Construction is under way for the Los Gatos high school that is expanding into 2 historic buildings in Downtown San Jose. For the next 25 years, Hillbrook School, an 87-year-old private school, will be leasing the Moir Building and the San Jose Armory located at 227 N Frist Street and 240 N Second Street respectively. The move is touted to bring life and investment to downtown!
Hillbrook’s head of school, Mark Silver, said that an urban location works for a school committed to diversity, social impact, and real-world learning.
“We were really committed to being in downtown San Jose,” Silver told San José Spotlight. “We felt that was critical for the type of program that we want to offer.”
Silver’s vision is for students to partner on social issues with local nonprofits, San Jose State University, and businesses to create an educational experience incorporating social impact and entrepreneurship.
Many experts say that, as a city, San Jose is on the verge of a positive transformation with projects like Google’s promised Diridon West campus. Hillbrook is intent on being a part of the transformative future by revitalizing two significant downtown city landmarks.
The San Jose Armory will be used by the school for athletics, activities, and theater. The first freshman class begun in fall 2023 at Hillbrook Upper School. Meanwhile, the Moir building with construction already underway, will require some retrofitting and will therefore take closer to two years before it is ready for occupancy. The goal looks to be on track to have the school fully functioning at an enrollment of 300 students within 4 years as of its announcement in 2022.
For the full article from the San Jose Spotlight, click here!
