bay.

Gish Apartments includes:

• On-Site Manager & Maintenance Staff
• Laundry facility
• Community Room/Lounge with kitchenette
• Computer lab
• Play structure
• Picnic tables and benches
• Each unit wired for internet access
• “Green,” non-toxic interior finishes and materials
• Energy Star

The townhouses are arranged in 4-plexes and 5-plexes around a central spine that includes: two play structures, a solar heated swimming pool and solar heated shower and a recreation building. The recreation building includes: a large lobby, a kitchen room, a computer lounge, an interview room and the manager’s office. The manager’s office is furnished with “Baltix” wheatboard furniture.

Photovoltaic panels on the carports and recreation building supplies 95% of the common area/recreation building’s electricity. The development exceeds California’s Title 24 Energy Requirements by 25%.

Each townhouse unit has a private, fenced back yard. Heating and air-conditioning is provided by a gas-fueled, hydronic system. All carpeting is 78% or greater recycled content and all appliances are gas, “energy-star” appliances.

Resident services include: free “Eco passes” for transit to all residents; an after-school homework club facilitated by MACSA and a savings club sponsored by CitiBank.

At 3,034 square feet, the Clubhouse serves as a leasing and management office as well as the projects’ community and recreation center. The Clubhouse includes many amenities, such as a lounge with fireplace, video room with adjacent kitchen, restrooms with showers and offices for a Resident Services Coordinator and a leasing/management wing. Outside amenities include a 50-foot pool with ample sitting area and an arcade on two sides, which provides additional outdoor activity areas and also promotes a sense of enclosure and security.

All of the residential buildings are four stories with three of the buildings having a fully secured, single level, below grade podium parking garage. The site has 456 parking spaces with 102 spaces in the three garages. There are 12 one-bedroom units at 600 square feet. The two-bedroom units total 150 and range from 849 to 857 square feet. The remaining units are all three bedrooms, 84 units total, ranging from 1,104 to 1,400 square feet.

Building exteriors are wood horizontal siding and cedar shingles. There are wood decks, wood brackets and trellises, canvas awnings and other trim components to add color, articulation and richness to the buildings. The living rooms on the upper floors have raised ceilings with pyramid shaped roofs covered in painted metal roofing.

All of the buildings are further articulated with vertical planes of color. The Clubhouse has EIFS cladding, which is intended to complement the design of the residential buildings in order to achieve diversity and sense of hierarchy within the project. The smooth white walls of the Clubhouse add an additional element, distinguishing the unique role of this building within the community. At the same time, common themes (wood brackets, accent colors, metal roofing, pyramid roofed tower) are introduced to ensure a level of continuity.

Los Esteros was recognized with the “1985 Builder’s Choice Grand Award”, featured in the October, 1995 issue of Builder Magazine, and included in the January, 1996 issue of Architectural Record. In 1997, Los Esteros also received an “Honor Award” from the AIA/Santa Clara Valley Chapter.

Fisher Friedman, AIA is the award-winning architectural firm responsible for the design of the development. The building includes 1,250 SF of retail space on El Camino Real. Villa Montgomery was awarded LEED NC Gold certification by the USGBC.

Residential Transit Pass Program – R-Pass

FCH has initiated a pilot residential pass program, the “R-Pass” with the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) which provides residents of Villa Montgomery free annual bus transit throughout San Mateo County. FCH is proud that we had a part in creating this important program for our residents.