Downtown San Mateo development moving ahead

Not far from Kiku Crossing are plans to demolish two whole city blocks to make way for two developments from developer Windy Hill Property Ventures, Block 21 and Block 20. Block 21 will develop a six-story mixed-use residential building of 111 housing units on the block of East Third Avenue, South Delaware Street, East Fourth Avenue and South Claremont Street. The building is 74 feet tall, with 180,000 square feet for office use and two stories of underground parking with 402 spaces. The City Council approved the project in June, calling it a way to enhance downtown and make a better walking environment for people who live in the central neighborhood.

The Downtown San Mateo Caltrain station is a quarter mile north of the site. Block 20 is next to the Block 21 development and calls for the demolition of the entire block, including the San Mateo Japanese American Community Center, Safari Kid-San Mateo, Taco Bell, and a gas station site. The six-story mixed-use building is proposed with 143,000 square feet of office space and 86 residential units. Windy Hill is working with the Japanese-American Community Center and Safari Kid-San Mateo on finding new accommodations. Block 20 is in the pre-application stage. Windy Hill has also submitted an application a couple of blocks away at 435 E. Third Ave., at the northwest corner of East Third Avenue and South Claremont Street. The site holds a Swift Auto Repair and is adjacent to Takahashi Market and other restaurants. It calls for a five-story mixed-use building and five residential units on the fifth floor.

The South B Street area running through downtown has several developments under review, including demolishing the Draeger’s Market at 222 E. Fourth Ave. However, the five-story mixed-use building would likely include a rebuilt Draeger’s at the site, albeit going from 60,000 square feet to 17,000. Developer Lane Partners said it would have 10 low-income residential apartment units, 104,000 square feet of office use, and 221 parking spaces through two levels of underground parking and one ground floor.

The Planning Commission voted at its Nov. 17 meeting to approve the project, although there were serious concerns the site should have more housing units. The City Council has a meeting on the development proposal Dec. 1. Across the street is a pre-application submittal for the former Talbot’s site at 401-445 S. B St. that would encompass the entire block.

The project, called Bespoke, proposes 60 affordable housing units on city-owned land at the site, with more than 160,000 square feet of retail and office use on the remaining private property in a separate building. The city provided the land for the 74-foot building through a long-term ground lease and $2 million in funding. The public-private partnership is between the city and developers at Harvest Properties, Prometheus and Alta Housing. During an October study session, the Planning Commission reviewed the project and asked for more housing to help reinvigorate the block.

Further north on B Street, construction is underway at the former Trag’s Market, with a mixed-use building reaching five stories in height. Over 60 units are proposed, with commercial use on the first floor and office use above. The project at 303 Baldwin Ave. was approved in 2019, and construction will last until the middle of 2023. Not far from Trag’s, a project that would demolish Donut Delite and China Bee restaurant got Planning Commission approval in May. The site from 31 to 57 S. B St. would become a four-story building for office and retail, but no housing. The future of Donut Delite and China Bee is uncertain, but developer DTSM Donut Delite Ventures has said it is open to keeping the businesses at the site.

In the heart of downtown, a 2019 approval has led to the demolition of a former frame store for an office building at the corner of 180 E. Third Ave. It will become a 17,187 square-foot three-story mixed-use building with one basement level. At Draper University, a pre-application to change the top three floors to office use and install a new elevator remains dormant. The Planning Commission has been against elevator changes given the building’s historical nature as the former Benjamin Franklin Hotel until 2003, and the plan has not been updated in a couple of years.

People can go to cityofsanmateo.org/1176/Whats-Happening-in-Development to learn more about developments in the city.