Coronavirus: Workers at hotel project near Google HQ test positive
A boutique hotel project being built blocks from Google’s headquarters in Mountain View has been shut down since early June after 10 construction workers tested positive for coronavirus.
The five-story Shashi Hotel project on the 1600 block of N. Shoreline Blvd. is the largest construction site in Santa Clara County to be shut down by public health and city officials.
Santa Clara County public health officials announced Friday that 13 construction sites had at least one worker testing positive for the virus. The Mountain View project had the widest exposure, with 10 workers testing positive and at least 30 potentially exposed, according to the health department.
Two sites in San Jose and one in Milpitas also had multiple workers test positive. Public health officials said developers have voluntarily reported the infections and closed work sites.
The state eased coronavirus restrictions on construction projects in early May, allowing workers to return with enhanced safety precautions. Workers are required to wear personal protective equipment, observe social distancing, and sanitize tools and construction spaces. Developers must provide sinks and sanitizers, and appoint supervisors to monitor compliance with the health orders.
The Shashi Hotel, just a few blocks from the Googleplex headquarters, was nearing completion when work was shut down around June 5, according to the city. The city council approved the North Bayshore project in 2016.
The four-star, boutique hotel adjacent to the Shoreline Amphitheatre will have 200 rooms, a restaurant, cafe and retail space, according to the Shashi website.
Mountain View chief building official Shellie Woodworth said two electricians tested positive at the site, and developer Davis Reed Construction reported the illnesses to the city and county health officials. The San Diego-based developer did not return messages seeking comment.
A developer of a multifamily housing project in Mountain View also discovered a sick worker and immediately shut down, Woodworth said. The project site was cleaned and work has resumed. Mountain View inspectors are regularly visiting work sites, and Woodworth said developers have been vigilant about posting work rules and taking temperatures of employees on site.
Woodworth said developers must prove they have hired a certified hazardous materials clean-up company and completely sanitized a site before being allowed to re-open. Cleaning crews have been sanitizing the hotel site, and workers could be allowed back as early as this week.
Mountain View has about two dozen major commercial and residential construction projects under way, according to the planning division website. The total does include the home renovations and smaller projects.
Nine other projects in the Santa Clara County reported at least one worker testing positive for the virus.