Wilton Court Apartments is located in Palo Alto at the intersection of El Camino Real and Wilton Avenue, on the edge of the Ventura neighborhood, a diverse mixed-income neighborhood, home to the city’s historic African American and Japanese American communities, as well as artists and tradespeople.

In 2018, the City of Palo Alto adopted the Affordable Housing Combining District (AHCD) for sites near transit and in 2019 approved the AHCD overlay for Wilton Court Apartments, allowing for 58 affordable rental apartments for low and very-low income households with one manager’s apartment. Thirty-five percent (21 units) of the apartments are dedicated to adults with developmental disabilities, in a partnership between Alta Housing and Housing Choices, a non-profit which helps people with developmental and other disabilities to secure housing.

Organized as a simple L-shape atop the garage, the building mass steps down along Wilton Ave towards the neighborhood and shapes a generous landscaped courtyard sheltered from El Camino Real’s traffic while matching the pattern of neighborhood backyards. Trees along the podium edge provide privacy for residents and neighbors. A lighted overhead trellis and accent wall creates a cozy outdoor room featuring an all-electric barbeque. Facing El Camino Real, a ground floor residents’ community room and activity room give residents a place to gather. The ground floor also contains a community kitchen, common laundry, package storage, and management offices. Secured bicycle parking is accessed from El Camino Real as well as from the garage. There are two levels of parking, both of which are entered from the Alley to the north.

The simple massing is clad with a terracotta rain-screen system and stucco, reminiscent of the historic building techniques used along El Camino Real. The ground floor materials are a mix of board-formed concrete and a capless dark-bronze colored aluminum storefront system. Offset mullions give a lightness to the storefront while subtle angles provide visual interest and allow for additional sidewalk planters. Residential windows facing south and west are shaded with metal awnings.

In the rear of the site, a large existing tree will create a shady oasis for residents.  A new good-neighbor fence will enclose the area, which also includes a storm water management planter. To offset energy costs, the project will provide solar panels for domestic hot water heating as well as panels for electricity generation.