New development for Redwood City

Of the nine proposals reviewed during the process, the council initiated six, totaling roughly 524,000 square feet of office space in addition to the proposal initiated on Monday.

Councilmembers approved the 601 Allerton proposal, a five-story structure with 85,000 square feet of office space and 540 square feet cafe on the ground floor, following strong community support for the proposal. Comments largely praised the developers for incorporating two publicly-accessible rooftop futsal courts used for five-on-five soccer.

The structure would take the place of an existing Wells Fargo building and surface parking lot while offering an airy ground-level feel, Mike Halow, CEO of the developing agency, Premia Capital, said.

“I know there will be changes along the way but for a first rendering I was very impressed with what you submitted to the city,” Mayor Diane Howard said.

Rather than initiate the proposal with the other six in October, the council encouraged the developers to add more housing to the project than the eight workforce housing units proposed by looking off site.

In response, the Redwood City agency has proposed to purchase a 27-unit apartment site at 450 Redwood Ave. to help fulfill the city’s goal of preserving affordable units, Halow said. The single-bedroom units are not currently listed at below-market rate, potentially requiring some residents to relocate and would not accommodate the city’s goal of developing more family housing.

Concerned for the existing residents, the council asked that Premia Capital assist those who do not qualify for the subsidized housing to relocate. Vice Mayor Giselle Hale also suggested developers wait until leases end to replace tenants instead of requiring them to leave early.

“In this case just even hearing the idea of displacing the existing residents gives me a little bit of pause,” Hale said. “But I do think when you’re looking at preservation I don’t feel the need to accomplish all of our housing objectives under one roof.”

Councilmember Diana Reddy called on the developer to reserve units for those at the extremely-low-income level, a group for whom the city has struggled to provide housing. She also suggested the units be deeded affordable in perpetuity.

Councilmember Michael Smith similarly requested moderate income units be included in the housing mix, another group whose needs the city has struggled to meet.

1900 Broadway

Lane Partners, developers of the 1900 Broadway proposal, submitted plans for a seven-story mixed-use development with 225,000 square feet of office space and 10,000 square feet of retail space. A public green and activity space is also proposed, requiring the acquisition of a portion of Spring Street and an adjacent parklet.

“We want to change this plot very significantly and reinvigorate not just the 1900 block but also help retail and create more energy running down Main Street and Broadway as well,” Mark Murrey, principal planner with Lane Partners, said.

Despite some concerns for traffic having been raised by the council and the public, councilmembers ultimately initiated the project due to a substantial increase in housing units. Developers initially included 54 units but raised the number to between 70 and 80 below-market-rate spaces.

As with the 601 Allerton proposal, Reddy encouraged the developers to consider including extremely-low-income units in the housing mix and deeding the units affordable in perpetuity. Smith also called attention to moderate-level housing needs.

“We are as a city government really working in a dynamic of trust,” Smith said. “We really are here to work with you as a trusted partner in bringing this development … to our community and because of that we need to know you’re pushing the envelope in terms of affordable housing development.”

The two proposals may now be submitted to the city for formal review following council approval of 601 Allerton with Councilmember Lissette Espinoza-Garnica abstaining and of 1900 Broadway with Howard and Councilmember Jeff Gee recused. Staff anticipates the development process could take up to five years to complete for any of the eight gatekeeper project.

In other business

The council also approved a revenue bond sale of up to $65.4 million to pay for the city’s portion of the Veterans Memorial Building and Senior Center Project. With funding secured, phase 1 of the two-year project will likely begin construction in July, nearly 11 years after the revisioning process first started.

In partnership with the YMCA, Red Morton Park will gain 45,000 square feet of multipurpose rooms, a caterer and food distribution kitchen, a 299-seat theater, veterans and NFL alumni exhibit spaces and various sports amenities.

“This project is long overdue,” Gee said, noting the project has likely doubled in costs since first being considered. “This is a great time to take advantage of moving this project forward.”

Councilmembers also unanimously supported sending a letter of support for the extension of the state’s eviction moratorium that prohibits landlords from evicting tenants due to unpaid rent during the pandemic. The measure is currently set to expire by the end of June but councilmembers have previously shared support for extending the moratorium at the city level.

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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