Finally, a new Safeway coming to South San Francisco

“This is one of the most exciting developments I’ve been associated with since coming to South San Francisco. And I know that will sound strange because it’s a Safeway shopping center but given the amount of community drama surrounding this site and its prominence, it’s a huge relief to have this vacant parcel moving forward and contributing to the streetscape of South San Francisco,” City Manager Mike Futrell said.

The city had gone through various plans to revitalize the site and the City Council had approved a new Safeway store in 2016. The vacant site was a huge topic of conversation in the community as it is a very prominent corner in South San Francisco. Many residents had asked the City Council through meetings and emails what was being done for development, he said.

The previous owner attempted to redevelop the site and have a plan approved through the City Council for a Safeway, residential areas and shops, however, due to the high cost of construction, he could never put together the financing to make it work, Futrell said.

“The escalation in construction costs is a real barrier to building anything, be it a Safeway or affordable housing or anything else,” he said.

Negotiations are currently taking place and other parts of the site may possibly include more retail, restaurants and a gym.

The applicants are proposing improvements to the site layout and building appearance, and these revisions will be reviewed by the Design Review Board and Planning Commission. The Safeway store and associated retail areas will cover approximately 3 acres of the 14-acre site. Other uses for the remainder of the property are in the conceptual planning and will be reviewed by the city.

julia@smdailyjournal.com

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