Group 4 collaborated with The Santa Cruz Metro District (METRO) and an affordable housing developer on a successful application for a California Transportation Agency Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grant to support a new Transit Oriented Development (TOD) on the existing METRO bus tarmac. Taking advantage of state funding as well as a comprehensive rezoning of downtown Watsonville,  the new development will incorporate a ground floor METRO transit and mobility center, tenant space, and residential amenities, with four stories of housing above. The project will position METRO for future flexibility in operations within a vibrant transit center at the southern extents of their service area while providing critically needed affordable housing for Watsonville.

Group 4’s design effort evolved from a feasibility study for the site into a comprehensive architectural project vision. Working under a tight timeline, the design team incorporated TICRP grant selection criteria into a design that balanced transit, civic, and housing needs. This integrated delivery method resulted in a successful $39M grant award. The project is currently in the pre-development phase.