Costco already sells everything else in bulk, why not add apartments to the list and help out with our housing crisis? That is exactly what they are doing in LA (Baldwin Village/Crenshaw area in South LA).
The new concept combines a 185,000 SQFT Costco Wholesale store with 800 residential units, 184 of which are set aside for low-income renters. The units are all contained in a five-story mid-rise building on top of the Costco along with amenities like a basketball court, lounge areas, and multiple courtyards. To make it as affordable as possible, the apartments are on the smaller side and are mostly prefabricated and installed in modules like Legos.
The parking for both the Costco and the residential units are all underground across multiple levels. In fact, they will dig almost as deep as the building is tall. The project also happens to be close to transit, although that might not be the best option if you are purchasing bulk items.
What is relevant for San Jose is they plan to roll out this concept outside of LA in the near future. San Joseans love their Costco's and we are about to get our first one with parking on the roof so that it can fit in a more urban area (West San Jose). So the question is, would this mixed-use concept make sense in San Jose? It could be a relatively quick way to add large amounts of housing by remodeling existing locations or as part of future Costco projects in Silicon Valley.
