Sunnybrae resident Nathan Nunes discusses the impact of a 935-unit development proposed for a 14.5-acre site near the Hayward Park Caltrain station with Mike Hawkins, a representative of the project.
Concerns about how a 935-unit residential development will affect traffic and parking near the juncture of Highway 101 and State Route 92 were met with support for the bump it’s expected to bring to San Mateo’s housing stock at a neighborhood meeting about project plans Wednesday.
Rendering of the proposed Passage at San Mateo, where initial plans suggest redevelopment of the Concar Shopping Center.
Courtesy of California Coastal Properties, MVE Architects
With many lining up to weigh in on a mixed-use transit-oriented development called the Passage at San Mateo, residents filled a conference room at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel to provide input on the project proposed for the 14.5-acre site near the Hayward Park Caltrain station.
Though Dan Young and Brian Myers, partners with the developer California Coastal Properties, said they had presented the project some 30 times already, they noted Wednesday’s meeting was the first time it was presented to the community at large.
A bird’s-eye view of the proposed site layout shows the 14.5-acre site near the intersection of State Route 92 and Highway 101.
Courtesy of California Coastal Properties, MVE Architects
Having submitted a pre-application for the project — which includes 35,000 square feet of retail space, a new Trader Joe’s, a transit hub, art gallery, dining hall and 1-acre park — late last year, Young said the developer is hoping to introduce the project to the community without the pressure of a vote, noting the Planning Commission’s review of the pre-application March 27 and hopes to submit a final application before the end of summer.
“It’s an opportunity to get your first reaction,” said Young. “Some of you have a few detailed reactions, some have global reactions … the whole idea is to use this time we have in the preliminary planning to hear what that is.”
Though concerns from neighbors of the project ranged from its impact on nearby schools to the loss of stores like Rite Aid and TJ Maxx at the shopping center the project will replace, its impact on traffic caught the attention of many in attendance. In response to the developer’s projections the mixed-use project could reduce the number of average daily trips in and out of the existing retail center by more than 3,000, residents like Nathan Nunes wondered if nearby developments have been thoroughly considered in estimating the project’s impact.
Of particular concern to the Sunnybrae resident was the 12-acre Station Park Green project, which will add 599 housing units, 2 acres of parks and open space, as well as 25,000 square feet of commercial space and 10,000 square feet of office space. The intersection of Concar Drive and Delaware Street is already undergoing rapid transformation with the new 275,000-square-foot Hines office complex recently completed and plans to replace the AAA office building at 1650 S. Delaware St. and construct a new four-story 73-unit apartment building under review.
Renderings of the proposed Passage at San Mateo, where initial plans suggest redevelopment of the Concar Shopping Center into housing and retail space near the Hayward Park Caltrain station.
Courtesy of California Coastal Properties, MVE Architects
“To me, that’s not realistic, it doesn’t make sense,” said Nunes, regarding the developer’s claims adding 935 residences are not expected increase congestion from its current state. Though Nunes acknowledged development should occur on the site, he questioned whether the project could be shaped to take into account the changing nature of the neighborhood.
“I think development should sort of mimic where we’re at,” he said.
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By replacing retail uses with a mixed-use development and giving those working at the some 5,000 jobs within walking distance of the site a chance to find a home near their offices, Myers said the project is expected to reduce the number of trips to the site.
For resident Andy Curtis, who lives on Eleanor Drive just north of the site, the project’s potential to boost the city’s housing stock by nearly 1,000 units was encouraging at a time when Bay Area residents face a rising cost of living and constrained housing market, adding that a facelift to the aging shopping center was a long time in coming.
“I think this is a great improvement over what is there now,” he said. “I’m glad to see people doing something different.”
Curtis wondered if the developer could create more than the 73 affordable units planned for the project, and also if the developer could consider reducing the number of parking spaces to discourage residents from owning cars. Though Myers and Young acknowledged the need for affordable units, they said they would study the financial implications of adjusting the number and level of affordability for those units as they develop a final application.
Despite the developer’s assurances current demand and expected future use of cars would be considered in the calculation of the number of parking spots included, residents of the 19th Avenue Park and Sunnybrae neighborhoods worried it wouldn’t provide enough parking, sending residents and visitors into their neighborhoods in search of spots.
Though Trader Joe’s and 7-Eleven are expected to remain part of the plans, some residents took issue with the placement of Trader Joe’s in the southwest corner of the site, where entrances and exits could interfere with traffic from State Route 92.
Myers and Young said a park near the center of the site and a dining hall planned for the corner of Concar Drive and Delaware Street are meant to invite residents from surrounding neighborhoods into the community, but some were not convinced those retail uses would serve the community as well as the existing shopping center has.
Expressing appreciation for the opportunity to weigh in on the project, one Sunnybrae resident said she was concerned about where neighbors of the project will go to run errands once the shopping center is gone and whether they would feel welcome to walk onto the site with three-story buildings lining the Concar Drive frontage with the rest up to five stories.
“It’s important to consider the services of the community, not just the one that you’re building for,” she said.
Concar Passage is close to a Caltrain station and replaces a big ugly strip mall. It is the perfect place to add desperately needed housing. I attended this meeting and was amused by the usual comments by local NIMBYs who don't want anything to ever change. One woman, was even outraged that the swimming pool would only be open to residents of Concar Passage. This is private property, and the developer is entitled to make a profit. They aren't building a community center for the people who happen to live in one nearby neighborhood.
I agree with Mr. Nunes thoughts that this shopping center needs something new put in this location, but I completely disagree with what is being proposed. I monstrous 935 housing complex right across the street from 599 new units that aren't complete or occupied yet. And let us not forget the additional 73 units proposed where the AAA building currently stands. All of this on top of 2 large office buildings - only one of which is currently occupied. This area is a mess!
And, the city wants to figure out how to build even more housing in this area right behind the Arco station where the "corporation yard" currently sits. And then there is the CalTrain parking lot where CalTrain is thinking about adding another 150 units over the parking garage.
And we are being told lies that the traffic will all decrease because of this. None of these developers live in our neighborhood and have any idea what is real. For them, it's all about "traffic studies" and those all seem to be done by one company; Hexagon.
I'd really appreciate someone digging into how Hexagon is making these determinations, because I'm willing to bet they are not basing this on current traffic patterns specific to Delaware and Concar and 92 and 101.
When will the madness end? Mayor, City Council Members, Planning Commissioners, PLEASE HELP!
I find it curious the Yimby conviction that building market-rate housing will generate ample housing for people who can’t get into the market....There’s this love of growth, as if economic growth were now the Holy Grail in the Bay Area, where political policies have sought to attract tech firms and their workers – without accounting for where they will live....
Market-rate housing not only doesn’t solve the problem.....look around, affordable housing on balance has gotten worse, not better, as the real estate market has boomed in the Bay Area.....
Manhattan is 400% denser than San Francisco but it’s still not a cheap place to live.....
So if the ‘market rate’ for newly developed units is substantially higher than the median cost of existing units (look at the prices in Bay Meadows), then building more market-rate units will make existing median rents go up, not down....and that will be the inevitable result of this Concar Passage development...Final note...the headline for this article is somewhat misleading...
Vincent: Housing is expensive in our area because of the imbalance between housing and jobs. If there were a lot fewer jobs there would already be enough housing. If you are against housing you first need to oppose the construction of office buildings. It is now too late for that. We need a lot more housing to achieve a balance.
Again Tom, please stop with the straw man argument...I never voted for the construction of office buildings, as most of the rest of San Mateo never did...and additionally, what proof do you have that these same people commuting to San Mateo for jobs will now magically have to money to afford to rent or buy one of these homes?
I'm a life long SM resident and moved into my forever home in Sunnybrae neighboorhood 6 years ago. I love my life long neighbors. The exponential changes I've seen while I've lived there are just crazy! The traffic on Delaware at 830am Southbound (before/towards 92 intersection) and similarly at 5pm Northbound is just crazy. It's nuts to think that we live in the suburbs and it takes 20 minutes to go 2 miles; if I wanted this type of traffic I would have moved to San Francisco. They claim that this/these development(s) will reduce traffic; how does that logically make sense when it will be a total of about ~5300 extra residents living there (if all the developments are constructed) - all within like a two block radius. In the discussion on Wednesday, they promoted public transportation and cycling to get around for this new development. Public transit was brought up, and the developers commented that their studies show that the cal-train can handle the influx of riders - what is the proof of this? There was a lot of talk about parking spaces but what about parking spaces for all the bikes that supposedly everyone will be using to get around since these residents will be taking other forms of transportation to get around? I bike into down town SM for dinner and the only bike parking I can think of is in front of Talbotts toy store. That's another thought to consider - bike parking; their aren't enough dedicated bike parking areas. I suggest to hold-off on the developments. Hold-off to see what the impact is of the old Kmart site residential site. Hold-off between each of these projects. Hold off for all the reasons that were brought up or not brought up: impact of schools, police and fire station; sewer, waterline, traffic, quality of life! Thought has to be put into what this will look like 10yrs, 20 yrs, 50 yrs from now. There's a great group of people living in this neighborhood that really care, you could see by the passion in all of the comments made that night. A neighborhood that's coming together to stand up for this part of SM - so that we have something beautiful to leave behind for our next generation; at least that's what I want!
I Sebastian...you're absolutely correct about the unverified, standard rhetoric from the Yimby's and the developers saying that everyone is going to use the train...I say PROVE IT.... if the developer (and the city) really believes that as being a fact, then the city should hold them to their claims and make it a zero car development....test the idea.....or at least hold off until you understand the impacts and then you can plan accordingly......There have been a string of these non-guaranteed Caltrain usage claims by the city and developers, since Bay Meadows and the TOD corridor was approved, that have proven to be incorrect..... All you have to do is look at Bay Meadows...you can't find parking in Bay Meadows (another advertised TOD project) because there are so many cars parked on the streets there.....additionally, Caltrain usage was down last year at 19 out of 29 stations.....ALSO let's also get some impartial folks on the city's Transport Management Agency (TMA)...the problem is that, other than the city, the TMA is made up entirely of developers and real estate interests....... The composition of the Transportation Management Association (TMA) needs to include homeowners’ associations...
I agree traffic has gotten horrible in the last few years, but that can't be blamed on housing developments in San Mateo since so little housing as been added. Bay Meadows is the only big housing development that's been completed recently and 40% of the residents there commute by CalTrain.
San Mateo (and the rest of the peninsula) has added a lot of office space, however. San Mateo County has added 50,000 jobs in the last 5 years and only 6,000 housing units. Of course that creates traffic! 92 is a massive parking lot because so many people have to commute from the east bay.
No matter what, traffic will get worse. Apps like Waze ensure that all through roads like Delaware have cars on them. The only solution is to move people close to jobs (or jobs to the people) and that means building housing on the peninsula
Totally agree on bike parking. There are few spots to park a bike downtown, and riding around there does not feel safe at all.
Ok and lastly, a lot of though has been put into how to make San Mateo sustainable for 10, 20, 50 years, and that is what resulted in the transit oriented zoning that surrounds the Hayward Park and Hillsdale CalTrain stations. That process lasted 10 years and was initiated in 1997.
Where do you get the 40% number from? The TMA doesn't even keep track of Caltrain ridership numbers.
Also regarding the TOD process... this from May 2006......."Opposing views were really shut out of the process. The decision to develop Bay Meadows was made a long time ago," Bischoff charged. Schinkel, of Friends of Bay Meadows, agreed, calling the CAC "handpicked" and not representative. Opponents are unconvinced the project will improve congestion. They contend the new connections will only put more cars on existing thoroughfares. Schinkel said that although the train would serve the project, the train is the only good public transit choice, meaning that new residents and office workers mostly will drive. She also questioned why the city needs another dose of office space when vacancy rates have been at about 20% since the dot-com bust.... .
There was a lot of talk about how many jobs were adjacent to the proposed project. I would like to know how many people who work at Crossroads, Rakuten, Bay Shore Business Park, and Medalia; actually live in San Mateo and more specifically how many live in Sunnybrae and 19th Ave Park? It also seems a little too big Government to suggest one lives where they work. Haven't we passed a sales tax measure to repair failed street and add public safety? How many police and fire fighters will need to be laid off once we lose the sales tax from TJ Max and Ross? Since 2015 we have added just under 19 public safety positions. Not sure when this was purchased, but the developer will add $100 million in assessed value, while the project will have a fair value of close to a billion dollars assessed value will probably be amount $200 million. By having more diverse mix of housing (apartments, town homes, some apartments) there would be more buying and selling and the gap between assessed and fair values would narrow. As an apartment this will be a buy and hold property, and probably won't change hands for at least 50 years. It would be interesting to have a mello roos tax to fund city positions and services that will be required to support this development. Lastly while this development may not use as many cars to obtain goods and services, everyone else in the neighborhood will have to get in their car to go to Marshall's at Bridgepointe the closest TJ Max is San Carlos.
We live in 19th Avenue Park, which will be impacted by this development. We want to say first, that development of this site is welcome. What we are very concerned about is the magnitude of the project, which is completely out of proportion to the surrounding neighborhoods (Sunnybrae, 19th Avenue Park, Fiesta Gardens, and even Station Park Green). As an example, Passages has 935 units and sits on 14.5 acres; Station Park Green (adjacent to the proposed Passages development) has 599 units and sits on 12 acres.
We would like to see the completion of Station Park Green and occupancy of the second Hines office building before the City measures the traffic impact to the surrounding area. New building in the vicinity already includes the Bay Meadows development, the old SM police station development. There is also potential development of the AAA building, City of San Mateo maintenance yard and part of the Hayward Park Caltrain parking lot. For anyone who has to travel through the Delware/Concar/Grant/19th Avenue corridor during peak commute times, you understand that traffic is already severely impacted. How much new development can this area sustain and still provide homeowners and rental occupants with a community that is safe and without the traffic nightmare we now suffer?
The developer talked about “Community” and “Connectivity”, but the way Concar Passages is laid out is very inward looking and is not inviting to the surrounding neighborhoods. Look at the “wall” of apartments along Concar Drive in the Station Park Green development. This is how the Passages development will look, not exactly an open invitation. Why do we have to settle for “big box” type architecture? Why doesn’t the City demand a visually stunning development that the City can be proud of?
The developer talked about their 3.5 acres of green space, which really amounts to 1 acre in the middle of the development, which is divided by a road that passes through it. No amenities for kids, they will just have to go across the street to the small park in 19th Avenue Park or join the YMCA across the street.
Out of 935 residential apartment units, only 72 are below market rate. Sure, that fulfills the City’s Below Market Rate program requirements, but how about stepping up and providing the community with what they really need, which is more affordable housing. According to apartments.com, Station Park Green apartments will rent from $3,100 to $4,800/month. When the Passages developer was asked what their rents will be they said they are still working that out. Really? The first thing any business does is calculate the revenue stream to make sure the project is viable. Just more developer spin.
Another major concern is the excavation for the proposed underground parking, which means the development will have to use de-watering during the excavation process. Ross, Rite Aid and property owners at the Concar Shopping Center have sued Hines for damage caused from the excavation of underground parking of their office building at the corner of Concar/Delaware. This would lead us to believe there is a potential impact to property surrounding the development. We're sure Hines thought their methodology for de-watering was engineered properly, but obviously they were wrong.
Lastly, there will most certainly not be enough residential parking provided. We would like the City’s assurance that if 19th Avenue Park and Fiesta Gardens, in particular, experience an influx of vehicles parking in our neighborhoods from the proposed development, that the City will create a Permit Parking program in our neighborhoods.
We do need more housing in San Mateo, but slamming in a development of this size enriches the developer on the backs of the surrounding neighborhoods. The developer does not live in our community and does not care about the people who live in San Mateo. They just care about how much money they can realize from this project. We can only hope the City of San Mateo cares more about its citizens and works with the developer to lessen the impact on the surrounding neighborhoods to create a development that takes into consideration all lifestyles, current homeowners and new renters.
I went to the meeting to see what our neighborhood thinks about this plan. And most of them were very shocked and thought the Concar shopping center just needs a huge renovation, not a gentrification. I'm in favor of demolishing the stores that are in terrible condition, like Ross and Rite Aid. Replacing them with newer stores and local community benefit. But getting rid of most of retail stores in that block for more ugly housing projects, which is way more units than the ones already been constructed across Delaware St and Concar, already close to Caltrain station. We still need a drugstore like Walgreens, since 7-11 and Trader Joes isn't going to be enough. TJ Maxx should stay in the center, because my friends still shop there and we barely have much retail in general, and not everything is bought online. We're still going to shop at places and this plan is mostly flawed with unbalance of retail and housing units. Too much housing projects and traffic is already such a mess, and they're rushing with these proposals when they still constructing the housing project on the other Concar block. There's already a shortage of parking in my neighborhood around Sunnybrae, we're bringing in way too many people and they're taking up our parking.This project needs to go back to the drawing board and minimize the impact with reducing the housing units to more reasonable size, and include a new drugstore like Walgreens and TJ Maxx to actually benefit local residents and provide local shopping convenience.
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(13) comments
Concar Passage is close to a Caltrain station and replaces a big ugly strip mall. It is the perfect place to add desperately needed housing. I attended this meeting and was amused by the usual comments by local NIMBYs who don't want anything to ever change. One woman, was even outraged that the swimming pool would only be open to residents of Concar Passage. This is private property, and the developer is entitled to make a profit. They aren't building a community center for the people who happen to live in one nearby neighborhood.
I agree with Mr. Nunes thoughts that this shopping center needs something new put in this location, but I completely disagree with what is being proposed. I monstrous 935 housing complex right across the street from 599 new units that aren't complete or occupied yet. And let us not forget the additional 73 units proposed where the AAA building currently stands. All of this on top of 2 large office buildings - only one of which is currently occupied. This area is a mess!
And, the city wants to figure out how to build even more housing in this area right behind the Arco station where the "corporation yard" currently sits. And then there is the CalTrain parking lot where CalTrain is thinking about adding another 150 units over the parking garage.
And we are being told lies that the traffic will all decrease because of this. None of these developers live in our neighborhood and have any idea what is real. For them, it's all about "traffic studies" and those all seem to be done by one company; Hexagon.
I'd really appreciate someone digging into how Hexagon is making these determinations, because I'm willing to bet they are not basing this on current traffic patterns specific to Delaware and Concar and 92 and 101.
When will the madness end? Mayor, City Council Members, Planning Commissioners, PLEASE HELP!
Does the city let the developer pick their EIR consultants too? I know the city has been using the same traffic consultant, Hexagon, for years now...
I find it curious the Yimby conviction that building market-rate housing will generate ample housing for people who can’t get into the market....There’s this love of growth, as if economic growth were now the Holy Grail in the Bay Area, where political policies have sought to attract tech firms and their workers – without accounting for where they will live....
Market-rate housing not only doesn’t solve the problem.....look around, affordable housing on balance has gotten worse, not better, as the real estate market has boomed in the Bay Area.....
Manhattan is 400% denser than San Francisco but it’s still not a cheap place to live.....
So if the ‘market rate’ for newly developed units is substantially higher than the median cost of existing units (look at the prices in Bay Meadows), then building more market-rate units will make existing median rents go up, not down....and that will be the inevitable result of this Concar Passage development...Final note...the headline for this article is somewhat misleading...
Vincent: Housing is expensive in our area because of the imbalance between housing and jobs. If there were a lot fewer jobs there would already be enough housing. If you are against housing you first need to oppose the construction of office buildings. It is now too late for that. We need a lot more housing to achieve a balance.
Again Tom, please stop with the straw man argument...I never voted for the construction of office buildings, as most of the rest of San Mateo never did...and additionally, what proof do you have that these same people commuting to San Mateo for jobs will now magically have to money to afford to rent or buy one of these homes?
I'm a life long SM resident and moved into my forever home in Sunnybrae neighboorhood 6 years ago. I love my life long neighbors. The exponential changes I've seen while I've lived there are just crazy! The traffic on Delaware at 830am Southbound (before/towards 92 intersection) and similarly at 5pm Northbound is just crazy. It's nuts to think that we live in the suburbs and it takes 20 minutes to go 2 miles; if I wanted this type of traffic I would have moved to San Francisco. They claim that this/these development(s) will reduce traffic; how does that logically make sense when it will be a total of about ~5300 extra residents living there (if all the developments are constructed) - all within like a two block radius.
In the discussion on Wednesday, they promoted public transportation and cycling to get around for this new development. Public transit was brought up, and the developers commented that their studies show that the cal-train can handle the influx of riders - what is the proof of this? There was a lot of talk about parking spaces but what about parking spaces for all the bikes that supposedly everyone will be using to get around since these residents will be taking other forms of transportation to get around? I bike into down town SM for dinner and the only bike parking I can think of is in front of Talbotts toy store. That's another thought to consider - bike parking; their aren't enough dedicated bike parking areas.
I suggest to hold-off on the developments. Hold-off to see what the impact is of the old Kmart site residential site. Hold-off between each of these projects. Hold off for all the reasons that were brought up or not brought up: impact of schools, police and fire station; sewer, waterline, traffic, quality of life! Thought has to be put into what this will look like 10yrs, 20 yrs, 50 yrs from now.
There's a great group of people living in this neighborhood that really care, you could see by the passion in all of the comments made that night. A neighborhood that's coming together to stand up for this part of SM - so that we have something beautiful to leave behind for our next generation; at least that's what I want!
I Sebastian...you're absolutely correct about the unverified, standard rhetoric from the Yimby's and the developers saying that everyone is going to use the train...I say PROVE IT.... if the developer (and the city) really believes that as being a fact, then the city should hold them to their claims and make it a zero car development....test the idea.....or at least hold off until you understand the impacts and then you can plan accordingly......There have been a string of these non-guaranteed Caltrain usage claims by the city and developers, since Bay Meadows and the TOD corridor was approved, that have proven to be incorrect..... All you have to do is look at Bay Meadows...you can't find parking in Bay Meadows (another advertised TOD project) because there are so many cars parked on the streets there.....additionally, Caltrain usage was down last year at 19 out of 29 stations.....ALSO let's also get some impartial folks on the city's Transport Management Agency (TMA)...the problem is that, other than the city, the TMA is made up entirely of developers and real estate interests....... The composition of the Transportation Management Association (TMA) needs to include homeowners’ associations...
I agree traffic has gotten horrible in the last few years, but that can't be blamed on housing developments in San Mateo since so little housing as been added. Bay Meadows is the only big housing development that's been completed recently and 40% of the residents there commute by CalTrain.
San Mateo (and the rest of the peninsula) has added a lot of office space, however. San Mateo County has added 50,000 jobs in the last 5 years and only 6,000 housing units. Of course that creates traffic! 92 is a massive parking lot because so many people have to commute from the east bay.
No matter what, traffic will get worse. Apps like Waze ensure that all through roads like Delaware have cars on them. The only solution is to move people close to jobs (or jobs to the people) and that means building housing on the peninsula
Totally agree on bike parking. There are few spots to park a bike downtown, and riding around there does not feel safe at all.
Ok and lastly, a lot of though has been put into how to make San Mateo sustainable for 10, 20, 50 years, and that is what resulted in the transit oriented zoning that surrounds the Hayward Park and Hillsdale CalTrain stations. That process lasted 10 years and was initiated in 1997.
Where do you get the 40% number from? The TMA doesn't even keep track of Caltrain ridership numbers.
Also regarding the TOD process... this from May 2006......."Opposing views were really shut out of the process. The decision to develop Bay Meadows was made a long time ago," Bischoff charged. Schinkel, of Friends of Bay Meadows, agreed, calling the CAC "handpicked" and not representative.
Opponents are unconvinced the project will improve congestion. They contend the new connections will only put more cars on existing thoroughfares. Schinkel said that although the train would serve the project, the train is the only good public transit choice, meaning that new residents and office workers mostly will drive. She also questioned why the city needs another dose of office space when vacancy rates have been at about 20% since the dot-com bust....
.
There was a lot of talk about how many jobs were adjacent to the proposed project. I would like to know how many people who work at Crossroads, Rakuten, Bay Shore Business Park, and Medalia; actually live in San Mateo and more specifically how many live in Sunnybrae and 19th Ave Park? It also seems a little too big Government to suggest one lives where they work. Haven't we passed a sales tax measure to repair failed street and add public safety? How many police and fire fighters will need to be laid off once we lose the sales tax from TJ Max and Ross? Since 2015 we have added just under 19 public safety positions.
Not sure when this was purchased, but the developer will add $100 million in assessed value, while the project will have a fair value of close to a billion dollars assessed value will probably be amount $200 million. By having more diverse mix of housing (apartments, town homes, some apartments) there would be more buying and selling and the gap between assessed and fair values would narrow. As an apartment this will be a buy and hold property, and probably won't change hands for at least 50 years. It would be interesting to have a mello roos tax to fund city positions and services that will be required to support this development.
Lastly while this development may not use as many cars to obtain goods and services, everyone else in the neighborhood will have to get in their car to go to Marshall's at Bridgepointe the closest TJ Max is San Carlos.
We live in 19th Avenue Park, which will be impacted by this development. We want to say first, that development of this site is welcome. What we are very concerned about is the magnitude of the project, which is completely out of proportion to the surrounding neighborhoods (Sunnybrae, 19th Avenue Park, Fiesta Gardens, and even Station Park Green). As an example, Passages has 935 units and sits on 14.5 acres; Station Park Green (adjacent to the proposed Passages development) has 599 units and sits on 12 acres.
We would like to see the completion of Station Park Green and occupancy of the second Hines office building before the City measures the traffic impact to the surrounding area. New building in the vicinity already includes the Bay Meadows development, the old SM police station development. There is also potential development of the AAA building, City of San Mateo maintenance yard and part of the Hayward Park Caltrain parking lot. For anyone who has to travel through the Delware/Concar/Grant/19th Avenue corridor during peak commute times, you understand that traffic is already severely impacted. How much new development can this area sustain and still provide homeowners and rental occupants with a community that is safe and without the traffic nightmare we now suffer?
The developer talked about “Community” and “Connectivity”, but the way Concar Passages is laid out is very inward looking and is not inviting to the surrounding neighborhoods. Look at the “wall” of apartments along Concar Drive in the Station Park Green development. This is how the Passages development will look, not exactly an open invitation. Why do we have to settle for “big box” type architecture? Why doesn’t the City demand a visually stunning development that the City can be proud of?
The developer talked about their 3.5 acres of green space, which really amounts to 1 acre in the middle of the development, which is divided by a road that passes through it. No amenities for kids, they will just have to go across the street to the small park in 19th Avenue Park or join the YMCA across the street.
Out of 935 residential apartment units, only 72 are below market rate. Sure, that fulfills the City’s Below Market Rate program requirements, but how about stepping up and providing the community with what they really need, which is more affordable housing. According to apartments.com, Station Park Green apartments will rent from $3,100 to $4,800/month. When the Passages developer was asked what their rents will be they said they are still working that out. Really? The first thing any business does is calculate the revenue stream to make sure the project is viable. Just more developer spin.
Another major concern is the excavation for the proposed underground parking, which means the development will have to use de-watering during the excavation process. Ross, Rite Aid and property owners at the Concar Shopping Center have sued Hines for damage caused from the excavation of underground parking of their office building at the corner of Concar/Delaware. This would lead us to believe there is a potential impact to property surrounding the development. We're sure Hines thought their methodology for de-watering was engineered properly, but obviously they were wrong.
Lastly, there will most certainly not be enough residential parking provided. We would like the City’s assurance that if 19th Avenue Park and Fiesta Gardens, in particular, experience an influx of vehicles parking in our neighborhoods from the proposed development, that the City will create a Permit Parking program in our neighborhoods.
We do need more housing in San Mateo, but slamming in a development of this size enriches the developer on the backs of the surrounding neighborhoods. The developer does not live in our community and does not care about the people who live in San Mateo. They just care about how much money they can realize from this project. We can only hope the City of San Mateo cares more about its citizens and works with the developer to lessen the impact on the surrounding neighborhoods to create a development that takes into consideration all lifestyles, current homeowners and new renters.
I went to the meeting to see what our neighborhood thinks about this plan. And most of them were very shocked and thought the Concar shopping center just needs a huge renovation, not a gentrification. I'm in favor of demolishing the stores that are in terrible condition, like Ross and Rite Aid. Replacing them with newer stores and local community benefit. But getting rid of most of retail stores in that block for more ugly housing projects, which is way more units than the ones already been constructed across Delaware St and Concar, already close to Caltrain station. We still need a drugstore like Walgreens, since 7-11 and Trader Joes isn't going to be enough. TJ Maxx should stay in the center, because my friends still shop there and we barely have much retail in general, and not everything is bought online. We're still going to shop at places and this plan is mostly flawed with unbalance of retail and housing units. Too much housing projects and traffic is already such a mess, and they're rushing with these proposals when they still constructing the housing project on the other Concar block. There's already a shortage of parking in my neighborhood around Sunnybrae, we're bringing in way too many people and they're taking up our parking.This project needs to go back to the drawing board and minimize the impact with reducing the housing units to more reasonable size, and include a new drugstore like Walgreens and TJ Maxx to actually benefit local residents and provide local shopping convenience.
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