Updated August 2026: The City of Cupertino approved Modification Application #4 for The Rise on August 24, 2026, making another set of refinements to the massive redevelopment of the former Vallco Mall property.
This latest action is particularly interesting because it focuses on Blocks 1 and 2, two residential components within the first phase of The Rise.
The most important takeaway for future homebuyers is what didn't change: the modification does not change the number of homes planned for either building. Block 1 remains planned for 235 homes and Block 2 for 258 homes.
Instead, Modification #4 primarily addresses building access, parking, loading, waste management, floor-area adjustments and other design refinements as the project moves closer to future building-permit submittals.
For ongoing construction, permit and development news, follow my The Rise Cupertino Live Updates.
What Did Cupertino Approve on August 24, 2026?
On August 24, 2026, the City of Cupertino approved The Rise Modification Application #4, a Partial Plan Modification affecting Blocks 1 and 2.
The application was submitted on behalf of The Rise master developer, Vallco Property Owner, in coordination with applicant Black Pine, LLC. The City's project record identifies Black Pine, LLC c/o Hines Construction in connection with the application.
This is another implementation-stage modification rather than a new redevelopment proposal for the Vallco property.
The overall project remains The Rise at Cupertino and Town Square West, the redevelopment planned for the former Vallco Mall site near Stevens Creek Boulevard and Wolfe Road.
How Many Homes Are Planned in Blocks 1 and 2?
The residential unit counts remain unchanged under Modification #4.
- Block 1: 235 homes
- Block 2: 258 homes
- Combined: 493 homes
That's an important distinction because modifications to a development this large can sometimes be interpreted as evidence that the underlying housing program has changed.
In this case, it hasn't.
The modification refines how these buildings would function rather than changing the number of residences planned within them.
What Changed at Block 1?
One of the more significant changes at Block 1 involves residential parking.
The approved modification substantially increases the residential parking area associated with Block 1. It also introduces a new retail parking entrance from Street A.
Although parking changes aren't as visually dramatic as a new tower rendering, they can be consequential in a mixed-use development.
The Rise is being designed as a combination of residences, retail, restaurants, streets, pedestrian connections and public spaces. How residents, customers, deliveries and service vehicles enter and move through individual blocks affects how the completed neighborhood may function.
What Changed at Block 2?
Block 2 also receives additional residential parking under Modification #4.
Another notable change involves the building's back-of-house loading and waste-management area.
That function is being moved from Wolfe Frontage Road to Street 2.
This is the kind of design adjustment that becomes increasingly important as a large conceptual development progresses toward detailed building plans.
Loading, trash collection, service access, parking entrances and circulation patterns may not attract the attention that housing counts or architectural renderings receive, but they can have a meaningful effect on the day-to-day operation of a mixed-use district.
Are the Buildings Themselves Changing?
Modification #4 includes modest adjustments to residential and retail floor area along with other building refinements.
However, the underlying residential program remains substantially intact.
The modification does not represent a wholesale redesign of The Rise, nor does it establish a new residential density program for Blocks 1 and 2.
The approved density bonus, affordability requirements and overall project uses remain substantially unchanged.
Why Is Modification #4 Important?
On its own, a parking entrance or loading-area relocation might not seem particularly significant.
The larger context is what makes this modification worth following.
The Rise has been moving through increasingly detailed stages of implementation during 2026.
On July 21, the Cupertino City Council reviewed and considered Final Map Tract No. 10706 for Phase 1, along with roadway dedications, easements and a detailed Subdivision Improvement Agreement.
I reviewed those documents separately in The Rise Cupertino Phase 1 Final Map: What the City Reviewed in July 2026.
Those July documents dealt extensively with parcels, streets, easements and public infrastructure.
The August Modification #4 approval deals with another level of detail: how individual buildings within the development are refined as they move toward future permitting.
That's a very different stage from the years when the Vallco debate centered primarily on whether a redevelopment would happen at all.
Modification #4 Is Tied to Future Building Permits
One of the most useful pieces of information in the Modification #4 filing is its relationship to future permitting.
The filing describes the modification as an implementation step undertaken in anticipation of future building-permit submittals.
That doesn't mean a building permit has been issued simply because Modification #4 has been approved.
It does, however, help explain why details such as parking configuration, loading areas, access points and building floor areas are being refined now.
As The Rise moves deeper into implementation, building permits will be among the most important milestones to watch.
Does This Mean Homes at The Rise Are Going on Sale?
No.
Modification #4 is not a public sales launch.
As of this August 2026 update, the approval did not announce:
- Home prices
- Ownership floor plans
- HOA dues
- Deposit requirements
- Reservation procedures
- Sales-center opening dates
- Specific sales-release dates
Those distinctions are especially important now because interest in buying at The Rise is likely to increase as construction and permitting become more visible.
If you're interested specifically in future ownership opportunities, see my The Rise Cupertino Homes for Sale and Town Square West Waiting List.
How Does This Relate to Town Square West?
Town Square West is expected to be the first major residential and commercial phase of The Rise.
Current plans call for 1,369 homes at Town Square West:
- 393 for-sale homes
- 744 market-rate rental homes
- 232 affordable rental homes
For prospective buyers, the 393 planned for-sale homes remain one of the most important components to watch.
Cupertino has historically had limited opportunities for major new-construction homeownership projects. The addition of hundreds of residences for purchase could eventually introduce a significant new source of inventory near Apple Park and the Stevens Creek Boulevard corridor.
However, it is still too early to know exactly what those ownership opportunities will look like.
What We Still Don't Know About the For-Sale Homes
There is a natural temptation to interpret every new City approval as evidence that sales are about to begin.
We're not there yet.
Among the questions that remain unanswered are:
- What types of for-sale homes will ultimately be offered?
- What will the floor plans look like?
- What size range will be available?
- What will prices start at?
- What will HOA dues include?
- Will homes be released in phases?
- Will buyers need reservations or deposits before a sales release?
- When will a sales center open?
- When will the first ownership homes actually be available for occupancy?
I will continue tracking those questions through City documents, developer announcements and future permit activity rather than speculating about information that has not been released.
The Bigger Picture: The Rise Is Moving Deeper Into Implementation
The August approval becomes more meaningful when viewed alongside the other Rise milestones occurring in 2026.
The City approved the project's third modification on February 27, 2026.
In July, the Phase 1 Final Map process provided considerably more detail about individual development parcels, internal streets, easements, infrastructure obligations and improvements along Wolfe Road and Stevens Creek Boulevard.
Now Modification #4 refines specific elements of Blocks 1 and 2 in anticipation of future building-permit submissions.
None of those events individually means The Rise is finished—or even that every component is ready for construction.
Together, however, they show a project moving through increasingly detailed implementation steps.
What Should Cupertino Buyers Watch Next?
For people interested in eventually purchasing at The Rise, I would pay much more attention to concrete development milestones than to speculation about future prices.
The things I'll be watching include:
- Building-permit applications for Blocks 1 and 2
- Issuance of building permits
- Additional architectural or plan modifications
- Phase 1 infrastructure permits
- Road and intersection construction
- Start of vertical construction
- Additional phased Final Maps
- Announcements identifying the ownership component
- Floor plans and home configurations
- HOA information
- Sales-center or reservation announcements
- Initial pricing and release schedules
I'll add confirmed milestones to my The Rise Cupertino Live Updates page as new information becomes available.
What Could The Rise Mean for Cupertino Homebuyers?
The Rise is significant for Cupertino real estate because of its scale.
The broader approved project allows up to approximately 2,669 residential units, while Town Square West alone is planned for 1,369 homes.
For buyers who want newer construction near Apple Park, the eventual ownership component could create choices that have historically been difficult to find in Cupertino.
At the same time, buyers shouldn't evaluate future homes at The Rise in isolation.
Price, HOA costs, home size, parking, schools, construction timing and amenities will eventually need to be compared with existing Cupertino condos, townhomes and single-family homes.
For the larger housing and development picture, see my 95014 Real Estate & Development Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Rise Modification #4
What did Cupertino approve for The Rise on August 24, 2026?
The City of Cupertino approved Modification Application #4, a Partial Plan Modification affecting Blocks 1 and 2 of The Rise redevelopment at the former Vallco Mall property.
Did Modification #4 change the number of homes?
No. Block 1 remains planned for 235 homes and Block 2 remains planned for 258 homes, for a combined 493 residences.
What changed at Block 1?
The modification includes a substantial increase in the residential parking area and a new retail parking entrance from Street A, along with other building refinements.
What changed at Block 2?
Residential parking increases, and the back-of-house loading and waste-management area moves from Wolfe Frontage Road to Street 2. The modification also includes other building refinements.
Does Modification #4 mean homes are now for sale?
No. The approval did not announce home pricing, ownership floor plans, HOA dues, reservation procedures or a sales-release date.
How can I follow future homes for sale at The Rise?
Prospective buyers can follow my The Rise Cupertino Live Updates and join my The Rise Cupertino Homes for Sale and Town Square West Waiting List for future buyer information as it becomes available.
Following The Rise or Thinking About Buying in Cupertino?
The Rise and Town Square West are going to take years to fully develop, and many of the questions that matter most to buyers have not yet been answered.
I'll continue reviewing Cupertino City documents, permit activity and confirmed project announcements as the development progresses.
If you're considering a future purchase at The Rise—or want to compare those future homes with existing Cupertino condos, townhomes and single-family homes—I can help you evaluate the options as more information becomes available.
Bruce Wagg
Keller Williams Elevate
DRE #01760054
Contact Bruce about The Rise and Cupertino real estate
Source and Editorial Note
This article is based on information from the City of Cupertino's project record for The Rise Modification Application #4 and the project details reviewed for BruceWagg.com's August 2026 Rise update.
Editorial note: Project plans, construction schedules, building configurations and future sales information can change. Pricing, ownership floor plans, HOA dues, reservation procedures and specific sales-release dates had not been announced as part of the August 24, 2026 approval discussed in this article. This article will distinguish confirmed City or project information from projections and future sales speculation.
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