Just more than 20 years ago, the city of San Mateo began exploring a longtime dream of bringing back the downtown train station that was removed for a parking structure decades prior.
In 1997, the eastern edge of downtown San Mateo was showing a bit of tarnish but city leaders saw its potential and began work on a revitalization plan. It would draw a new cinema and move the two-level Main Street Garage from its two-block location from Third to First avenues to one block between Second and First with the new movie theater on the block to the south. The plans included moving the train station, which looked more like a bus stop on the side of the garage, to a new grander structure to the north that was completed in 2000.
That new structure is the current train station, which as part of the downtown revitalization was to have an anchor tenant to go along with Draeger’s and the new 12-screen theater. Though the main space next to the clock tower was designed for a restaurant, there were some other ideas that included a flower shop or a newsstand. The other space in the station could be retail, but was also considered for an office or storage area for the north building occupant.
Businesses that showed interest in the 3,700-square-foot main retail site at the train station were Kepler’s Books, Pasta Primavera, a high-end San Mateo Public Market and Rooster T. Feathers, a comedy club. Kepler’s held the most interest for city officials and there was a multi-year courtship that ultimately ended with the Menlo Park bookstore’s financial troubles in 2005. While Kepler’s remained open, it ended the quest to bring a location to San Mateo.
That same year, the city finally landed a tenant, The Melting Pot, after about $500,000 in city improvements including a mezzanine level to make the main train station space 5,000 square feet. While it was no bookstore, the move was heralded as finally bringing a tenant to the space that could pay market rate. In the meantime, the Downtown San Mateo Association and the Chamber of Commerce started talking to the city about leasing out the smaller space, which began its use as offices. Since then, there have been a couple of tech companies there, adswizz and, most recently, Redkix, which was just bought by Facebook and is leaving.
There has also been a recent ownership change to the Melting Pot, which led the City Council consider a new lease with some financial concessions to assist the transition. It also led, along with the new vacancy in the smaller location, to a new discussion about the city’s vision for the entire station, and its potential. This is a discussion worth having.
I join others I am sure in wishing the new management of The Melting Pot well, but it might be time to think about the future of the overall site. If it was originally intended to be an anchor for the downtown, it does not appear to be fulfilling that goal. The Melting Pot does not open until 5 p.m., so most daytime commuters experience the station as being largely vacant because the office space to the south is closed to the public.
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But what exactly would be a viable option to liven up the station and help it fulfill its original vision?
For the smaller vacant site, I might suggest that any use other than office would work, whether it be a service business, a sandwich purveyor, a juice bar or a bodega-style shop with convenience items for both commuters and the neighborhood. Anything that has an open door to the public. Some tenant improvements would be necessary, however. There is also some concern about foot traffic in the middle of the day, but that will improve once the summer months end, and one might contend that a unique retailer or eatery will draw from all sides and be able to pay for necessary tenant improvements.
There is also an opportunity for the city to make an investment in a new tenant, perhaps from the surrounding neighborhood, who could use a hand up to make a new and unique business work. There could also be other ideas.
There has been a lot of new interest in downtown San Mateo and it is easy to forget it was just two decades ago that it was called moribund. It was a smart decision 20 years ago to begin a revitalization but, as with any plan, it must be revisited from time to time to ensure it does not lie fallow.
While there is opportunity in the train station site, it has not been easy to fulfill the original vision. It will take continued persistence and creative passion to make it work.
The City Council is tentatively scheduled to have a study session Oct. 15 on the matter. It should be an interesting discussion. In the meantime, please feel free to share your ideas.
Jon Mays is the editor in chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com. Follow Jon on Twitter @jonmays.
One obvious problem is the plot of 16 or so blocks to the north and east of the train station, which are within walking distance of the train station and walking distance of downtown, and are zoned exclusively for single family homes. That's a poor use of land that hurts businesses and depresses ridership.
Allowing some of those homeowners to sell to people who want to build more densely on the land would boost Caltrain's ridership and help those businesses. It should also help prevent the displacement that has plagued our area when rich newcomers compete with existing tenants for an aging housing stock, pushing out longtime residents, a development that's been chronicled elsewhere in the paper: https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/gathering-a-community-around-its-church/article_86c6c5ea-58bf-11e8-85bd-5bfa869b0813.html
While it may not win any design awards, there may be options for better utilization found in countries with a history of train stations...just some thoughts below.
“If you can do your clothes or food shopping on the way home, that’s a more efficient use of time. And train stations, because people travel through them, are well located to fit this consumer requirement”.
Train station outlets are also enabling e-commerce and logistics firms to create “click and collect” options for commuters wanting to pick up online purchases. Doddle features around 300 shops in railway stations around the UK and several London Underground stations. Department store John Lewis has a “click and commute” store in St. Pancras Station.
Meanwhile, grocery chains are catering for the growing popularity of “click and collect” in suburban train stations, where refrigerated food vans wait in the station parking lot with customers’ orders and help them load up their cars.
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(2) comments
One obvious problem is the plot of 16 or so blocks to the north and east of the train station, which are within walking distance of the train station and walking distance of downtown, and are zoned exclusively for single family homes. That's a poor use of land that hurts businesses and depresses ridership.
Allowing some of those homeowners to sell to people who want to build more densely on the land would boost Caltrain's ridership and help those businesses. It should also help prevent the displacement that has plagued our area when rich newcomers compete with existing tenants for an aging housing stock, pushing out longtime residents, a development that's been chronicled elsewhere in the paper: https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/gathering-a-community-around-its-church/article_86c6c5ea-58bf-11e8-85bd-5bfa869b0813.html
Another timely article Jon...thanks.
While it may not win any design awards, there may be options for better utilization found in countries with a history of train stations...just some thoughts below.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/ideas-retail-train-stations-41417.html
“If you can do your clothes or food shopping on the way home, that’s a more efficient use of time. And train stations, because people travel through them, are well located to fit this consumer requirement”.
Train station outlets are also enabling e-commerce and logistics firms to create “click and collect” options for commuters wanting to pick up online purchases. Doddle features around 300 shops in railway stations around the UK and several London Underground stations. Department store John Lewis has a “click and commute” store in St. Pancras Station.
Meanwhile, grocery chains are catering for the growing popularity of “click and collect” in suburban train stations, where refrigerated food vans wait in the station parking lot with customers’ orders and help them load up their cars.
https://www.jllrealviews.com/industries/train-stations-transport-hubs-shopping-destinations/
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