The Menlo Park City Council voted unanimously Tuesday (Jan. 14) to proceed with the idea of developing three downtown parking lots into subsidized housing.
There is no plan in place for the lots, only the vague outline that one to three lots between Santa Cruz and Oak Grove avenues will be redeveloped into up to 483 apartments.
Council voted to issue a “Request for Qualifications” for developers who want to build on the lots between Oak Grove and Santa Cruz avenues. Developers will submit their ideas for the lots and the council will weigh in on them.
The developers’ proposals are expected to come back to council to review in the spring, said city Principal Planner Tom Smith.
The council opted not to declare the parking lots as surplus land, which would have made it easier for the city to hand off one of the parking lots to a developer.
The council heard from more than 130 people over four hours regarding the downtown parking lots. Many of those who spoke fell into one of two camps.
On one side is the group called Save Downtown Menlo Park, which opposes the conversion of parking lots into apartments. Among the group’s backers are many downtown merchants and landlords, including Ace Hardware owner Vasile Oros and business owner Alex Beltramo.
On the other side is Menlo Together, an advocacy group that often lobbies the council on issues such as housing and the environment. Among its leaders are former Housing Commissioner Karen Grove and former Complete Streets Commissioner Adina Levin.
This story will be updated.
The downtown vacancy rate is going to soar, and the place will become an empty ghost town. Good job, City Council. Who is going to lease a space on Santa Cruz Ave. now?