A life science building proposal at the former El Torito site in Foster City is back on track after the City Council directed staff to bring back a resolution approval for consideration at its next meeting.
The Planning Commission, in July, had previously rejected recommending land use approval to the council over concerns about traffic increases, not meeting general plan goals, and the loss of a community amenity, leading to an appeal from applicant SteelWave and Helios Real Estate to the council.
At its Aug. 15 meeting, a council majority pushed back against the Planning Commission decision in support of the project, provided it address issues of union pay. It argued the applicant had completed due diligence and most city requests around concerns and would be a good site for the growing field of life sciences. Instead, the council asked the applicant and union workers to work out differences around jobs and prevailing wages for workers and directed staff to bring a motion for approval consideration and discussion at its next meeting.
The issue around prevailing wages remains a key focus, with prevailing wages protecting local labor markets from contractors from elsewhere and creates a floor that wages cannot drop below to restrict labor exploitation.
Several local union contractors have spoken about the lack of local union work and asked for project denial. At the meeting, the applicant said it would work with union representatives on a prevailing wage compromise, relieving councilmembers who did not make it a requirement.
“We are so close, and I would love to see this project move forward,” Councilmember Sam Hindi said.
“I would like to see a conversation between the local unions and developers and a good faith effort. Prevailing wages were a big issue for us as well as union jobs,” Councilmember Sanjay Gehani said.
The 388 Vintage Park Drive project would turn the 2.2 acre site from the vacant El Torito building into a life sciences building. The four-story building would have three levels of office space over a level of parking and be approximately 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 and Chess drives near the Bridgepointe shopping center in San Mateo.
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SteelWave and Helios Real Estate first applied in September 2020. Hindi wanted to see the city move forward and embrace the value of life science businesses but encouraged the applicant to meet with the unions to reach a compromise.
“I think this project fits extremely well where it is located and with the ecosystem of Foster City,” Hindi said. “We should be strengthening the city’s identity as a life science and biotech hub.”
The council felt a potential restaurant at the site to go along with the life sciences building was unfeasible, as was a housing site. Several councilmembers cited the high failure rate of restaurants and the lack of parking and interest in the area. City staff has received little interest in the site since El Torito closed in 2018.
Some Planning Commissioners had suggested a mixed-use site with a restaurant or housing to add some community benefit amid a loss of a restaurant site. The applicant had said a mixed-use site was not financially viable due to site size and soil conditions.
“Even though I would enjoy having a nice high-end restaurant, the reality is it’s not going to happen at that location,” Councilmember Patrick Sullivan said.
The council did not approve or deny the project but set the groundwork to consider conditions for approval.
I am reminded of the decision the past council took to sell the last 15 acres of land to the PJCC eliminating the possibility of a high school in F.C.. one councilmember Bronitsky told the council he approved of this sale talking them into approving.the PJCC deal. This future approval seems to be the mantra of every city build a life science building like the rest., so now we face the possibility of future chemical danger to the residents. This council seems to not consider the residents need for a restaurant as they want to seem to want a legacy they will never have as their decisions leave much doubt in their decisions rendering just what they want and not the citizens The future we can bring visitors to this building and never be able to show them our educational facilities, as the PJCC school president was a coundilmember. a conflict of interest then and possibility now with this council. a legacy of a lab will be their fate such a bad decision. congratulations on doing nothing.about the cigarettes and the restaurant need here. i loved the Bowditch Bye Bye Birdie cast party at Toritos that;s what we now need for our legacy as far as this council a legacy oif nothing is their legacy.
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(1) comment
I am reminded of the decision the past council took to sell the last 15 acres of land to the PJCC eliminating the possibility of a high school in F.C.. one councilmember Bronitsky told the council he approved of this sale talking them into approving.the PJCC deal. This future approval seems to be the mantra of every city build a life science building like the rest., so now we face the possibility of future chemical danger to the residents. This council seems to not consider the residents need for a restaurant as they want to seem to want a legacy they will never have as their decisions leave much doubt in their decisions rendering just what they want and not the citizens The future we can bring visitors to this building and never be able to show them our educational facilities, as the PJCC school president was a coundilmember. a conflict of interest then and possibility now with this council. a legacy of a lab will be their fate such a bad decision. congratulations on doing nothing.about the cigarettes and the restaurant need here. i loved the Bowditch Bye Bye Birdie cast party at Toritos that;s what we now need for our legacy as far as this council a legacy oif nothing is their legacy.
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