A life science building proposal at the former El Torito restaurant site in Foster City has received council approval, overturning a previous Planning Commission denial over traffic concerns and the loss of a restaurant site.
“This is an example of a win-win for everyone to create a sustainable solution and setting an example that we can focus on development and investment and that we can take care of working families and workers,” said Mayor Richa Awasthi said, lauding the partnership between all parties involved.
The proposed project at 388 Vintage Park Drive would turn the 2.2-acre site from the vacant El Torito building into a life sciences building. At the council’s Sept. 19 meeting, it approved a zoning amendment, certifying an environmental impact report and overturning the Planning Commission’s decision denying a use permit.
The Planning Commission in July rejected recommending land use approval to the council over concerns about traffic increases, the development not meeting general plan goals, and the loss of a community amenity that could be another restaurant site.
The decision led to a council appeal from applicant SteelWave and Helios Real Estate. At its Aug. 15 meeting, the council disagreed with the Planning Commission’s decision and did not view it as a future restaurant site. Instead, it supported reconsidering the applicant’s development proposal as long as it addressed issues of union pay around prevailing wages. SteelWave and Helios Real Estate have committed to fair construction practices, including a 100% prevailing wage for workers on the job, with a preference for local union labor, according to a staff report. Prevailing wages protect local labor from contractors elsewhere accepting lower wages, with the promise of a floor that wages cannot drop below. The council’s main concern at the Aug. 15 meeting was ensuring local labor unions got a prevailing wage commitment, something it felt the applicant satisfied. In a letter to the council, the applicants said it would not seek a rebate for a commercial linkage fee it is eligible for to offset the cost of the prevailing wage commitment. A commercial impact fee is a payment a developer must pay to mitigate project impacts that increase the need of affordable housing. According to the applicants, the decision could help the city by $2.8 million. The council thanked the applicants for compromising and exceeding expectations, citing it as an example of how development agreement processes should operate.
“You guys went above and beyond, and I appreciate your persistence in making it work,” Councilmember Patrick Sullivan said.
“It is important that the project create economic development in our community but just as important is to take care of our local union labor that continues to build this community,” said Councilmember Sam Hindi, thanking the applicant for its commitment.
The four-story building at around 81 feet would have three levels of office space over a level of parking at around 124,000 square feet. Half would be lab space and the other half office space, with 210 parking spots. The building is at the intersection of Vintage Park Drive and Chess Drive near the Bridgepointe Shopping Center in San Mateo. SteelWave and Helios Real Estate first applied in September 2020 for project approval. The motion passed 5-0.
(1) comment
why all this praise for a development company seeking ways to make more money this council is definitely not pro resident but pro keeping up with the jones building what each city is building. we need a change in council members who will represent a resident looking for a nice dinner restaurant This group gave it all away so where will you eat dinner i guess mc donalds suits you all so well. Bowditch cannot find another restaurant for after the show dinners. there is no more property for residents all given to computer companies the legacy of pleasing everyone else not for this town at all.
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