Construction of Burlingame’s new Topgolf facility teed off Monday, May 1, but the project will still have an array of challenges unique to its Bayfront location.
Ray Hamelin, superintendent of the construction company leading the project, said the first step is to drill 10 indicator piles into the ground. They drill the piles 60 feet down and then hammer them until the maximum load pressure is met. The 10 indicator piles are a test the engineers use to figure out the appropriate length for the 364 piles that will support the building.
“I am super excited for it to get started and should be done this week and then wait for the results before we could actually start the groundbreaking and if everything goes well that should begin in May,” Hamelin said.
The 71,000-square-foot three-story building at 250 Anza Blvd. will be raised 5 feet above the ground because the building is supported by the piles, much like a patio deck.
Hamelin said it makes the location a little more unique because, in other locations, the ground floor is flush to the ground. It is one of the few challenges the location presents, he said, because it is being constructed on landfill that has methane wells in it. The site is a former landfill.
“Throughout this project, there are all kinds of methane wells that we have mapped and a lot of seismic connections that need to be added to the steel and foundation to ensure a safe building during an earthquake,” said Hamelin who added the project is monitoring methane seepage from the landfill.
Topgolf is a chain entertainment company with centers across the nation specializing in golf-style chipping games amidst a sports bar setting. Games can involve players hitting microchip balls at a physical target or participating in a virtual environment. The popular company has 70 locations worldwide and merged with Callaway Golf Company in 2021.
The facility will have 102 hitting bays that can accommodate as many as six players simultaneously. Other amenities include a restaurant, outdoor dining, an indoor banquet room for rent and parking. Maximum planned occupancy will be 1,300 people, including 125 employees. It’s estimated that nearly 500 people, including part-time employees, will work at the center.
The lease starts at 20 years, with Topgolf having the option of extending for four consecutive terms of five years, totaling 40 years. Rent will go to the city’s general fund and range from $1.5 million per year in the first five years to nearly $2 million in years 16 to 20. Annual rent will increase by 10% each extension term following year 20. Topgolf will also pay two community benefit fees of $250,000 each and a $350,000 commercial linkage fee. Ten years after the facility opens, Topgolf has the option to change the site’s use if there are potential market changes.
Councilmember Ricardo Ortiz previously said he looks forward to the completed project that is important for the Bayfront and the city.
“It’s not only the revenue that will come from the lease but the added attraction for our hotels that will help us with occupancy,” Ortiz previously said.
The city selected Topgolf as the project developer in March 2017. The facility was initially supposed to open in 2021, but lease negotiations delayed its opening over the years. It is anticipated to be completed by 2024.
Mayor Michael Brownrigg previously urged Topgolf to open as soon as possible.
“I think we all held faith, but it’s been hard because this has taken a lot longer than we expected,” Brownrigg said.
The closest Topgolf to the city is in San Jose. Operating hours will likely be from 9 a.m. to midnight during the week and until 2 a.m. on weekends.
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And the rest of the story is: Under the Surplus Lands Act, this land should first have been offered to affordable housing developers. The City decided it was too toxic for homes. Renters and homeowners then signed petitions to have the unexpected revenue put into the City's Affordable Housing Fund. The Council blatantly ignored the petition and now the 1.5 to 2M plus plus plus will go into the already very healthy General Fund. As to Mayor Brownrigg's mild dismay at the slow progress, a reporter might want to ask for a credible explanation of why it is now 8 years since the affordable housing called Village at Burlingame was approved and it still has not been completed.
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