Redwood City’s new community center gets the final OK

During the meeting, the City Council unanimously signed off on a final environmental impact report and zoning amendment for phase 1 of the project, which includes the demolition and reconstruction of the Veterans Memorial Senior Center in Red Morton Park along with a new outdoor promenade on what is now Nevada Street, east parking lot and traffic calming measures at nearby intersections. Phase 1 is slated to break ground in May of next year with construction expected to wrap up by the summer of 2022.  

The 45,000-square-foot veterans memorial building will be entirely powered by electricity and feature a 270-seat theater, cafe, gym, second-story outdoor track, multipurpose rooms as well as conference and exhibition spaces for veterans and the NFL Alumni Association. 

That development will ultimately be joined by a new 35,000-square-foot YMCA facility as part of phase 2 of the project, for which construction is expected to begin in 2022 and also span two years. Once phase 2 is complete, the existing YMCA location in Palm Park will close. 

The YMCA building includes two pools — one indoor, one out — open year round, multi-use rooms and a day care facility open to the public that can accommodate 72 children.

Hale specifically celebrated the project’s inclusion of child care, which she anticipates to be affordable because it’s being run by a nonprofit.

“And what a wonderful place to have your children go to day care, with the park and all those amenities nearby. That’s so wonderful for the children of Redwood City,” she said.

The senior center is expected to cost $59.4 million, which will be funded by park impact fees and lease revenue bonds. The YMCA will be paying for its building and it and the city will be splitting the cost of the common areas, allowing the city to recoup about $3.2 million. 

In response to concerns about traffic safety in the area, the first phase of the project will install a new roundabout at Vera Avenue and Valota Road, a new median island and curb extensions at the Valota Road and Madison Avenue intersection and a new mini traffic circle at Madison Avenue and Myrtle Street. The first phase will also expand the existing traffic circle at Hudson Street and Madison Avenue and remove the two-way stop control on Madison Avenue. 

The development includes 283 parking stalls, which is more than enough to meet weekday demand, but is not quite enough to achieve the ideal 90% or less occupancy rate during weekends. To free up a few spots, the 12 or so employees expected to staff the senior center will park at the Community Activities building parking lot on the south side of the park during weekends. 

“This is an exciting time for us,” Councilwoman Janet Borgens said. “I’m really excited to see this move forward and I hope it happens fast.” 

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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