Cox, Castle & Nicholson Advises Second Harvest of Silicon Valley on Acquisition and Entitlement of New San Jose Headquarters
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (October 22, 2025)—Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, a leading full-service law firm specializing in real estate in the United States, proudly served as legal counsel to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in the acquisition and entitlement of its new 215,000-square-foot headquarters in the Alviso neighborhood of San Jose, recently commemorated with a groundbreaking ceremony.
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley — one of the largest food banks in the nation — has embarked on an ambitious and vital expansion project that will significantly increase its operational capacity to serve the growing need for food assistance across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The facility will consolidate Second Harvest's operations, which currently are spread across three locations, into a centralized, energy-efficient campus, thereby enhancing its ability to meet the rising demand for food assistance.
Cox Castle advised on both the acquisition and complex entitlement process for the new site, paving the way for the transformational project that will support Second Harvest’s critical mission for decades to come. Partner Margo Bradish led the Cox Castle team, with key support from Partners Andrew Sabey, Jake Storms, Ken Williams, Keith Walker, and Associate Tiffany Mychal. The firm's deep expertise in real estate, land use, and entitlement law was essential to securing the necessary regulatory approvals and successfully guiding this complex transaction to completion.
“It’s been a privilege to support Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in bringing this transformative project to life,” said Margo Bradish, Partner at Cox Castle. “This new headquarters will not only increase operational efficiency but also strengthen the region’s ability to respond to food insecurity with compassion and resilience. We’re proud to have played a role in advancing a mission that directly uplifts so many lives.”
The new headquarters will feature:
- 215,000-square-foot facility with increased capacity for cold and dry storage
- Larger loading dock area to speed up food distribution
- Expanded warehouse space and parking to accommodate larger volunteer groups
- Future-forward infrastructure and energy-conscious systems, including rooftop solar panels, CO₂ refrigeration, LEED certification and a high-performance building envelope to improve energy efficiency and durability.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027. Once operational, the new site will enable Second Harvest to distribute up to 160 million pounds of food annually — a 30 percent increase over current capacity — while reducing operational costs and improving response in times of crisis.
This milestone comes at a critical time: 1 in 6 residents in Silicon Valley currently rely on Second Harvest for food, with half of those served being children or seniors. The organization continues to serve nearly 500,000 people each month, many from working households unable to meet basic expenses in one of the nation’s most expensive regions.
“This new headquarters represents more than just a building — it’s a commitment to creating a more food-secure future for our community,” said Leslie Bacho, CEO of Second Harvest. “We are grateful to our partners, including Cox Castle, for helping us take this important step forward.”
With $131 million raised to date, Second Harvest is working to close the remaining $19 million funding gap for the project. Major support has come from donors including Cisco, Applied Materials Foundation, ASML, Sutter Health, and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
About Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP
Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP was founded in Los Angeles in 1968, with the goal of providing superior and comprehensive legal services to businesses, institutions, and individuals in all aspects of the real estate, finance, and construction industries. Cox Castle is now one of the largest full-service law firms specializing in real estate in the United States with more than 140 transactional and litigation attorneys in its Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Francisco offices.
The firm has substantial expertise in matters involving land and improved property acquisitions and dispositions; joint ventures; single and multifamily residential development; land use, entitlement and regulatory compliance (including coastal commission and condemnation); office, industrial, retail and mixed-use development, leasing and management; commercial lending and institutional investment; loan workouts and financial restructuring; construction; resort and hospitality; labor and employment; risk management and insurance; environmental compliance; renewable energy and natural resources; and tax and estate planning. For more information, visit www.coxcastle.com.
About Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Founded in 1974, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of the largest food banks in the nation and a trusted nonprofit leader in ending local hunger. The organization distributes nutritious food through a network of more than 400 partners at over 900 sites across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Due to the prohibitively expensive cost of living in Silicon Valley and increased prices caused by inflation, Second Harvest is serving an average of about 500,000 people every month. Second Harvest also connects people to federal nutrition programs and other food resources, and advocates for anti-hunger policies on the local, state and national levels.
