The Almaden Office, located along the eastern bank of the Guadalupe River in downtown San Jose, will stand approximately 280 feet tall and include a 3-level basement extending about 50 feet below the adjacent street level. When completed, the project will include 1.3 million square feet of office space, 70,000 square feet of outdoor terraces, 280,000 square feet of flex office space, and 555,000 square feet of parking. Other amenities will include a coffee shop, brewery, restaurant, childcare facility, library, athletic club, and amphitheater space.
ENGEO performed the geotechnical exploration for the project and prepared the seismic design criteria for the performance-based design structural evaluation. ENGEO successfully received approval from the city’s Peer Review committee on the geotechnical and seismic evaluations for this project.
The 3.6-acre building footprint is situated on younger alluvial soils, which include layers of varying amounts of gravel, sand, silt, and clay, typical of the Santa Clara Valley. Geotechnical concerns at the project site include consolidation of moderately compressible soils, relatively shallow groundwater and its impact on below-grade construction, proximity to the Guadalupe Riverbank, and confined aquifers located within this region of the Santa Clara Valley.
The structure will be supported by a structural mat foundation, designed to withstand estimated settlements and seismic forces. The basement excavation will likely be completed with the use of a watertight shoring system, in conjunction with internal dewatering, to mitigate groundwater complications and to reduce impacts to existing surrounding developments.
