The city of Palo Alto today (May 7) announced a deal with a developer who wanted to build towers reaching 17 stories on top of Mollie Stone’s Market on California Avenue.
Chris Freise of Redco Development has agreed to shrink his project to 14 stories, or 144 feet in height.
The development would also have two 12-story buildings, with Mollie Stone’s taking up two floors on the ground floor at 156 California Ave.
Palo Alto City Council will consider approving an agreement with Freise on May 18.
Friese had invoked the Builder’s Remedy, a provision in state law that requires cities to approve housing developments when they’re late on their housing plans.
His Builder’s Remedy proposal had a 17-story, 11-story and seven-story building with a total of 382 apartments.
Friese could revert to the Builder’s Remedy project if council rejects the agreement, which was negotiated with a committee led by Councilman Ed Lauing.
“The state’s Builder Remedy law provides authority to a developer for massive height and density without local control. But we asked Mike Stone and his developer to work with us to create a better project,” Lauing said in a statement. “Notably, the tower height is reduced by 30 feet and affordable housing remains a priority.”
When the Palo Alto City Council meets on May 18, I hope they will support these new homes next to the California Avenue CalTrain station. We need them!
Why so we need them? Companies are doing layoffs in the tens of thousands, cancelling their developments like Meta just did and pleading poverty so they can reduce the number of “affordable” housing units.
Time to renegotiate the RHNA / Housing Element numbers.
Great to lower one building from 17 to 14 stories, but the other two buildings get taller: 11 stories to 12 and 7 stories to 12. Developer has gained 3 stories. That’s not exactly “shrinking his project,” but the affordable units will shrink from 78 to 50. Developer skips environmental review and saves $1.7 million. Certainly a good deal for him!
Yup, good deal for the developer(s) and much less so for us and all the communities they’re destroying while doing less and less to provide “affordable” housing.
Early pitches for more housing and density advocated affordable housing and helping Grandma and the disabled son stay in their communities, but clearly that ship has sailed.
Now Granny is funding housing for couples making more than $400,000 — and more offices, more hotels, more gridlock, …
My hometown, with this project and town&country project, ruined.