If you spend any time in Santa Clara in the next several months, chances are, you will hear the sounds of jackhammers and bulldozers. Chipmaker Nvidia is joining the 49ers stadium and the new Apple campus as the newest construction project in town. Building boom? You bet it is.
"Santa Clara is absolutely on fire," Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews said in front of his home Wednesday night. "And Nvidia is the best example that we have right now."
Nvidia will be demolishing existing buildings across the street from company headquarters near the corner of San Tomas Expressway and Walsh Avenue. In its place will be a brand new futuristic looking headquarters. Two new buildings, 500,000 square feet each...and 1,000 of more jobs on the way.
"With every new project coming in like Nvidia, it makes me more and more confident every day," Matthews said. "I think the best of our days are to come and I think we are not only going to restore our services but to add services back."
That's what city leaders and Santa Clara residents would love to see. More jobs attracting more people. That means more tax dollars going back to the city. In return, Matthews promises better services and balanced budgets.
"The first thing we have to do is restore the full services our Santa Clara residents have come to expect. So we have employees on furlough days right now. We would like to get down to zero furlough days so we're providing services," Matthews said.
The mayor is also excited about a new, but small, two-building Apple campus setting up shop at Stevens Creek Bulevard and Lawrence Expressway. But the crown jewel of construction is hands down the $1.2 billion 49ers stadium project and everything that comes with it.
"Santa Clara is nationally and internationally known because of the 49ers stadium and of course we're in contention for a Super Bowl bid in 2016...the 50th. So we're already getting a fair amount of attention," Matthews said.
Matthews saids housing for all the new workers will be a challenge. But he said it's a challenge he will take because the upside is just too great.
"This is a result of a lot of hard work. So even though it's all coming at once, we're happy when it comes," Matthews said.
