Twenty of 23 floors are up at The Fay by Morro, a 336-unit apartment building under construction at 600 S. First St.

Excavation work began in 2022; a crane was added to the site in November 2022; and work on the building began in February. A “topping out” ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 9 and developer Morro expects the builder, Suffolk Construction, to complete the structure by November 2024 for a January 2025 opening to tenants, said Curtis Wood, vice president of construction for Boston-based Morro.

Residents will take up 336 units on floors 3-22; the rooftop of the building will be a shared space for tenants with a gym, pool, cabanas, garden with barbecue grills and other amenities.

The Fay’s 1- and 2-bedroom apartments will be more European-style, which means smaller size-wise but with elevated amenities and surface finishes, Wood said.  Tenants will enjoy super-fast wi-fi, designer furniture, 24/7 concierge, smart TV, in-unit washer-dryer,  pet-grooming station, shared co-working spaces, and communal lounges and family-style kitchen and bar. The building is meant to encourage “community” inside and outside, Wood said, noting the owners will be supportive of encouraging tenants and the general public to take part in the in SoFA District and its activations.

Morro also seeks a “great tenant” for 5,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, Wood said.  Since 2022, Suffolk Construction has occupied the former Liquid Agency space in SoFA at  447 S. First St.

Morro made the decision to complete its application process and build in 2021 when economic conditions and borrowing rates were much different than today.

“We’re very optimistic that the building will be leased up in a very short amount of time,” Wood said.  “The building should be well-received by renters; there’s definitely a housing need in San Jose.”