Project Description

This project, also known as "Bespoke," is a mixed-use development located on the block bounded by East 4th and 5th Avenues, South B Street and Railroad Avenue, and includes City owned parking lot parcels on 4th Avenue and the former Talbot’s Toy Store site. The proposed includes:

• A seven-story 71-unit 100% affordable housing building, 
• A five-story 156,000 sq-ft retail and office building, 
• 128 parking spaces on-site in an underground parking garage (of which 38 would be for residents' use),
• A combination of at grade open space and roof top common areas, and 
• Improvements in the public right-of-way area along all four street frontages.

It should be noted that this project is a public-private partnership that includes the City as a property owner (for a portion of the project site) and a team of three partner developers (Alta Housing, a non-profit housing developer, Harvest Properties, and Prometheus). The development team was selected through a competitive process with multiple City Council public meetings.

Project Update

The Pre-Application review process, which included a neighborhood meeting  on September 1, 2022 and a Planning Commission Study Session on October 11, 2022, has been completed. See Meetings section below for more info. 

The applicant filed the formal application on February 24, 2023. The application is currently under review with City departments. Technical studies are in progress including air quality, noise and traffic.

Development Impact Fees
This project may be subject to payment of the following impact fees and in-lieu fees. 

• Commercial Linkage Fee
• Child Care Development Fee
• Landscape Unit In-Lieu Fee
• Park Impact Fee
• Sanitary Sewer Connection Charge
• School Impact Fees
• Transportation Improvement Fee
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase II Impact Fee

 Related Documents

• Project Plans - October 16, 2023
• Project Plans – February 24, 2023
• Pre-Application Project Plans  – October 5, 2022

 Meetings

• City Council Study Session (term sheet) – May 15, 2023 Meeting Materials and Video
• Planning Commission Study Session - October 11, 2022 Meeting Materials and Video
• Neighborhood Meeting: September 1, 2022 Meeting Summary 

 Applicant Information

Preston O’Connell
DTSM Talbots Ventures, LLC
180 Grand Avenue, Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 466-1485
poconnell@harvestproperties.com

 City Contact Information

Rendell Bustos
Senior Planner
(650) 522-7211
rbustos@cityofsanmateo.org