By Town Crier Staff Report

The Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Palo Alto has announced its purchase of a 12-acre site in Palo Alto for development of a Jewish community campus. The property was previously owned by Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Once it is developed, the campus will become the new permanent home for the JCC, supporting its 30-year tradition of multigenerational services for preschoolers, school-aged children, teens, adults and seniors, and provide a town square for the South Peninsula’s Jewish community.

The site, on the corner of San Antonio Road and Charleston Avenues, will also include senior assisted living residences and offices for other Jewish community agencies.

“This is a significant milestone for the community as we seek to meet today’s needs and to lay the foundation for generations to come,” said Sam Salkin, chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Federation.

A portion of the site is being planned for multifamily residential development by BRIDGE Urban Infill Land Development.

“The combination of a community center, senior assisted living and multifamily housing is truly exciting,” said Carol Saal, president of the JCC Board of Directors.

Development is expected to take place during the next four to eight years. The existing five-story, 250,000-square-foot office building on the site will be demolished to make way for the new construction.

The Jewish Community Endowment Fund facilitated the process of acquiring the site. It will provide resources to explore options, undertake an environmental review, conduct due diligence and fund associated legal and transactional costs.