Developers and city officials gathered last Thursday to celebrate the groundbreaking of a 181-unit housing development at the site of the old Hyatt Rickey’s hotel on El Camino Real, near the Los Altos border.
The project comprises a range of housing, including high-density units closest to El Camino, townhomes and 11 single-family units at the back of the site facing Wilkie Way. Developers plan to begin construction on the single-family units in late April or early May.
The 16-acre Arbor Réal development will include 34 below-market-rate units and 6 acres of open space. “Arbor” in the title reflects the varieties of mature trees on the property, most of which developers said would be preserved.
Palo Alto Mayor Judy Kleinberg praised project developer D.R. Horton of Fort Worth, Texas, noting the company’s reputation for respecting community history and social responsibility.
Hyatt Rickey’s, the site of community functions, from Palo Alto Rotary Club meetings to the annual Los Altos Community Prayer Breakfast, closed its doors last June after nearly 60 years in operation.
