SJSU Completes Purchase of Spartan Village on the Paseo

In fall 2025, the Spartan Village on the Paseo welcomed its second cohort of Spartan residents. Photo by Robert C. Bain.

San José State has completed the purchase of the Spartan Village on the Paseo (SVP) student housing complex located in downtown San José from Throckmorton Partners, who acquired the property in November 2023, setting in motion a groundbreaking renovation that added approximately 700 beds to SJSU’s student housing inventory.

“San José State’s purchase of the Spartan Village on the Paseo from Throckmorton Partners is the culmination of a landmark collaboration that has elevated our campus. The Throckmorton team were excellent partners to SJSU in the creation of this much needed affordable housing for our students and we have much gratitude to Throckmorton for their partnership,” said SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson. “By transforming a former hotel into vibrant, secure and affordable housing, we have invested in our community and ensured that Spartans have access to the resources and environment they need to thrive — both academically and personally.”

SJSU was granted access to $89 million in debt relief capacity as part of the state’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant (HESHG) program. That funding allowed the university to enter a lease agreement with Throckmorton Partners, which included an option to purchase after two years. That purchase has now taken place and SJSU has assumed ownership of the building.

Spartan Village on the Paseo opened to students in August 2024 after a nine-month conversion of the former Signia by Hilton Hotel south tower into residential housing. Amenities include an expansive on-site dining area and community kitchen, a fitness center, a games room, co-learning spaces and a study lounge in the “sky bridge.”

Throckmorton Partners shared this statement regarding the completion of the purchase: “The SJSU team were incredible partners to Throckmorton in this development. Rarely do we get the opportunity to work with such high-quality public partners so deeply committed to their mission.  The SJSU team was simply exceptional. Many thanks to Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson and her team for all their support along the way.”

In November 2023, SJSU reached a lease-to-purchase agreement with Throckmorton to begin the conversion, setting in motion a nationally innovative approach to rapidly addressing the housing crisis experienced by students in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.

Hundreds of student residents live within a seven-minute walk to campus along downtown’s core pedestrian boulevard the Paseo de San Antonio. The addition of these new residents has translated to increased foot traffic and patrons for small businesses in the area, aiding in the city’s ongoing transformation efforts of retail space, bringing intellectual and cultural change to downtown businesses, restaurants and cultural institutions.