Development eyed for downtown San Bruno

With approval during the Tuesday, Oct. 23, meeting, the project would be the most recent in a series of other residential developments proposed near downtown seeking to inject new life into the city’s core commercial district.

Project architect Moshe Dinar has detailed his vision for the mixed-use project, which he claimed is aligned with the city’s larger effort to build new housing units and retail space in transit-oriented developments.

“It will revitalize that whole area of San Bruno. It will provide housing for people who would like to use public transportation, because it is right across the street from the transit center. It will make the area safer with the retail and small cafe. And it will provide 11 units of affordable housing,” he said in a previous discussion.

Ten studios, 22 one-bedroom units, 29 two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit will be spread across the building’s top four stories, ranging in size from 550 square feet to more than 2,200 square feet. The ground floor will host 7,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, to be occupied by a small eatery.

The building will include units that are for sale and rent, and 11 will be set aside at an affordable rate. Six units will be reserved for those considered low income, and five will be reserved for those with moderate incomes. Income levels are assessed according to local earning data, making a family of two earning about $84,000 low income and $92,000 moderate income, according to the developer’s proposal.

Mechanical lifts would accommodate much of the building’s parking, including 78 residential spaces and six commercial spaces. Another seven commercial spaces would be offered outside of the lift systems. Each residential unit will be offered bicycle parking, and additional bikes spots will be available for the commercial space too. The building will also feature a roof deck and gym for residents, and more open space will be established toward the rear.

City Council consideration comes about two months in the wake of the San Bruno Planning Commission unanimously recommending approval of the project. In previous discussions, officials lauded the building applicants for the amount of community support they established for the project through a comprehensive outreach campaign.

The site eyed for redevelopment is currently home to a vacant commercial building, and an opportunity to revitalize the stagnant property has been identified as a benefit by project proponents. Its prominent location at the gateway for downtown is another reason cited in the case for rebuilding the land as well, according to a city report.

“This catalytic opportunity site provides the opportunity to provide housing close to transit,” according to a city report, which also identifies surrounding properties as land holding similar promise.

In line with such a plan is completion of the former El Camino Cinema site, where Sares Regis is building a new three-story development with 83 apartments and 7,000 square feet of retail space at the corner of San Mateo and Taylor avenues on El Camino Real.

Mills Park Plaza applicant Signature Development Company also expressed interest in building a vast residential development offering 400 new apartments and 45,000 square feet of retail space spread across roughly 4.5 acres of property near City Hall at the corner of El Camino Real and San Bruno Avenue.

And officials are weighing two residential development proposals and a hotel offered to be constructed on the southern end of El Camino Real. In a previous discussion, a city official said the recent building boom marks a potential renaissance in downtown San Bruno.

The San Bruno City Council meets 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the senior center, 1555 Crystal Springs Road.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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