SiliconX Construction was chosen for tenant improvements because of the quality of work that they’re known for. Read on for project highlights.

Highlights

•     Renovated a 3,900 sq. ft. suite to create a reception area, numerous private offices, a conference room, and break room

•     Installed pre-engineered vinyl plank flooring to create the appearance of natural hardwood, and attractive faux brick wall and counter treatments

•     Dealt with COVID-19 delays and other obstacles and worked to complete the project on budget in a timely fashion

When PCPA was looking to open a new facility in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, the practice quickly settled on the newly renovated Solar Row at Winchester building —and arranged to have the tenant improvements handled by SiliconX Construction.

Challenge

The most difficult challenge facing SiliconX in improving the almost 3,900 sq. ft. space was dealing with the local COVID-19 shutdown. Work began in early March and then had to be paused for weeks due to the pandemic. When the project resumed, SiliconX was required to comply with very stringent guidelines set forth by the county’s public health department to keep the construction site safe.

SiliconX needed to ensure that the project remained on a tight timeframe, while continually keeping both Solar Row’s owner and LifeStance/PCPA up to date.

Solution

Work started with a complete demolition of the existing interiors. SiliconX then created a comfortable reception area and numerous private offices for patient counseling — in addition to a conference room and kitchen/break room for the staff.

The flooring throughout is pre-engineered luxury vinyl plank that’s highly functional, while looking like real hardwood. The upscale design also called for a faux brick wall, as well as faux brick under the counter in the reception area.

Results

LifeStance and PCPA chose SiliconX for the tenant improvements because of the quality of work that SiliconX did in renovating the full three-story, 72,000 sq. ft. Solar Row at Winchester office complex — which is managed and leased by Borelli Investment Company. The Solar Row location was selected due to the high-quality building amenities, as well as its proximity to suburban Silicon Valley and the many technology workers and other professionals residing in the South Bay area.

Improvements were completed on budget and as dictated by the revised timeline due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 shutdown. PCPA, which is conducting all sessions via teleconsult at the present time, looks forward to taking full advantage of the inviting, upgraded space once the pandemic allows in-person patient care again.

Congratulations to our contractor SiliconX Construction who did such a great job on Solar Row. Here’s what they did for us. Visit them to see what they can do for you!

Highlights

•     Completed a comprehensive interior renovation including lobbies, hallways, restrooms, conference room, mailroom, and more

•      Oversaw a distinctive exterior facelift involving a smooth stucco finish with new trim, metal paneling, solar film windows, redesigned entry, monument signage, and drought-tolerant landscaping

•      Incorporated green features throughout the project without starting from scratch, a major accomplishment in a building of this age

•      Ensured that all work complements the City of San Jose’s plans for development along the vital Winchester Boulevard corridor

The world’s a different place from the way it was in 1974, when the three-story Golden Pacific Office Center opened its doors to the public. Often referred to as the Comerica Bank Building, the structure at 1245 South Winchester Boulevard — together with a smaller companion building next door — had languished over the decades.

Challenge

The new owners of the building wanted to create a modern, aesthetically pleasing, highly energy-efficient place to do business for companies of all sizes — with office suites of from 475 sq. ft. to 25,000 sq. ft. The nearly half-century old building posed a significant obstacle to the goal of achieving green building certification. In addition, the owners had purchased a variety of cost-effective materials from China for the renovation — including doors, frames and hardware. But many of these were not compatible with ADA codes and were slightly different sizes, so they didn’t fit the rough openings to the offices in the building.

Solution

SiliconX Construction was asked to undertake a major 21st century transformation. Interior work included:

•      Gracious lobbies with soaring ceilings, collaborative seating areas, secure electronic storefront entries, chandeliers, and new LED lighting

•      Inviting hallways featuring LED lighting with motion sensors and dimming controls, new ceilings and carpeting — plus new doors, frames and hardware for each office

•      Completely renovated and reconfigured restrooms with new wainscoting, partitions, LED lighting, hard-surface countertops, and tile floors

•      A new conference room with serving cabinetry, as well as a new mailroom, tenant signage, elevator finishes, an LED-lighted lobby directory, and Wi-Fi in common areas

Exterior improvements included:

•      A smooth stucco finish with new trim, paint, metal paneling, and solar film windows

•      A rooftop solar system supplying approximately one-third of the building’s energy needs, plus many other energy-conscious green features

•     Covered seating areas at each entrance, new monument signage, a redesigned entry from Winchester Boulevard, EV plug-in stations, and drought-tolerant landscaping

Unique 27-foot-wide “solar trees” in front of the main building — with “branch” panels that generate additional energy for the tenants’ usage — and EV plug-in stations will be installed once permitting is approved, to continue the solar theme of the project.

Results

SiliconX worked closely with San Jose-based Edwin Bruce Associates, architects AIA — as well as solar solutions provider and building tenant, SilRay, to handle the solar power installations. SiliconX also had to creatively adapt on the fly in the field, collaborating with its subcontractors to deal with issues created by the overseas doors, frames and hardware in addition to those related to shear walls that hadn’t appeared on existing drawings. This enabled SiliconX to complete its construction in a timely manner and realize budget savings for the owners.

The result is a modern, Class B office complex of 71,800 sq. ft. located at the midpoint between tech-savvy Santana Row — with its many restaurants, entertainment options and retail services — and the quaint offerings of downtown Campbell. Solar Row at Winchester is a shining example of what can be accomplished with the right combination of hard work, experience and technical know-how.

The world has changed a lot since 1974 when the three-story Golden Pacific Office Center opened its doors along Winchester Boulevard in West San Jose. Often referred to as the Comerica Bank building, the structure at 1245 So. Winchester Blvd. — complemented by a smaller companion next door — has languished over the decades.

Today, a 21st century transformation is taking place — with the interior upgrades virtually complete and the exterior renovations now underway — which will make the newly renamed Solar Row at Winchester office complex one of the most innovative in the area. Development manager, Borelli Investment Company, is creating a modern, aesthetically pleasing, highly energy-efficient place to do business for companies of all sizes — with office suites from 350 sq. ft. to 20,000 sq. ft.

Unprecedented Green Renovation

“It’s virtually unheard of to undertake a green building renovation in a structure of this age,” said Buddy Parsons, president of Borelli Investment Company. “Our solar solutions provider, SilRay, is leading the way in doing a major retrofit without tearing everything down and starting from scratch.”

Working closely with asset manager, Archers Capital, and general contractor, SiliconX Construction, Borelli is creating a solar-powered green building that will have a rooftop solar system supplying approximately one-third of the building’s energy needs, along with energy-efficient LED lighting and many other energy-conscious green features.

Complete Interior Refurbish

Work on the Solar Row at Winchester complex began with a complete interior renovation. All common areas have received much-needed upgrades:

•     Gracious lobbies — High vaulted ceilings, chandeliers and new LED lighting, collaborative seating for spontaneous get-togethers, Wi-Fi access, and electronic storefront entries as part of a sophisticated new security system

•     Inviting hallways — Vibrant LED lighting with motion sensors and dimming controls, new ceiling tiles and paint, quality carpeting, plus new 8-foot doors, frames and hardware for each of the offices

•     Comfortable restrooms — Complete renovation and reconfiguration — with new wainscoting, partitions, LED lighting, Corian counter tops, sparkling ceramic tile floors, the latest hand dryers, and access locks

•     Convenient conference room — Available to be reserved for meetings with up to ten people; outfitted with serving cabinetry, table and chairs, white board, new fixtures, and upgraded carpeting

•     Mail room for building tenants — Mail lockers, with incoming and outgoing mail

•     Signage — Full tenant signage, including an electronic directory in the lobby

•     Other amenities — There will also be new elevator finishes and Wi-Fi in all common areas

Distinctive Exterior Facelift

Plans call for Solar Row at Winchester to feature a dramatic new exterior as well, designed by San Jose-based Edwin Bruce Associates, architects AIA. This will include a smooth stucco finish with new trim, metal paneling, solar film windows, and the previously noted rooftop solar installation. At each entry, there will be covered seating, ideal for collaboration while taking advantage of the South Bay’s hospitable weather virtually year-round.

Solar solutions provider and building tenant, SilRay, which is providing the technical know-how for the leading-edge solar infrastructure on-site, will also be creating a unique solar art exhibit. Consisting of two stunning, 27-foot-wide “solar trees” with branch panels that generate additional energy for building usage, the trees will be located in front of the main building.

In addition, there will be new monument signage for tenants, a redesigned entry from Winchester Boulevard, drought-tolerant landscaping, and a host of EV plug-in stations All exterior work is expected to be completed in the coming weeks or months.

Complementing the City of San Jose’s Plans

The renovation by the new ownership group, directed by Borelli and Archers Capital, is a perfect complement for the City of San Jose’s ambitious plans to encourage redevelopment along the Winchester Boulevard corridor from Santana Row to Campbell.

“Solar Row at Winchester serves a major need for modern, Class B office space in fast-growing West San Jose,” Parsons remarked. “The transformed office complex is virtually at the midpoint between tech-savvy Santana Row — with its many restaurants, entertainment offerings and retail services — and the quaint offerings of downtown Campbell. With a generous 8/1,000 parking ratio and all of the upgrades and energy-efficient features, this should be very attractive to a variety of businesses.”

For more information about the Solar Row at Winchester office complex, contact Borelli Investment Company at (408) 453-4700.

About Archers Capital

Archers Capital is a San Jose, California-based real estate investment firm that invests, develops and manages both commercial and residential properties. Focused on the greater San Jose Bay Area, Archers manages investments and creates value in renovating and repositioning existing buildings and ground-up development. For more information, please call Michael Cheng at (650) 275-2594, or email michael@archerscapital.com. Or visit www.archerscapital.com.

About Borelli Investment Company

Borelli Investment Company is a San Jose, California-based real estate services firm that has provided property management, leasing and development services to the Silicon Valley and beyond for more than 60 years. Every member at Borelli brings a professional approach to help owners and investors achieve their goals. For more information, please contact Buddy Parsons at (408) 453-4700, Ext. 116, or email buddy@borelli.com. Or visit www.borelli.com.

About SiliconX Construction

SiliconX Construction is a full-service general contractor that provides a wide array of value-focused construction services to clients throughout Northern California. Specialties include ground-up construction, major renovations, tenant improvements, and facilities maintenance. For more information, call Tony Gonzales at (408) 418-0099, or e-mail tony@siliconxconstruction.com. Or visit siliconxconstruction.com.

Save The Date: June 13
Solar Row Grand Re-Opening
Open House 11am – 1pm

Join us for the Open House on Thursday June 13 from 11am to 1pm. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Stephanie Sonthana by June 12 if you’re planning to join us.  We look forward to seeing you!