Hitachi Submits for Rezone of 332-Acre Property

SAN JOSE, CA-Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has submitted a Planned Development Zoning application to the City of San Jose that details the proposed rezoning and uses of its 332-acre headquarters property at 5600 Cottle Rd. The company intends to retain the core of the property for the company’s operations while outer parcels would be available for development by other parties. The master plan for the site proposes a mixed-use, transit-oriented village including a range of employment, retail and housing opportunities. As proposed, the property could hold as many as 3,417 new homes and up to 460,000 sf of new retail development.The property is located adjacent to VTA Light Rail and Caltrain transit stations and near three major freeways (US 101 and state highways 85 and 82). Hitachi GST, one of the world’s top suppliers of hard disk drives used in IT applications and consumer electronic devices, has some 2,800 employees at its Cottle Road facilities engaged in development, manufacturing and administrative functions. “Due to its strategic location, the site is ideal for a true mixed-use, transit-oriented urban village—a self-sustaining neighborhood, with a strong employment base, retail opportunities and a range of housing options,” says Hitachi GST director of real estate site operations Steve McLaughlin. Hitachi says the master plan will ensure that the core site will have the capacity for more intense office, R&D, manufacturing and other employment uses, and expansion in the future, ultimately supporting building square footage that preserves the current employment capacity. The plan also includes a 30-acre linear park that runs through the site. The application follows Hitachi’s February application for a change to the city’s General Plan. The General Plan is a master document that outlines where different types of development can occur.