printable versionSanta Clara County Planning Commission approves Munger plans
Construction crews prepare to relocate historic buildings as work on 600-bed housing complex gets under way
BY RAY DELGADO
Construction on the Munger Graduate Residences is scheduled to commence within the week now that the project has been approved by the Santa Clara County Planning Commission.
On Jan. 5, the commission unanimously approved the architectural design, site and grading plans the university presented for the 600-bed housing complex. A 15-day appeal period expired Friday without an appeal being submitted, according to Mark Bonino, a project manager with the university Department of Project Management.
When completed, in an estimated two years, the project will create a cluster of five buildings ranging in height from three to four-and-a-half stories tall that would be situated behind the Law School between Wilbur Field, Salvatierra Walk and Campus Drive East. The $125 million project was made possible by a $43.5 million gift from lawyer and businessman Charles Munger and his wife, Nancy, an alumna.
The project generated some protests by community members who were troubled about its density, height and location, prompting university officials to modify the original plan to try to alleviate some of those concerns. English Professor John Felstiner, representing Concerned Members of the Stanford Community, attended the commission meeting to voice opposition to the project's location.
Project managers plan to move forward with the first phase of the project this week, which involves the closure of a parking lot behind the Mariposa and Serra houses located along Salvatierra Walk, Bonino said. The lot will be closed so that construction crews can begin the difficult task of preparing to relocate five of the historic buildings in the vicinity: Mariposa, Serra, Owen, Griffin-Drell and Rogers houses.
Three of the houses (Mariposa, Rogers and Serra) will be relocated along a parking lot near the Bechtel International Center and the Faculty Club, while the remaining two houses will be relocated on Lane A, behind where the Mariposa House now sits, Bonino said. If all goes well, the houses should be relocated by spring break at the end of March, he said.
Crews also will begin the construction of a four-story underground parking garage that will be located underneath Wilbur Field. Construction on the field is scheduled for Feb. 1, Bonino said, and will require the closure of one lane of traffic along Campus Drive East between Cowell Lane and Arguello Way. Alvarado Row between Campus Drive East and Abbott Way will be permanently closed once construction begins on the actual residences later this spring, Bonino said. A new replacement road will be built between Stern Hall and the residences before Alvarado Row closes, he added.
A temporary parking lot for students at Stern and Wilbur halls will be created in an area between the two residences to accommodate students who will be displaced by the closure of parking lots on either side of Alvarado Row, Bonino said.