Burlingame sees new neighborhood with mixed-use development, street redesign in North Rollins area

Another 320-unit complex at 30 Ingold Road is beginning construction, and a fourth 395-unit complex at 1755 Rollins Road is in the development pipeline, bringing the city to 1,400 units of new housing that are either fully constructed or in development. 

Now, the city is looking to the future of the area, which is also home to a nearby industrial sector, beginning with a plan to revamp Rollins Road. The $3.9 million project will have class 4 protected bike lanes, on-street parking and traffic lanes in both directions, with a turning lane in the middle. 

“What do we need to do next to encourage this to feel like a neighborhood?” Mayor Michael Brownrigg said. 

Commercial and mixed-use development like grocery stores, nail salons and dry cleaners will come naturally to the area as business owners see the influx of residents, Zayer assured councilmembers. She said it would be prudent for Burlingame to hold off on new major residential developments and allow the existing ones to be leased while they monitor the area’s growth. 

“Before you know it, you're going to start to see, it’s going to start to feel different,” she said. 

Elaine Breeze, development vice president at SummerHill — the developer on several of the new North Rollins apartment complexes — said that the group has prioritized including open space and opportunity for commercial businesses at their properties. The growing walkability of the area will be another benefit, she said, echoing Zayer’s sentiments that mixed-use growth will come to the area on its own. 

“It will happen organically,” Breeze said. 

There’s a real possibility of rising rents for businesses in the more industrial area, Councilmember Donna Colson warned, and said the city should make efforts to keep that space tenable for those renters. 

“I think this is going to be wonky for a while, and I do think there will probably be some businesses that will be squeezed out,” she said. “I think it’s really important … we keep that industrial area industrial and not allow residential to not encroach upon it too much.” 

Ultimately, the city is excited to see residential growth as planned around North Rollins and will do whatever it can to incentivize the “neighborhood” feel that will develop over time, Brownrigg said. 

“Whether it’s from our private sector friends or staff, if there's any way the council can put out more incentives, sweeteners for development of the neighborhood, that would be great,” he said.