The San Carlos City Council has given the green light to a five-story life sciences project planned for 789 Old County Road, signaling a significant addition to the city's Eastside Innovation District Vision Plan. Designed by Pickard Chilton and DES Architects & Engineers, the development will encompass two commercial R&D buildings covering roughly 326,640 square feet in total and an eight-story parking garage with the capacity for 694 cars and 104 bicycles, as reported by SF YIMBY. The first building will stand four stories tall reaching 69 feet, while the second will be a five-story structure at 85 feet, anchoring the corner lot at Old County Road and Bransten Road, less than a half-mile stroll from the San Carlos Caltrain Station.
Local officials have expressed optimism about the project's potential to drive new revenue to San Carlos and its fit within the broader development context that has seen the industrial eastside area's development queue bulge with proposals in recent years; however, Mayor Sara McDowell highlighted the need for thoughtful integration, saying, “It is a tricky area of town where residential is going to be abutting really large developments and construction is going to be really impactful so I would like to see us try to reduce that impact as much as possible,” as she told the San Mateo Daily Journal. With concerns over building height and the disruption caused by construction noise brought forth by nearby residents, the proposed plan includes shorter buildings and increased on-site greenery to address these issues.
While the estimated cost of construction remains under wraps, this bold venture by the Minkoff Group is slated to not only add to the city's architectural landscape but also contribute $4.2 million in fiscal contributions including upgrades to Old County Road, a new traffic light at the intersection with Bransten Road, and around $11.6 million in impact fees, according to San Mateo Daily Journal. Additionally, amenities in the plan include a $30,000 fund for tree planting and public access to an open space plaza sandwiched between the two buildings, aimed at creating an environment conducive to innovation and community well-being.
