330 Distel Circle delivers the first 100% affordable housing project in Los Altos. The design is innovative while being grounded in the rich architectural language and quality, detail, and pedestrian experience of Los Altos. Quaint yet current, the innovative design meets parking and residential needs for today through four design concepts that provide an inclusionary ad healthy community – construction innovation via mass timber, vertical parking solutions, construction flexibility, and sustainability. Mass timber offers renewable resources, reduced carbon footprint, quicker construction, and a potentially less disruptive construction process for neighbors while also delivering a natural wood aesthetic. Vertical parking solutions provide flexibility to convert to units in the future if parking demand decreases. Modular or site-built construction techniques combine to provide flexibility and adaptability in design and productivity. Building sustainable features include solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, water, and energy-saving features, construction material efficiencies, a bike storage and repair station, and electric vehicle charging. Sustainable landscape elements include native plants, stormwater mitigation, an on-site garden, and water-saving features. The building’s frontage is urban, with most of the building mass along the main street. The courtyard is positioned in a safe location for residents while also tucked away from the surrounding buildings. The site is conveniently located near the Sutter Health-affiliated Palo Alto Medical Foundation and within safe walking distance to bus lines, the VTA, commercial, service, and recreational amenities along the El Camino corridor.
