The Meridian

Petaluma, California

The Meridian is a community with a mix of affordable and permanent supportive housing. One hundred and thirty-one residential units, ranging from studios to 3-bedroom apartments, are strategically placed in seven buildings in order to maximize green space and create a central landscaped open space, shared by all the tenants. Isolated from the vehicular noise along the north and south edges of the site, with a full view of the site from east to west, this central landscaped feature provides a sense of community, privacy, and safety.  

Located on 5.5 acres, the Meridian has ample open green space, including a play field, a playground, a “tot lot” (for kids ages 2-12), a basketball court, community gardens, a dog walk, a basketball half-court, and outdoor barbeques, all within a network of pedestrian and bicycle friendly pathways. In addition to residential units, one building will also include offices, therapy rooms, a gym, a computer lab, and a large multipurpose room to service the supportive housing tenants. The community garden will have fruit trees as well as vegetable and herb planting beds.

Project goals include 1) a sense of safety, security, and community 2) a focus on community, with a variety of highly visible outdoor recreational spaces 3) environmentally responsible, advanced green building, including PV panels on the roofs of each building, super water efficiency, and healthy indoor living environments, and 4) a campus environment with safe walking spaces separated from vehicular traffic.

Because the site is accessible by bus—with a bus stop on North McDowell—and by train with the future SMART platform stop, the site is designated a Transit Oriented Design project. In addition to a food truck court that will be open to the public, a future commercial parcel has been reserved for the corner of North McDowell and Corona Avenue that will expand the development into a mixed-use design. The city has been working very closely with the development team to reach out to neighbors and community groups. The city will be donating a large adjacent parcel which will be designed as a future public park space.