201 Front Street

The project at 201 Front Street in Santa Cruz proposes the demolition of an existing commercial building and the construction of an eight-story mixed-use development featuring approximately 12,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space, live/work units on the ground level, and 245 rental apartments above. The proposed building will be located within the Central Business District Subdistrict E—Lower Pacific Avenue, overlapping with the Coastal Zone Overlay and Floodplain Overlay zoning districts, and situated within the South of Laurel Area District as defined by the Downtown Plan. Multiple municipal permits are required to advance the project, including a Nonresidential Demolition Authorization Permit, Coastal Permit, Design Permit, Administrative Use Permit, Heritage Tree Removal Permit, and a request for a Downtown Density Bonus to exceed standard density allowances. The parcel’s location in sensitive coastal and floodplain zones necessitates rigorous environmental and land use review, particularly concerning compliance with coastal regulations and flood mitigation measures. The project also involves the removal of protected heritage trees, requiring specific authorization and mitigation planning. The applicant seeks a density bonus to accommodate the scale of the proposed housing component within the urban core, aligning with the city’s goals for increased density and mixed-use development in the downtown area. The lead agency is the City of Santa Cruz, with Samantha Haschert, Principal Planner, as the primary point of contact for planning and permitting inquiries.