Kiku Crossing and 5th Avenue Garage

Project Description

The City-Owned Downtown Affordable Housing and Parking Garage (aka Kiku Crossing and 5^th Avenue Garage) development project will provide 225 affordable residential units in a seven-story building located on 480 E. 4th Avenue, and a five-level, above ground parking garage located at 400 E. 5th Avenue. The parking garage will provide 164 spaces for the tenants of the multi-family building and 526 public spaces. The project site consists of two city-owned parcels which served as public parking lots with a total of 235 parking spaces.

Construction is currently underway with the parking garage expected to open in summer 2023 and the housing development expected to open in spring 2024. Visit MidPen's web page to learn about the affordable housing or sign up for their interested parties list to be notified of when applications will be accepted.

The project utilized provisions of Assembly Bill (AB) 1763, which allows for increased building height and density for housing developments located within a half-mile of a major transit stop and offering 100 percent of the total units to lower income households.

The project consists of two buildings located on two parcels:

A seven-story residential building (Kiku Crossing) comprised of 225 affordable rental units at 480 E. 4th Avenue.
A five-level, above-ground parking garage (5^th Avenue Garage) located at 400 E. 5th Avenue that will provide 164 spaces for the tenants of the multi-family building and 526 public spaces.
The City Council selected MidPen Housing Corporation through a competitive RFP process in April 2018, to develop these sites.

Project Update

In April, 2023, City officials toured the construction of the affordable housing building.
In mid-November, 2022, three large-scale murals were installed along the exterior of the parking garage as part of the project's public art requirements.
On March 17, 2022, a ground-breaking ceremony was held on the project site. The parking garage is expected to open in spring 2023 and the affordable housing building will open in 2024
On May 17, 2021, the City Council voted (5-0) to approve a Resolution for a SPAR Modification to Kiku Crossing, a multi-family residential development building located at 480 E. 4^th Avenue, and to the 5^th Avenue Garage, located at 400 E. 5^th Avenue (PA-2021-013).
On May 11, 2021, the Planning Commission recommended (3-0) to City Council adoption of a Resolution to approve the SPAR Modification (PA-2021-013).
On April 5, 2021 a Standard Voluntary Clean-Up Agreement with the Department of Toxic Substances Control was reviewed and approved by the City Council. This agreement governs the handling of contaminated soils on the residential site at 480 E. 4th Avenue.
On March 2, 2021, the applicant submitted a planning application (PA-2021-013) for a SPAR Modification to revise the design of the seven-story residential building. The proposed changes include a reduction in total floor area of approximately 23,000 sq. ft., pulling the building back further from the property lines along all four sides, redeveloping the roof deck amenity area (fitness room removed), alterations to the window configurations and finish material layout, minor increase to open space total, refined cornice design, and landscape adjustments including removal of one (1) street tree to accommodate a utilities and addition of five (5) onsite trees to the multi-family residential building and site. The project includes modifications to the exterior façade panels along the exterior façade of the garage, including removing one of four panels and ending the panel located near the stairwell and elevator along 5th Avenue at the second floor, and construction of walls behind the remaining panels.
On November 16, 2020, the City Council voted (5-0) to approve a Resolution for a SPAR Modification for 5^th Avenue Garage (PA-2020-055).
On November 10, 2020, the Planning Commission recommended (5-0) to the City Council adoption of a Resolution to approve the SPAR Modification (PA-2020-055).
On October 5, 2020, the applicant submitted a planning application (PA-2020-055) to modify the parking garage (5th Avenue Garage), located at 400 E. 5th Avenue. The proposed changes include modification of the garage’s structural framing system, alteration of the circulation layout, minor changes to the location of the driveway, utilization of a uniform universal stall program to replace all standard full-size and compact stalls, and minor corresponding changes to the exterior of the garage. The modifications do not affect the design of the multifamily residential building located at 480 E. 4th Avenue.
On August 17, 2020, the City Council recommended (5-0) approval of a resolution for the City-Owned Downtown Affordable Housing and Garage Sites project (PA-2019-033). The resolution included:

Meetings

City Council (Public Hearing): Meeting Materials - May 17, 2021
Planning Commission (Public Hearing): Meeting Materials - May 11, 2021
City Council (Public Hearing): Meeting Materials – November 16, 2020
Planning Commission (Public Hearing): Meeting Materials - November 10, 2020
City Council (Public Hearing): Public Notice - August 17, 2020
Planning Commission (Public Hearing): Meeting Materials - July 14, 2020
Planning Commission (Study Session): Meeting Materials – April 28, 2020
Neighborhood Meeting: Minutes Summary – February 24, 2020
Neighborhood Meeting: Presentation – February 24, 2020
City Council (Study Session): Meeting Materials and Video – February 3, 2020
City Council (Study Session): Meeting Materials and Video – November 18, 2019
Planning Commission (Study Session): Meeting Materials – April 23, 2019
Neighborhood Meeting: Minutes Summary – March 7, 2019
Neighborhood Meeting: Presentation – March 7, 2019

Application Information

Mollie Naber
MidPen Housing Corp.
303 Vintage Park Dr., Suite 250
Foster City, CA 94404
(650) 356-2996
mollie.naber@midpen-housing.org

City Contact Information

Wendy Lao, AICP
Associate Planner
(650)522-7219
wlao@cityofsanmateo.org