Changing with the times

My family moved to Redwood City back in 1989 — a time when it was derisively being referred to by some as “Deadwood City.” That moniker applied primarily to downtown, and indeed my wife and I quickly realized that Redwood City’s downtown had little to offer us beyond one or two individual stores. But because nearby cities — San Carlos and Palo Alto, primarily — made up for that lack, in those early years we mostly ignored downtown Redwood City for all but the basics (groceries, for instance).

Last week I wrote about a proposed housing development that would replace most of the smaller stores making up today’s Peninsula Boardwalk shopping center (what I think of as “Kohl’s Plaza”). In thinking about the merchants that would be displaced if the project comes to fruition, I immediately began to consider where else in the city those retailers and restaurants might go. Ideally, they’d head downtown, where we currently have a distinct lack of shopping — and, admittedly, not too many empty spaces. But then I recalled what I’ve been told was at least part of the reason downtown Redwood City became “Deadwood City” in the first place: the very creation of the Peninsula Boardwalk shopping center.

Many years ago, downtown Redwood City was packed with merchants of all sorts and from all appearances was a terrific place to shop. But in 1977, the former site of Frank’s Tannery was rezoned from “IP” (Industrial Park) to “CG” (General Commercial) as Terranomics Development Corporation proposed a large development on the site with Mervyn’s, Toys R Us and Wallpapers To Go as initial tenants. That center opened in 1979, and with it, Redwood City’s retail focus began to shift from downtown to the northeast side of Veterans Boulevard. With few office buildings and essentially no housing downtown, people suddenly had fewer reasons to spend time there — hastening the demise of the few retailers that were left.

I began paying attention to downtown Redwood City in the early 2000s, once its revitalization got underway. That occurred, I believe, largely thanks to two projects. The first was the city’s restoration of Courthouse Square. In 1939, a three-story South Annex building was constructed on the site of the square, completely obscuring the front of the lovely courthouse building. By the fall of 2006, though, the annex had been torn down, the historic courthouse’s facade had been restored and the square as we know it today had been constructed. At about the same time, Redwood City used eminent domain to acquire a large nearby parcel upon which the “On Broadway” building (home to the downtown Century Theaters and numerous restaurants) was constructed. Together, the two projects once again gave us — and many others — reason to spend time downtown, which in turn attracted restaurants and a handful of retailers.

Of course, Redwood City is more than just its downtown. Another major change to the face of Redwood City occurred as large developers took notice. Looking for underutilized properties, they focused on — among other things — Redwood City’s entertainment venues. Sadly, I watched as the city lost most of the privately run venues that made it extra special for families: first Marine World, then Mel’s Bowl, followed by its miniature golf course, go-kart track and video game arcade, and, finally, its roller rink.

In 1989, my wife and I came to a city that was a great place to live and play — albeit one with limited places to shop and very few places where one could hold a high-paying job. Today, I find it to be an even better place to live, with a wider variety of housing types and locations. For those who enjoy parks, it’s a pretty good place to play. Thanks to our downtown movie theaters, the Fox and Little Fox (for live events), Courthouse Square and Redwood City’s incredibly diverse set of restaurants, downtown, especially, is a great place to spend a Friday or Saturday evening — or even a spare afternoon. Nowadays, there are a number of companies located in various parts of town providing good, high-paying jobs for many. Of course, our cost of living, while slightly lower than some Peninsula cities, still makes life challenging for many. But overall, I find the face of the city to be much improved — at least when compared with 1989 when my family and I first called Redwood City home.

Greg Wilson is the creator of Walking Redwood City, a blog inspired by his walks throughout Redwood City and adjacent communities. He can be reached at greg@walkingRedwoodCity.com. Follow Greg on X @walkingRWC.