BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
A San Francisco-based developer behind projects in Millbrae and Mountain View is proposing an up to 14-story office tower to replace Jones Mortuary in East Palo Alto.
Calvano Development has submitted paperwork with the city to develop the mortuary at 660 Donohoe St.
Calvano says in the paperwork that Charles Jones, the owner of the mortuary who died in August 2017, sold the property to them.
“Mr. Jones made a conscious decision to sell his property to a qualified Bay Area developer to assure his property would be redeveloped to the highest and best use,” says company president Mark Calvano’s letter to the planning department says.
On May 18, 2017, Jones sent a letter to the city’s economic development department authorizing Calvano Development to go forward with a project on the property.
Calvano has three proposals for the site:
• A 14-story, 183-foot building with 280,000 square feet of office space.
• An 11-story, 138-foot building with 180,000 square feet of office space.
• A five-story, 75-foot building with 90,000 square feet of office space.
In the letter, Calvano says the company intends to discuss the 14-story proposal because it “provides the greatest amount of community benefits to the city.”
The benefits menioned in the letter are: a transportation management plan, donations for water infrastructure, a contribution for public transit and sidewalk improvements.
The 14-story project will bring in $700,000 a year to city coffers, according to the proposal.
‘Rumors and vicious lies’? Not exactly
When the Post discovered on June 12 that the mortuary was slated for redevelopment, a reporter called the business to find out more.
“We’ve been here for 40-plus years serving the community. We wouldn’t sell out for pennies” a representative of the mortuary, Michael Mackie, said then.
He said the idea that mortuary would be redeveloped is just “rumors and vicious lies.”
Mackie said that when he and others at the mortuary hear about the property being redeveloped, they “just bust out laughing.”
According to the city’s list of proposed developments, the target approval date for the project is next summer, however, no meetings have been held regarding the project just yet.
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The 101 off ramp there is already maxed out with cars backing up onto the freeway for a mile or so in the afternoon commute. This will make it much worse. City council should vote no on this behemoth of a building.