Vol 1 Issue 2
DECEMBER 2021
Sequoia Station: A Transformational Sustainability Opportunity
Welcome to Reimagining Sequoia Station, a newsletter highlighting the many local and regional benefits the Sequoia Station mixed-use development project will help make possible. This edition focuses on the project’s sustainability benefits – and how redevelopment will help Redwood City and the region achieve its sustainability and climate action goals.
Don’t forget to forward this email to your friends and neighbors too!
In the News
Before we dive into this month’s newsletter, we’d like to share a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the Sequoia Station redevelopment. J.K. Dineen sat down with Alan Chamorro and Andrea Osgood to discuss this once-in-a-generation project.
Sequoia Station Advances Redwood City’s 2030 Climate Action Plan Goals
Redwood City’s Climate Action Plan is a detailed and strategic framework that provides a pathway to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related climate impacts. Reducing transportation emissions is a critical component of the Climate Action Plan, with key strategies including reduction of vehicle miles traveled, increased housing and jobs in transit corridors, increased walkability and bikeability, and decarbonization of transit.
The proposed redevelopment of Sequoia Station, a critical component of Redwood City’s Transit District planning effort, will create equitable and sustainable transit-oriented development in downtown Redwood City. The redevelopment incorporates Redwood City’s sustainability priorities, encouraging multi-modal transportation and the use of mass transit.
Key project elements that support Redwood City’s Climate Action Plan include:
Expanded Caltrain Will Take Cars Off Bay Area Roads & Reduce Emissions
The redevelopment of Sequoia Station will dedicate land for track expansion that will support an additional 180,0000 daily Caltrain passengers. The increased capacity is equivalent to a reduction of 110 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every day and takes nearly a million vehicle miles off Bay Area roads.
Micro-mobility Improvements & Connections to Downtown
The redevelopment of Sequoia Station will implement local bike and pedestrian improvements, including creation of protected bike lanes, dedicated bike parking and secure bike storage. Grade separations enabled by the project will knit together the downtown core, adjacent neighborhoods, and the El Camino Real corridor.
Highly Efficient, Climate Friendly Buildings to Reduce Water and Energy
Buildings will be designed using environmental best practices for water and energy use, including LEED, Fitwel, Well, Greenpoint Rated, and Living Building Challenge.
Housing & Jobs Centers Built Directly on Transit
Sequoia Station is a transformative transit-oriented development. By building employment centers and housing adjacent to mass transit, Redwood City can get more commuters out of cars and using SamTrans and Caltrain which will reduce greenhouse gasses. Additionally, the project will help Redwood City make meaningful strides toward its climate, sustainability and equity goals by providing land to Caltrain and access to mobility and economic opportunity to low-income residents.
Vibrant, Walkable Public Realm + Activated Retail
The elimination of car-centric surface parking will provide safe underground parking and will make way for the creation of open plazas and community spaces. The redevelopment utilizes bike and pedestrian forward designs and creates walkable streets along El Camino Real.
Sequoia Station Unlocks Redwood City’s El Camino Real Corridor Plan
The El Camino Real Corridor Plan is an opportunity to promote economic growth and success in Redwood City’s El Camino Real Corridor by supporting existing businesses and residents, improving the experience for the community, and encouraging investment along the Corridor that is responsive to the needs of all those who frequent the area. The redevelopment of Sequoia Station implements the El Camino Real Corridor Plan vision by addressing the plan’s four main topics:
Mobility
The redevelopment of Sequoia Station will deliver improved and protected bikes lanes and walkable streets along El Camino Real and eventually to downtown. The project also facilitates critical transportation upgrades, including expanded Caltrain service to encourage the use of mass transit.
Economic Vitality
Sequoia Station will bring modernized, neighborhood-serving retail, and safe underground parking. The new office space in the Downtown Core will bring more foot traffic to the area and increase the tax base to further support existing businesses and the economic vitality of Redwood City.
Housing & On-Site Childcare
A redeveloped Sequoia Station will provide 631 new homes, including 40% affordable on-site. Sequoia Station will also deliver approximately 10,000 SF of childcare to Downtown Redwood City.
Place-Making
The project will create modern activated retail and a new central plaza, vibrant community gathering spaces, and an artist grove.
Read Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Take on Transit-Oriented Developments
The Silicon Valley Bike Coalition (SVBC) recently published a blog highlighting the benefits of transit-oriented developments. Sequoia Station was used as an example of a transformational opportunity that will encourage use of transit and less car dependency, improve walk-ability and bike-ability, and strengthen connections and public places – getting people off the roads and onto bikes!
SPUR: The Bay Area Won’t Meet Its Goals Without a New Transit-Oriented Development Policy
SPUR recently released a white paper discussing why the need for a new regional transit-oriented housing policy, such as the one laid out in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Plan Bay Area 2050, is necessary in order for Bay Area cities to meet their ambitious Regional Housing Needs Assessment goals. It’s clear, projects like the Sequoia Station redevelopment, which helps Caltrain achieve its 2040 Business Plan, will be key to addressing the Bay Area’s sustainability and transportation goals.
Your Opinion Matters: Redwood City’s Transit District
Redwood City’s Transit District plans for shopping, jobs and housing with a new transit center for trains and buses in the heart of Downtown. The Sequoia Station redevelopment is a critical component of the Transit District planning and helps facilitate a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a regional transit hub by dedicating an expanded right-of-way to Caltrain for tracks, station amenities, and safer grade separations. The plan will also put hundreds of new homes and jobs directly on transit, reimagine neighborhood retail, and create a vibrant and walkable public realm that connects to Downtown.
Redwood City is seeking community input on the Transit District, an effort currently in the Planning and Environmental Phase. Please click below to take the survey. Thank you for your participation!
Community Events
Sequoia Station will provide important benefits to Redwood City, and collaboration with local leaders along with feedback from our community will remain key priorities throughout this public planning process. With each newsletter edition, we will highlight opportunities for community members to hear from the Sequoia Station project team, attend community events and participate in public hearings related to transportation and project planning.
Take the Link21 Transportation Survey
Link21 is a transportation project working to transform Northern California’s passenger rail network into a faster, more integrated system, providing safe, efficient, and affordable travel for everyone. Link21 is seeking input and information about when, where, and how residents use passenger rail in Northern California. Click here to take the survey and share your opinion.
Dia de los Muertos in Redwood City
The Sequoia Station project team had a great time meeting community members at this year’s Festival of Altars. Thank you to those who visited our booth and provided valuable feedback on the project.
Our team was also proud to sponsor this year’s ART on the Square Holiday Show and the 2021 Hometown Holidays Celebration.
We Want to Hear From You
On behalf of the Sequoia Station team, we wish you happy holidays and a healthy new year.
As a reminder, the our team is available to meet and provide project updates to interested community members. If you have any questions or would like to request a presentation from the project team, please email sequoiacentervision@gmail.com or visit sequoiacentervision.com.
Sincerely,
Alan Chamorro
Lowe
Andrea Osgood
Eden Housing
