Century Towers

Century Towers is a high-rise apartment community located by San Jose’s Metro/Airport VTA light rail station. At the time of its construction, the development’s two 12-story towers were the tallest residential buildings in North San Jose. Kier + Wright provided civil engineering and land surveying services for the planning and construction of the transit-oriented development.

The 2.4-acre development includes an above-grade parking garage, a podium at the third level, and two above-podium high-rise apartment buildings. The towers include a total of 376 apartment units, tenant amenity spaces and a small retail component.

The site is located within a FEMA AO flood hazard zone. Kier + Wright completed detailed hydraulic analysis to determine flood depths at the site and coordinated with the City of San Jose to establish a flood elevation for the project.

Given the near-maximum site coverage and the project’s flood elevation, providing for the high-density development’s utility infrastructure and pedestrian access needs required careful site utility placement and creative design of walkways and ramps. To protect PG&E transformer vaults from possible flood waters, Kier + Wright designed custom planters that house utility vaults above the underground water table. Kier + Wright’s scope also included design of an elevated walkway, accessible by stairs on North First Street and by a wheelchair ramp on Century Center Court, that wraps along the perimeter of the northwesterly corner of the site.

Additional services provided during the project include zoning support, preparation of a parcel map for street dedication, stormwater treatment design, coordination with the FAA for flight path clearance, and design of off-site frontage improvements on North First Street and on Century Center Court.