7-Story Project Proposed for East Campbell Ave

Saratoga-based E. Barbano Enterprises has submitted plans for a seven-story redevelopment at 980 E. Campbell Ave., a 2.4-acre site across from the Pruneyard shopping center in Campbell. Local reports published in May describe the proposal as a mixed-use project that would replace the closed Hick’ry Pit restaurant site with housing, hotel rooms and ground-floor commercial space. City materials show the proposal is advancing as Campbell separately updates its street design rules for the East Campbell Avenue corridor. ### Which site is being redeveloped? The project site is 980 E. Campbell Ave., at the corner of East Campbell Avenue and South Bascom Avenue, according to project coverage and published plans. The property is the former Hick’ry Pit restaurant site, a long-vacant parcel near the Pruneyard and a short distance from Los Gatos Creek. (sanjosespotlight.com) San Jose Spotlight reported that E. Barbano Enterprises submitted the preliminary proposal for the property, which it described as blighted after the restaurant’s closure during the pandemic. San Francisco YIMBY, citing detailed plans published this week, identified E. Barbano Enterprises LLC as the applicant. (sfyimby.com) ### How big is the project now? The current concept calls for a seven-story development with 324 apartments, according to San Jose Spotlight and Local News Matters. San Francisco YIMBY reported that the broader complex would be split into two structures and also include a 149-key hotel. The published plans cited by YIMBY list a residential program with nine studios, 109 one-bedroom units, 78 two-bedroom units and nine three-bedroom units. (sanjosespotlight.com) The same report said the project would include about 1,800 square feet of ground-floor retail and a three-level podium garage with 500 parking spaces, including 404 for residents and 96 for the hotel. BAR Architects & Interiors is listed as the project architect, and Guzzardo Partnership as the landscape architect, according to the published plans. YIMBY reported that the estimated construction cost and timeline had not been disclosed. ### Why does East Campbell Avenue keep coming up in this proposal? The City of Campbell is separately updating the East Campbell Avenue Plan Line, a corridor planning document that covers East Campbell Avenue from Railway Avenue to Bascom Avenue. (sfyimby.com) The city says the plan line will determine lane layouts and right-of-way needs and help guide future development along the corridor. The city’s project page says the update is based on the East Campbell Avenue Master Plan, which was intended to connect historic downtown Campbell with the Pruneyard in a more functional corridor. The city says the newer effort is meant to turn that older concept into a current multimodal design with more detailed geometric and right-of-way requirements. (campbellca.gov) An April 23 community meeting on the plan line update focused on walking and biking improvements, according to city materials. The city says the corridor faces competing demands that include on-street parking, pedestrian accommodations and automobile efficiency. ### Does the city say this project is approved? The city has not posted a Planning Commission hearing agenda item for the 980 E. (campbellca.gov) Campbell Ave. redevelopment in the materials reviewed for this story. The May 26, 2026 Planning Commission agenda includes a staff presentation on the East Campbell Avenue Plan Line Project, not a public hearing on the Barbano proposal. (campbellca.gov) Campbell’s planning process typically includes formal notice before a decision is made, according to city courtesy notice language posted for other projects. The city’s planning pages say applications are submitted through its online system and can change after initial submittal. ### What happens next? The next public milestone visible on the city calendar is the Planning Commission’s May 26, 2026 meeting at Campbell City Hall, where staff is scheduled to present the draft East Campbell Avenue Plan Line Project. (campbellca.gov) The city says the meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 70 N. First St., with options for in-person and virtual attendance. (campbellca.gov)