In the first public meeting in Belmont since Stanford University presented its initial plans for the Belmont Notre Dame de Namur University campus, Stanford officials at the latest City Council session reiterated a commitment to academic use for the site.
Steve Elliot, senior managing director of real estate at Stanford, said the university wants to expand to a 700,000-square-foot campus revolving around academics and housing that keep its historic buildings. The existing campus is zoned for 435,000 square feet.
“We are looking to position the property to continue as an academic resource in the area,” Elliot said. “Our goal in working with the city is to set the framework and conditions for how we can grow the campus to accommodate the future academic needs.”
Belmont residents have consistently told Stanford University they want to keep the campus for academics and use historic buildings like Ralston Hall and campus recreation opportunities. Stanford plans to restore the closed Ralston Hall for community use, maintain community use of Koret Field, design and fund improvements to the Ralston Avenue and campus entrance intersection and improve bicycle access to the Caltrain station along the Ralston corridor. It will also work with the city and community to identify programs that support innovative education, emphasizing transitional kindergarten through high school.
Stanford has until June 15, 2025, to buy the Belmont campus at 1500 Ralston Ave. The purchase would include Ralston Hall, Koret Field, NDNU theater and Cunningham Chapel. NDNU has the option to lease space on campus for its operations, with both universities remaining independent. Stanford submitted a Conceptual Development Plan to the city Oct. 6, which provides an overarching vision for the 46-acre campus.
Stanford is in the first stage of applying for city approval for its CDP plan. The second stage focuses on the detailed development of building and site plans. Elliot said it hopes to have council approval of its CDP plan sometime in 2024 so it can acquire the property by the final option deadline in 2025. Elliot said Stanford is working with city staff on updating zoning options but did not have any additional timeline information available about the project.
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“At the same time, we will be getting to know the property better; we will be working with the community, and we will be working on the academic programs that are part of the community benefits,” Elliot said.
Lucy Wicks, assistant vice president of the government affairs office of Stanford University, said the campus fits with the university’s long-range vision of sustainability, addressing society’s problems, new discoveries and helping students. Wicks said the campus has strengths because it is close to regional transit, amenities and services.
“A potential Belmont campus represents an ideal place for Stanford to extend this academic vision in service to the larger Peninsula community,” Wicks said.
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