Controversy Erupts Over Proposed Menlo Park Development
Photo Credit: Joseph Rabinovitsj
The lots upon which the proposed developments would be built. Edited.
A proposed development along El Camino Real has sparked a bitter debate pitting Stanford University and billionaire real-estate developer John Arrillaga against a group of Menlo Park citizens who claim the new project will greatly diminish the city citizens’ quality of life.
The proposal would place a new development consisting mainly of new housing and medical offices on five currently unused lots that once housed car dealerships. The current plan calls for five three-story buildings across eight acres and conforms to Menlo Park’s “El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan”, the city council’s vision for the future of the downtown area.
Arrillaga and Stanford argue that the development will revitalize its section of Menlo Park and bring welcome growth to the city. Many Menlo Park residents, however, have voiced serious concerns about some aspects of the project.
The group “Save Menlo” objects primarily to the increased traffic that could result from the development. Arrillaga and Stanford’s plan calls for parking space for over 1,000 cars. In addition to new residents, the development will bring a high volume of patients visiting the medical offices, Save Menlo claims. When combined with the existing traffic on El Camino, Save Menlo members say, this new traffic could be a danger to pedestrians and bicyclists trying to cross the street. Furthermore, many worry that drivers will cut through residential neighborhoods in an attempt to avoid congestion.
Other issues exist as well. Opponents have pointed out the incongruity of multi-story, modernist buildings across the street from existing single-story buildings in Downtown.
This potential shift in the character of the city has alarmed some residents.
“I feel personally…that we need to save all those things we hold dear,” said Save Menlo spokeswoman Perla Ni.
In order to go forward, the proposal must win the approval of the Menlo Park Planning Commission.
At a January 28th meeting of the commission, one Commissioner, Henry Riggs, seemed to agree with those who feel the new development would be out of character, remarking that, “this is not the architecture I expected from the guideline that it be harmonious with the neighborhood.”
Other members of the commission, however, cautioned that rejecting the proposal could be an overreach of authority and pointed out that the proposal meets the requirements of the Specific Plan. The Planning Commission is expected to vote on the proposal later this year.
As someone who lives in the area, I can honestly say I have no idea what the controversy is about. Save Menlo? Save what? For years now, that side of El Camino has consisted of empty car dealerships. These empty lots are not “harmonious with the neighborhood,” so why then is that a topic of discussion regarding the new development? And so what if there are more cars on the road? That seems a small price to pay for growth along the El Camino corridor.
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shoover Reply:
March 5th, 2013 at 10:13 pm
I agree, especially because the biggest addition would be a medical center, and not commercial businesses.
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I live a block from these old car dealerships so I frequently use this section of El Camino to walk, bike, and drive to school and other places. There is already enough traffic here so I agree with Save Menlo that putting in these new buildings would have a negative impact regarding traffic and safety. While I think that the lots should be used to create a more “harmonious” Menlo Park, it shouldn’t change the laid back environment of that area. I love that it’s not always too busy near this intersection and it would be a shame for the traffic to interfere with people who are trying to reach the places nearby (i.e. Safeway, Starbucks, Cook’s, etc.). Something should be done with the buildings, but it should be “congruous” with its surroundings: houses, small businesses, and one story buildings.
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“Laid back environment of the area”? The El Camino Real is a six-lane highway that runs the length of California. The shopping malls near the proposed development are home to businesses like Starbucks, Staples and Safeway, some of the largest corporations in America. The notion that the area is laid back or quaint is almost as ridiculous as Atherton’s long held belief that it is “rural” just because there are no paved sidewalks within the town. Yet, most of us can agree that having businesses like those is not a bad thing!
While I recognize that increased traffic is a concern, Maddie put it well when she wrote that it “seems a small price to pay for growth along the El Camino corridor.” I would be sorely disappointed in our public officials if they were declare traffic to be too big of an obstacle for a project with so many possible positive impacts to move forward. When the car dealerships went out of business, Menlo Park lost a massive source of tax revenue, which would surely be beneficial were it to return. Not only would the project bring in taxes once completed, but also as it is built the project would provide jobs for local workers. Isn’t economic growth what we’ve been asking for the last six years?
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There are homeless people living in the abandoned car dealerships. Need I say more? Let Arrillaga develop it.
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jpfau Reply:
March 19th, 2013 at 7:41 pm
that would mean depriving the homeless people of their homes, is that even possible? In any case I’m for homeless peoples rights.
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New buildings would be a welcome change from the empty car dealerships on the side of the road. It seems like a waste to leave the abandoned buildings as is. The new development could help revitalize the area and as for traffic concerns, if the Menlo Park envisions a new and improved downtown, increased traffic is likely to be inevitable.
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I agree that the traffic may be a hassle, however I don’t think that this should stop Menlo Park from developing both economically and with businesses. I agree with Tyler – this new building would create many job opportunities and continue the growth of Menlo Park, and if it’s a medical building it would also benefit our community and other communities around. Something should be done to reduce traffic, however stopping the growth of businesses that would replace abandoned warehouses and car dealerships along El Camino is not the answer.
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The dealerships are in a pretty traffic filled area already, so I imagine that adding more businesses there would make that worse, but it could also help if we could get some successful companies in there. I’m not sure a hospital there would be the best idea for the space (and don’t we already have a few hospitals very close by to that spot?), but I guess whatever happens happens. Though I kind of think that the likelyhood of those buildings being occupied is about as high as the old tanning building (yknow the one near applewood) being emptied and turned into something else.
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i understand concerns of traffic, but do agree that that lot should be revitalized. i share the sentiments of the “save menlo” group, but i think we would be helping the town to do something more constructive with that space
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i think that thats a really wierd place to put houses, and menlo park is a place for unique housing, not tikki-takki dovelopements
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I think that the space should definitely be renovated. As far as housing I think that is pushing it. The location is not at all idea for such, and could do alot better as maybe an area of work spaces. This area has truly been on such a standstill for far too long however.
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