Vol 1 Edition 10
October 2022
Sequoia Station: A Transformational Opportunity
Welcome to Reimagining Sequoia Station, a newsletter highlighting the local and regional benefits the Sequoia Station mixed-use development project will help bring to life. This edition will provide an update on recent study sessions and important next steps for the Transit District and Sequoia Station.
Don’t forget to forward this email to your friends and neighbors too!
Sequoia Station’s Momentum Continues with AAC Hearing
The Architectural Advisory Committee provided constructive and supportive feedback to the design team at a special meeting last month after reviewing a series of design updates to the Sequoia Station proposal. The meeting was the first time the Sequoia Station team presented in front of the committee since the project’s introduction at a study session early this year.
At the September 22 hearing, the architectural team shared significant design updates directly addressing feedback we received at the previous meeting, most specifically around building detailing and ground floor design, as well as changes to the El Camino Real/Jefferson corner. Committee member John Stewart noted that the latest presentation showed a lot of improvement compared to the previous version.
The committee appreciated the refinements to the residential buildings to make them appear less commercial, as well as the revisions to the commercial buildings aimed at enhancing the visual variety throughout Sequoia Station. Committee member Niles Tankatsubo commended the team for its hard work addressing the committee’s previous comments and thoughtful design enhancements, above and beyond cosmetic building design changes.
The project design team will return for a formal recommendation on guideline deviations once the project application is deemed complete and is nearing final approval.
You can watch the special meeting here.
Affordable housing buildings on Block D appear less commercial thanks to window treatments and Juliette balconies.
The updated commercial buildings on Block F show more visual variety.
A Study Session on the Transit District Emphasizes Its Benefits
The Planning Commission recently held a study session to review key proposed amendments to the Downtown Precise Plan (DTPP) and the Transit District within it, as a follow-up to its joint study session held last spring. The proposed amendments included several updates to office and housing development capacity, vehicle and bicycle parking, and rooftop activities.
The meeting emphasized that city staff are working diligently and effectively to amend the DTPP to create a Transit District beneficial and responsive to the community. For example, the city proposed lowering office space within the Transit District from the originally proposed 1.63 million sq. ft. to 1.23 million sq. ft., while keeping the addition of 1,100 critically needed homes, to better balance jobs and housing in the proposed area. With a 20% affordable housing requirement, hundreds of affordable homes will be built directly adjacent to transit and services, adding quality affordable housing stock in Redwood City.
The proposed amendments in the DTPP are designed to promote public access and encourage non-driving modes of transportation, including reduced parking requirements, rail improvements through grade separation, and the expansion of the Redwood City Caltrain station from two to four tracks. Through both their presentation and in answering questions from the commission, city staff highlighted the focus on the upgrades to the Transit Center aimed at increasing connectivity and transit service safety. Protected bike lanes are just one example of how it will be easier and safer to access and experience the new Transit District.
You can watch the hearing here.
Save the Date
We hope you can join us at these important community meetings to support the Redwood City Transit District and the redevelopment of Sequoia Station.
Planning Commission Meeting
October 25, 2022
6:00 PM
Click here for the Zoom link and agenda
The Transit District Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) culminates over two years of work by city staff to solicit community input and create a shared vision for the future of Caltrain in downtown Redwood City and the region. The planning commission will hear community feedback and provide a recommendation to the city council. We encourage you to attend and make your voice heard!
Redwood City Council Meeting
November 28, 2022
Following the planning commission hearing this October, the city anticipates the City Council will vote on the SEIR and the Transit District amendments. This important meeting will be the final step in the city-led process, over two years in the making.
Come Say Hello!
Dia de los Muertos
November 6, 2022
4:00-9:00 PM
Courthouse Square
Visit the Sequoia Station project team at the 11th Annual Celebration of Day of the Dead in Courthouse Square. You will have a chance to provide input on the project’s public amenities while enjoying local music, dancers, artists, and family altars on display.
Finally, here is the Lowe project team – Jesse, Vy, Alan, and Paul – volunteering at a housing development for Habitat for Humanity in Pleasant Hill. The team had a full day of hard work (with some fun sprinkled in) for a great cause. If you or your organization would like to learn how you can help Habitat for Humanity with a project, please follow this link https://www.habitat.org/volunteer.
We Want to Hear From You
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
