Centennial Plaza plan is approved in San Bruno

The goal is to break ground on the project by March and conclude construction by early December, Community Services Director Travis Karlen said. 

Advocates of the project have been pursuing a community gathering space in San Bruno’s downtown for years, Councilmember Tom Hamilton said as he congratulated residents after the resolution’s passage. 

The project already has a budget of $811,469 — $500,000 of which comes from a San Bruno Community Foundation grant — and the City Council approved an additional $576,259 from the Community Facilities Impact Fee Fund. 

“It will never ever be cheaper than it is today. If we push it off for a year, it’s going to cost more than this, if we push it off for two years, it will be even more than that,” Hamilton said when responding to potential concerns about the price point. “It’s time to take action.” 

Supervisor Dave Pine is also prepared to propose a $150,000 Measure K district discretionary grant for Board of Supervisors approval, legislative aide Randy Torrijos said on his behalf during public comment. 

The City Council decided to move forward with a more extensive design vision for the space that will add festoon lighting, a trellis over the planned stage, a water filling station and decorative concrete cube bollards. The plans also include informal play areas, plantings, seating areas and a stone plaza. 

The additions raised the construction price point from a base price of $828,009 to $1,106,728, Karlen said while advocating for the design. Suarez and Munoz Construction is the firm selected for the project. 

“The bid alternates you see here are highly recommended, as they help to define the space and add purpose,” he said. “These elements would be difficult to add later, since much of the cost of the infrastructure is needed to achieve each of the alternatives.”

Aside from the total construction contract, the resolution adds a construction contingency of $115,000 and $166,000 for construction management. 

Councilmember Michael Salazar, who ultimately voted in favor of the project, questioned if there was a better use of the city’s million dollars besides the plaza. 

“Believe it or not, a million dollars is not a lot of money … that’s a sad statement, but it doesn’t buy you a lot anymore,” City Manager Alex McIntyre said in response. “Are there other parks that could benefit from that? Sure, we have a lot of parks that need investment. But this is the one in front of you right now that’s ready to go.”

Salazar said he was disappointed with the continual raising of the price point throughout the planning process, which originally began in 2019. Initial figures were somewhere near $80,000, he said, and were then raised from $150,000 to $800,000 to the million-dollar figure proposed in front of the council Feb. 13. 

“When it comes to inspiring confidence in the people that give us our money to spend on our projects, I think it’s lacking,” he said. “If it was more realistic to say this is likely gonna be a million-dollar project, I would have preferred we started the conversation that way.” 

But other councilmembers, like Marty Medina, espoused strong support for the project, which has planned goals to offer an active and flexible space for musical performances, vendor events and community gatherings and improve downtown’s public use. 

“I know this has been something a lot of our community has wanted for a very long time,” he said. “For everyone that … just wants to be able to meet a friend and sit outside in a nice setting in our downtown, it’s clear this is what’s needed.” 

Rebecca Molano, owner of One Love Cafe in downtown San Bruno, also expressed support for the project from the perspective of a local business owner and said other residents expressed similar feelings. 

“I have never felt community like I feel in San Bruno, but at the same time as a business owner, as a Latina woman, oh my God, I just said ‘what is happening to this downtown?’” she said. “I’m here to just beg for you to give the residents what they rightfully deserve. It’s so overdue and it will benefit everybody.”