Redwood City unveils teacher housing plans

The proposal would make way for construction of 67 workforce housing units accommodating teachers and other district faculty next to a 170,000-square-foot office building, according to a district report.

While no final decision is slated to be made, school board President Janet Lawson framed the proposal as an exceptional chance for the district to improve the quality of life for many in the school community.

“The potential partnership between [Redwood City Elementary School District] and Sobrato is very exciting,” she said in an email. “We are in a unique position to work collaboratively with an organization that has already been a wonderful partner to the district.”

Superintendent John Baker framed the proposal similarly in the report.

“[The Sobrato Organization] and [Redwood City Elementary School District] are excited for the opportunity to work together on a proposal that will culminate in a mixed-use project where the sum is greater than the parts,” he said.

The project would link the district’s downtown land on Bradford Street with a neighboring parcel at 603 Jefferson Ave., where a single-story commercial building sits.

According to redevelopment plans, the office building is proposed to be seven stories, with a retail space at the ground floor. The residential building would be six stories. Parking would be accommodated in a surface lot and underground garage, providing a combined 299 spaces, according to development plans.

The plans advance a proposal first raised last year, when officials imagined overhauling district facilities with hopes of getting greater return on their capital investments. Officials late last year discussed opportunities at the district office with representatives from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, who committed to helping finance and guide the district through the planning process.

School officials at the time considered the contribution of financing and institutional knowledge from the initiative headquartered in Redwood City essential in helping the district navigate a process foreign to those with limited experience in complex land use decisions.

The Sobrato Organization since emerged with a willingness to guide the development process. And with a culvert undercutting the district office property, an expert developer is needed to intervene and advance the challenging initiative, according to a district report.

“Combining the site with 603 Jefferson would allow for a more efficient parking layout as well as the ability to share parking stalls between the office and residential uses, maximizing parking efficiencies,” Baker said in the report. “Constructing both sites in conjunction leads to a viable development, which otherwise would be potentially infeasible due to physical constraints and costs.”

The Sobrato Organization is a philanthropic real estate development company which finances community endeavors throughout Redwood City and surrounding Peninsula cities.

Should the proposal advance, it is yet to be determined whether the district would occupy any portion of the proposed office building, said district spokesman Jorge Quintana.

Looking ahead, the project is slated to be vetted by city officials when considering the downtown precise plan. Noting the proposal is still in its nascent stages, Baker suggested the plan would likely not move forward for another five years until the downtown plan is adopted.

And while specifying the potential agreement is not binding, allowing either side to back away at any point, submitting plans soon could give the potential project some priority with city officials considering future downtown development, said the report.

For her part, Lawson expressed her enthusiasm over the opportunity presented by the potential collaboration.

“I am excited about the benefits this partnership could bring to [Redwood City Elementary School District], as well as the Redwood City community as a whole,” she said.

In other business at the meeting, officials will also discuss potential student transfer policy changes spurred by the school system transitioning from a state funding model to one reliant primarily on local property taxes.

The district board meets 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at 400 Duane St., Redwood City.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105