Looking back

Redwood City has become associated with development, and 2019 showed why. Looking at new project proposals, the 12-unit townhouse complex planned for 120 El Camino Real was proposed and approved, as was the conversion of the long-empty Elgin’s Auto Supply building at 55 Perry St. into offices. Proposals were also received (but not yet approved) for a 68-unit townhouse project for 1125 Arguello St., a 60-unit townhouse project for 505 E. Bayshore Road, a new hotel to replace the Shell gas station on Veterans Boulevard at Brewster Avenue, a new medical office building on Stanford Medical’s Redwood City campus, and for numerous single-family home projects throughout the city.

Greystar updated their existing “South Main Mixed-Use” project proposal with the addition of a new affordable housing building, and Jay Paul Company reduced the size of their proposed Harbor View project. Phase 1 of the Veterans Memorial Senior Center project was approved last year, and a developer floated a trial balloon for a mixed-use project to replace the Sequoia Station shopping center.

Throughout the year 2019 a huge number of development projects finally got underway. These include the townhouse projects at 601 El Camino Real and 515 Cleveland St., Strada’s townhouse project alongside Redwood Creek, the 350-unit apartment complex at 1409 El Camino Real, the affordable housing developments at 707 Bradford St. and 353 Main St., the residential portion of the Broadway Plaza project, the mixed-use building at 851 Main St., the county’s new parking garage and office building, the office building at 1180 Main St., the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Whipple Avenue, the Highway 101 pedestrian undercrossing, and the Hopkins Avenue traffic calming pilot. Demolition was done on the site of the small townhouse project at 211 Vera Ave., as well as for the rebuild of the handful of small houses at 112 Vera Ave. The Pizza & Pipes building began its transformation into something new, as did the old Max’s Café space in Sequoia Station — although that latter project seems to have stalled. Finally, the Habitat for Humanity project slated for 612 Jefferson Ave. had its symbolic groundbreaking, although no actual work has commenced.

Several projects that were underway at the beginning of 2019 remained underway by the end, including the Magical Bridge Playground, the nearly complete rebuild of the Young’s Auto Parts building, the new medical office building being built on Kaiser’s campus, and the utility undergrounding and street improvements project being done along Middlefield Road.

As for projects that wrapped up in 2019, I count phase one of Stanford’s non-academic campus in Redwood City, Greystar’s apartment building at Jefferson Avenue and Franklin Street (subsequently sold to Stanford University), the 12-unit townhouse project at 150 El Camino Real, the relocation of the Lathrop House, the updated pedestrian crossing at Jefferson Avenue and Hawes Street, the Whipple and Veterans Overlay project, and (I believe) the 2017-2018 Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project. I also count the new home of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative as complete, although that new building might not actually be occupied yet.

The year 2019 wasn’t just about development, of course. Take a look at art. Numerous “bike rack murals” sprang up around the city, and we gained at least one proper new mural on the side of the Sequoia Hotel. Also, one of the kiosks in Courthouse Square spent the year hosting a variety of art installations.

Politically, 2019 was the year that Redwood City switched to district elections for members of its City Council, anticipating the November 2020 election. Ian Bain wrapped up his term as mayor in 2019, and was replaced by Diane Howard. The City Council established a soft cap for single-family home projects, and it conducted a citywide survey for single-family residential design guidelines. The city also took steps toward a replacement for the Downtown Precise Plan.

Whew! As you can see, Redwood City’s transformation continued at a dizzying pace throughout 2019, and it shows no signs of slowing. Expect the year 2020 to be more of the same.

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 Twitter @walkingRWC.