1960 Tate Street
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
650-853-3195

Four Seasons Hotel Construction Updates
Development Opportunities
Job and Contractor Opportunities
First Source Hiring

The City's Economic Development Department carries the following activities:

1. Redevelopment Activities:
Development projects within the redevelopment area are either initiated or coordinated through the City's Redevelopment Agency. The main functions of the Agency are to eliminate physical blight, expand the City's tax base, create and retain employment for local residents, and improve the City’s physical infrastructure.

2. Economic Development Activities:
The City's Economic Development Activities are focused to create a healthy and thriving business environment in East Palo Alto by expanding employment, procurement and small business opportunities for East Palo Alto residents and local businesses, as well as attracting needed goods and services.

REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

The City of East Palo Alto's Redevelopment Agency is a separate public legal entity from the City. However, it is governed by the five members of the City Council, with the Vice Mayor serving as Chair of the Agency, and the Mayor as the Vice-Chair.

Agency Members
Ruben Abrica, Chair
David Woods, Vice-Chair
Donna Rutherford, Member
Pat Foster, Member
Peter Evans, Member

The day-to-day administrative functions of the Agency are carried out by the following representatives:

Alvin James, City Manager & Redevelopment Executive Director
Carlos Martínez, Redevelopment Director
Karen Tiedemann, Agency Counsel (Goldfarb & Lipman)

Russell Averhart (Redevelopment Manager)
Marie McKenzie (Redevelopment Manager)
Raquel Medina (Redevelopment Project Coordinator)
Dennis P. Aguirre (Redevelopment Project Coordinator)
Leticia Garcia (Redevelopment Secretary)

The East Palo Alto Redevelopment Agency has established three (3) redevelopment project areas in the City:

A. University Circle, established in 1998

There are a total of twenty-two (22.8) acres of land in this area. This area was formerly referred to as "Whiskey Gulch", which consisted primarily of 2-3 story mixed-use retail/residential buildings. The area, while serving as the City's primary commercial hub, suffered from physically dilapidated buildings, high crime and drug activity, and the proliferation of liquor stores and bars. However, the area included 100-plus affordable residential units, twelve locally-serving non-profit agencies and home to the City's only full service supermarket.

Beginning in the Fall of 1999, University Circle, Inc. (U.C.I.), a developer, began the acquisition, relocation, demolition, and construction of three office towers and a full service hotel. More than 150 families, 40-plus businesses and twelve non-profit agencies were relocated or acquired in order to commence the development of the new project. Approximately 15-20 percent of the households relocated purchased homes elsewhere in the Bay Area. All non-profit agencies were successfully relocated throughout the City. Due to limited commercial space elsewhere, few businesses were able to secure retail space in the City.

The new University Circle development consists of three class A office towers totaling 450,000 square feet of office space, 15,000 square feet of retail space, with underground and surface parking in a landscaped master planned development. The site is also home to Four Seasons Hotel which broke ground in November of 2003. The Class A Office Development is home to several prestigious law firms, including: Bingham McCutchen LLP, Gray Cary and Dewey Ballantine. Greenberg Traurig. Other tenants include McGraw Hill Standard & Poor's, Wachovia Securities, Greater Bay Bank headquarters, California Ear Institute, Joseph B. Robertson, Jr. MD, Kasey Li, DDS, Let Them Hear Foundation and San Francisco Soup Company and Lulu's Petite, Inc. providing for on-site food services.

This development is easily accessible via Highway 101 and offers commuters an excellent work environment with access to the Dumbarton Bridge as well. Four Seasons Hotel, only the second in the Bay Area, will break ground in the Spring and open in early 2004.

The City of EPA is working collaboratively with U.C.I.'s Property Manager to maximize opportunities for local employment and contracting.

The assessed valuation of U.C.I. was $7.3 Million in 1988 when the Redevelopment Area was formed. The 2005 Assessed valuation is $125.2 Million.

For more information on this project area, please call:
Carlos Martinez, Redevelopment Director (650/853-3195)

For leasing opportunities, please call:
Skip Law (650/321-7321)

B. Gateway/101

This project area was formed in 1993. It consists of approximately 140 acres of residential and commercial development. A few sites, approximately 20 acres have not been fully developed yet.

Recent redevelopment activities have included:

1. Ravenswood 101 Retail Center

Is a 30-acre "Retail Home Entertainment, Improvement and Decor Center"; serving the residents of Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Los Altos, Atherton, Redwood City and East Palo Alto. It is anchored by Home Depot, EXPO Design Center and IKEA. Other retailers and restaurants include: Best Buy, The Good Guys, Office Depot, McDonalds, Taco Bell, California Bank & Trust, Starbucks Coffee and Togo's/Baskin Robbins.

This Center represents EPA's largest revenue generator bringing in more than $2.2 million in annual sales tax. Plus, more than 500 workers are employed in the Center, with 40 percent representing EPA residents.

Future development opportunities include:

2. Pad D:

20,000 square foot vacant pad situated South of Home Depot
Owner: EPA Redevelopment Agency
Status: Council will study development options in early 2004







3. Cummings Park Townhomes and Lofts

The site is 1.1 acres of primarily vacant land with a small structure on the site which has been acquired from Cummings Episcopal Church by the project developer, Hunter & Associates Development Ventures.

The developer is proposing to build a mixed use project consisting of 20,000 square feet of ground floor retail facing the retail center, and 34 one and two bedroom for sale housing units above, facing Clarke Avenue.

This 10.5 acre site is home to the Swedish Furniture Store; IKEA. The 389,000 square foot store generates a minimum of $1 million in annual sales tax, $800,000 in property tax; supports 400 new permanent jobs with medical/dental benefits available to both full and part time workers. IKEA is a great addition to the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center’s home decor and improvement format. Residents seeking to upgrade, remodel and purchase electronic goods are invited to come to IKEA East Palo Alto.

For further information, please call:
Carlos Martínez (650/853-3195)
Viviana Coriat, IKEA Community Relations Coordinator (650/324-2777)

5. University Square Housing Development

This 36-acre development site is built-out. The vast majority of area supports new single-family residences developed jointly by Signature Properties and Ponderosa Homes. A total of 217 new homes have been built with 22 designated as below market rate units. The development also includes a child-care center available to residents throughout the City and a new park - "Joel Davis Memorial Park".

The second development "Peninsula Park Apartments" was co-developed by BRIDGE Housing and EPACANDO; a local non-profit housing developer. The Agency contributed $10 million toward the development of 129 apartment units with sixty-five (65) reserved for very low and low-income households.

For further information, please call:
Charlotte Burton, Resident Manager (650/330-0299)
BRIDGE Property Management Co. (415/989-1111)

6. University Palms (Entitled)

Phase Four represents the last portion of the Gateway/101 Redevelopment Project Area. A developer acquired approximately 2.59 acres of this land and has already received entitlements to build approximately 208,124 gross square feet of mixed-use development comprising of 183,177 gross square feet of office space and 24,947 square feet of ground floor retail uses. The project will consist of two buildings situated at the intersection of University Avenue and Donohoe Street and Donohoe Street between Capital and Cooley Avenues. The developer is looking for an anchor tenant to initiate construction of the building.

It is important to note that Phase 4 extends from Donohoe Street to Bell Street and from University Avenue (east bound) to Cooley Avenue (west side of street only).

For more information on the proposed development, please call either:
Carlos Martinez, Redevelopment Director (650/853-3195)
Owen Byrd, Developer (650/833-0286)

The assessed valuation of Gateway 101, was $17.0 Million in 1993 when the Redevelopment Area was formed. The 2005 Assessed valuation is $291.6 Million.

C. Four Corners / Ravenswood Project Area

This Project Area was formed in 1990. It encompasses approximately 200 acres including both Four Corners (Bay/University Avenue) and the Ravenswood Business District (RBD). The Four Corners area is primarily characterized by a mixture of retail and residential uses. Future plans call for the addition of a mixed use, retail and residential development at the Northeast corner of Bay and University. The RBD current uses include a combination of light and heavy industrial companies, wrecking and storage yards, non-conforming residential uses and undeveloped parcels.

Currently an Engineering Report is underway; an Administrative Draft EIR is under review.
All interests in development should contact:
Russell Averhart, Economic Development Manager (650/853-3126)
Carlos Martinez, Redevelopment Director at (650/853-3195)

The City of East Palo Alto is actively engaged in several activities to revitalize the area including:

1. Improved Access: Bay Road Improvements
2. Infrastructure Improvements: An engineer’s Report completed to explore forming an assessment district
3. Program EIR: Admin. Draft under review
4. Amend General Plan and Zoning Ordinance

Currently, there are several vacant properties being considered for development, among them:
1. Neighborhood Commercial Center (Bay & University)
2. Wellington Development Corporation (North end of Demeter Street)

The assessed valuation of Ravenswood, was $36.7 Million in 1990 when the Redevelopment Area was formed. The 2005 Assessed valuation is $73.9 Million.

For more details on other sites contact:

Russell Averhart, Economic Development Manager (650/853-3126)
Carlos Martinez, Redevelopment Director at (650/853-3195)