Latest Lifestyle Offering Provides Commute Credits

SANTA CLARA, CA—With Bay Area traffic a huge consideration in most employment decisions, an approach to quell the stress of commuting is a welcome idea in the workplace. With that in mind, one developer has plans to do that and change the way people commute to and from work in the process.

Irvine Company and Lyft have launched a private-public transportation program for tenants. Irvine Company will provide its office customers with Lyft credits to go between Caltrain, Amtrak and Santa Clara Square, the new 1.7-million-square-foot workplace community, to ease the worker commute.

Santa Clara Square commuters can use the Lyft mobile app to request rides for on-demand pick up or drop off from work to nearby Caltrain stations including Lawrence and Mountain View as well as the Great America train station in Santa Clara serving Amtrak's Capitol Corridor trains and Altamont Corridor Express/ACE trains.

“Working with the Irvine Company to encourage people to use Lyft as a first-mile last-mile connection to transit makes it easier for people to get to work,” said Gyre Renwick, head of enterprise partnerships at Lyft. “Our continued collaboration will focus on making commuting more convenient and affordable for all of Silicon Valley.”

The partnership between Lyft and Irvine Company was born out of a mutual interest in enhancing the lives of Silicon Valley residents and employees, easing regional traffic and reducing greenhouse emissions. A driver with a 20-mile commute who instead uses public transportation will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 tons per year, according to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

“When we decided to launch this program, we looked at several possible options and ultimately, we determined that Lyft was the best fit for our customers at Santa Clara Square,” Evan Schwimmer, vice president of development at Irvine Company Office Properties tells GlobeSt.com. “We are still working to finalize the details of the program with Lyft to maximize flexibility for our customers while reducing traffic and carbon footprint. For example, if a couple of employees want to maximize the benefits, they can commute with other riders via the Lyft Line option. We are already receiving positive feedback to the pilot program and we look forward to staying ahead of the curve.”

By offering access to rides on demand, the pilot program makes public transportation a more viable option for more people. Vehicle requests can be made any time without schedule restrictions.

“This innovative partnership is a game changer,” said Todd Hedrick, regional vice president, Irvine Company. “It provides our customers with an easier way to use public transportation to get to and from work. Santa Clara Square is fast becoming the region's most vibrant workplace community. With this new program, it is now also one of the most accessible.”

Currently, three office buildings at Santa Clara Square are completed and two are occupied. Five additional 220,000-square-foot buildings are under construction at the second phase, called The Campus @ Santa Clara Square. Those buildings will be completed between the end of this year and the middle of 2017. Inaugural tenants include Ericsson, Advanced Micro Devices and Cambridge Industries Group. 

In addition to the Lyft rideshare program, the campus will feature three Irvine Company signature amenities: an open-air gathering place featuring casual workspaces called The Commons, the Commons Cafe with an outdoor living room and complimentary WiFi, and a blend of fitness centers and wellness services called KINETIC.

The 100-acre mixed-use community also features the 125,000-square-foot Santa Clara Square Marketplace, which opened in July, is anchored by a 50,000-square-foot Whole Foods and includes three restaurants unique to Silicon Valley: Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Il Fornaio and Puesto.

The square's main street will add another 40,000 square feet of retail and services, and serve as the community's town center. Construction has also begun on a 1,800-home luxury apartment community. The pedestrian-friendly project includes 30 acres of open space and parks, including a Redwood park trail and links to the adjacent San Tomas Aquino Trail.

SANTA CLARA, CA—With Bay Area traffic a huge consideration in most employment decisions, an approach to quell the stress of commuting is a welcome idea in the workplace. With that in mind, one developer has plans to do that and change the way people commute to and from work in the process.

Irvine Company and Lyft have launched a private-public transportation program for tenants. Irvine Company will provide its office customers with Lyft credits to go between Caltrain, Amtrak and Santa Clara Square, the new 1.7-million-square-foot workplace community, to ease the worker commute.

Santa Clara Square commuters can use the Lyft mobile app to request rides for on-demand pick up or drop off from work to nearby Caltrain stations including Lawrence and Mountain View as well as the Great America train station in Santa Clara serving Amtrak's Capitol Corridor trains and Altamont Corridor Express/ACE trains.

“Working with the Irvine Company to encourage people to use Lyft as a first-mile last-mile connection to transit makes it easier for people to get to work,” said Gyre Renwick, head of enterprise partnerships at Lyft. “Our continued collaboration will focus on making commuting more convenient and affordable for all of Silicon Valley.”

The partnership between Lyft and Irvine Company was born out of a mutual interest in enhancing the lives of Silicon Valley residents and employees, easing regional traffic and reducing greenhouse emissions. A driver with a 20-mile commute who instead uses public transportation will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 tons per year, according to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

“When we decided to launch this program, we looked at several possible options and ultimately, we determined that Lyft was the best fit for our customers at Santa Clara Square,” Evan Schwimmer, vice president of development at Irvine Company Office Properties tells GlobeSt.com. “We are still working to finalize the details of the program with Lyft to maximize flexibility for our customers while reducing traffic and carbon footprint. For example, if a couple of employees want to maximize the benefits, they can commute with other riders via the Lyft Line option. We are already receiving positive feedback to the pilot program and we look forward to staying ahead of the curve.”

By offering access to rides on demand, the pilot program makes public transportation a more viable option for more people. Vehicle requests can be made any time without schedule restrictions.

“This innovative partnership is a game changer,” said Todd Hedrick, regional vice president, Irvine Company. “It provides our customers with an easier way to use public transportation to get to and from work. Santa Clara Square is fast becoming the region's most vibrant workplace community. With this new program, it is now also one of the most accessible.”

Currently, three office buildings at Santa Clara Square are completed and two are occupied. Five additional 220,000-square-foot buildings are under construction at the second phase, called The Campus @ Santa Clara Square. Those buildings will be completed between the end of this year and the middle of 2017. Inaugural tenants include Ericsson, Advanced Micro Devices and Cambridge Industries Group. 

In addition to the Lyft rideshare program, the campus will feature three Irvine Company signature amenities: an open-air gathering place featuring casual workspaces called The Commons, the Commons Cafe with an outdoor living room and complimentary WiFi, and a blend of fitness centers and wellness services called KINETIC.

The 100-acre mixed-use community also features the 125,000-square-foot Santa Clara Square Marketplace, which opened in July, is anchored by a 50,000-square-foot Whole Foods and includes three restaurants unique to Silicon Valley: Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Il Fornaio and Puesto.

The square's main street will add another 40,000 square feet of retail and services, and serve as the community's town center. Construction has also begun on a 1,800-home luxury apartment community. The pedestrian-friendly project includes 30 acres of open space and parks, including a Redwood park trail and links to the adjacent San Tomas Aquino Trail.