ULIsf’s latest Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) Report has been released!

Last year, the City of San Mateo looked to ULI San Francisco for guidance on the redevelopment of two important downtown sites. The two sites — a former Kinkos store now used for surface parking and a parking lot with several temporary buildings including a local Worker Resource Center — were transferred to the city from its former Redevelopment Agency. The sites lie in a key area of the downtown that spans both the east and west sides of the Caltrain tracks; their redevelopment could be a catalyst for future growth and prosperity for the City of San Mateo.

The ULI TAP Process
Technical Assistance Panels provide expert advice to local governments, public agencies and nonprofit organizations facing complex land use and real estate issues in the greater Bay Area. Drawing from our seasoned professional membership base, ULI San Francisco offers objective and responsible guidance on a variety of land use and real estate issues ranging from site-specific projects to public policy questions. At the same time, TAPs provide ULI members a unique opportunity to give back to the communities in which they live, work and play.

ULIsf assembled an interdisciplinary group of Bay Area leaders for the Downtown San Mateo TAP, who volunteered their expertise in topics including market analysis; land use and design; finance and development strategies; governance and policy; and implementation. The TAP panelists included:

• Panel Chair: Jon Knorpp, Managing Director of Development Services, San Francisco Giants — overseeing the 27-acre mixed-use master plan of the Giants’ Mission Rock development;
• Gillian Adams, Senior Regional Planner, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) — the region’s land use planning body;
• Jonathan Cohen, Principal/Studio Director, TCA Architects — a firm specializing in the planning and design of multifamily housing and hospitality developments;
• Matt Goyne, Associate, Fehr and Peers — a transportation planning and engineering consultancy;
• Kristen Hall, Urban Design Associate, Perkins + Will — an architecture and design firm;
• Sujata Srivastava, Principal, Strategic Economics — an economic development and market analysis firm;
• Therese Trivedi, Senior Planner, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) — transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency; and
• Lead Author: Jordan Geller, Senior Investment Associate, NAI Northern California — a commercial real estate firm serving the Bay Area.

San Mateo’s Downtown Opportunity
The city sought out a TAP to examine the best use of the two sites. Three questions posed by the city helped guide the analysis and final recommendations:

1. What types of development would be most appropriate for the study area?
2. What uses of the two former Redevelopment Agency sites best support this vision?
3. Which development scenarios best integrate or support the financing of the city’s following public needs?
   1. Parking to support the business district
   2. Providing existing social services
   3. Relocating City Hall
   4. Providing affordable housing

The panel first solicited input from community members who represented affordable housing developers, social service providers, downtown business owners, San Mateo residents, city council and staff members, and market-rate residential and commercial developers. The discussions revealed concerns about parking management, the need for housing (especially for public service employees such as teachers, firefighters and police), the loss of technology companies to nearby cities that can better accommodate growth, and more.

Panel Recommendations

The panel recognizes the potential to positively influence the development of the two sites by first enacting a couple of strategic changes to the downtown. For the two RDA sites to flourish, the city must first understand the interplay between the two subject sites and the greater downtown area. The panel identified two key issues challenging downtown and investigated them further to determine the proper tools and techniques for managing each limitation.

Based on this analysis, the panelists found that both sites are close to jobs, services, and a Caltrain stop; thus, thoughtful development could catalyze further growth for the downtown. Both sites present a significant opportunity to create a lively and exciting hub for San Mateo that is consistent with the community’s vision, while providing needed housing at all income levels. With this in mind, the panel recommended a multifamily residential project with an emphasis on workforce housing and an office development with active ground floor uses that encourage activity and enhance the public realm.

Read the the full TAP report and recommendations
See the final TAP presentation
Find out more about ULI San Francisco Technical Assistance Panels (TAPs) Program