South San Francisco civic center moves ahead

Officials also settled on an open site design similar to a park which invites community members and residents to visit the facilities and amenities, said City Manager Mike Futrell.

“We are shooting for something amazing and iconic,” said Futrell. “Something long lasting.”

Though officials crafted a concept for the project, Futrell said ultimately the design will be guided through residential input sought by the architect over the coming months.

“We want to identify what is important to the community so we can accurately reflect that in the design,” he said. “That should be an enjoyable time for residents to come together and express their hopes for the campus.”

To make way for the proposed site layout, Futrell said it is likely much of the parking for the facility will be built underground.

He said the feedback campaign should start soon, as officials plan to keep to their initial timeline of breaking ground on the project in 2020. A majority of the funding for the center, proposed on city property near El Camino Real and Antoinette Lane, will be generated through Measure W, the city’s half-cent sales tax.

Futrell said the project is expected to cost as much as $172 million, and the funding not covered by the tax will come from other city funds or private donations.

Officials have said the project is needed to replace the nearby Municipal Services Building which is home to the police department and offers a variety of other community amenities. The existing building is seismically unfit and is not suitable to house such essential services, officials said previously.

Futrell noted officials are not prepared to move on entirely from some of South San Francisco’s more notable structures though, as he suggested the timeless architecture of City Hall may inspire some of the new center’s look.

He said councilmembers agreed they would like the center to share the city headquarters’ architectural appeal which transcends eras and maintains aesthetic value after being built 100 years ago.

“Architecture that is unique and iconic and identifies South San Francisco” is sought, said Futrell. “Not just a building.”

Looking ahead from the outreach campaign, he said bids to build the project will be floated in advance of a construction team being hired.

Concurrent to the center design moving ahead, officials are also examining a proposal to build housing on city property adjacent to the proposed civic center site.

South San Francisco officials last year issued a request for qualified builders interested in constructing a residential development on nearly 6 acres of land near the Chestnut Avenue and El Camino Real intersection.

Futrell said officials have since trimmed the qualified companies down to six finalists, and plans including proposed density and financing are due early next year.

Though the size and scope of the project is still to be determined, the area is zoned to allow buildings as tall as 120 feet, according to the request for proposals, and could accommodate between 120 and 180 units per acre with developer contributions such as quality architecture, green building or other community benefits triggering additional development.

Futrell said the builders being considered are well qualified and experienced in developing homes on property similar to the proposed site, which is only a short distance from the city’s BART station.

Considering the central location of the proposed residential development, Futrell said he believed the project could be a keystone for South San Francisco’s development.

“It is a wonderful site for housing,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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