Alternative Sites
Better options for meeting our housing needs
It’s still early in the 2023–2031 Housing Element cycle. We have till 2031 to issue permits - the actual construction does not need to be completed during that period. We therefore have time to amend our Housing Element and add sites to it. (See our Housing Element Primer.)
Ever since the community learned of the plan to use the parking lots, many community called for the use of the Civic Center parking lots instead of the downtown parking lots. The list below includes other alternative sites as well.
Bohannon Industrial / Office Park
Size & Ownership: 24 acres | Private
Background: The owners of the northwestern portion of Bohannon Park have repeatedly told the City they want to redevelop the site for housing. In a December 6, 2022 letter, they wrote:
“…we also request that the City include the contiguous parcels located in Bohannon Park … which could be assembled and developed into a viable, multi-family village if the City creates the necessary densities, such as those established for the ConnectMenlo General Plan.”
Opportunity: Potential for a mixed-income neighborhood of hundreds of homes, adjacent to Marsh Manor shopping center, with direct freeway access and easy reach of Bayfront Park.
Note: The Housing Element does include some sites in Bohannaon Park, but not within the above area, which is the area the owner wants to redevelop.
SRI / Parkline
Size & Ownership: 62-acre campus | Private
Background: The Parkline project includes 800, of which 250 units will be affordable. This is significantly more housing that was originally counted on, and helps reduce the pressure to put housing in the parking lots.
Opportunity: The plan also calls for 713,000 sq. ft. of office space, plus another 287,000 sq. ft. which could potentially used for housing or commercial. That could be a significant amount of housing in addition the 800 units.
333 Burgess Drive (Corporation Yard)
Size & Ownership: 2.35 acres | City-owned
Background: Public Works operations yard adjacent to the SRI campus.
Opportunity: If Public Works operations are consolidated elsewhere, this site could deliver new housing right next to Burgess Park and the library.
Note: Venice did exactly this, converting their maintenance yard to housing
1283 Willow Road
Size & Ownership: 0.66 acres | City-owned
Background: Vacant parcel larger than Downtown Parking Lot 2 (0.56 acres). Belle Haven is identified in 2025 HCD data as at risk of displacement.
Opportunity: A small 100% affordable project here, with community input, could ease displacement pressures.
2400 Branner Drive
Size & Ownership: 2.9 acres | City-owned
Background: Located on Sand Hill Rd., across from Sharon Heights Shopping Center, this parcel contains a small park serving the Stanford Hills subdivision.
Opportunity: Reconfiguring the park northward and shortening Branner Dr. could free up 1.6 acres for housing while preserving park space. This site could provide housing for employees of Stanford University and Medical Center.
Civic Center
Size & Ownership: 13 acres (not including recreational or Gatehouse) | City-owned
Background: A large section of the Civic Center consists of surface parking and very old buildings. It’s across the street from the train station, and a short walk to downtown.
Opportunity: The space from the surface parking alone exceeds the space of downtown plazas 1 -3, providing a viable alternative. Furthermore, this could be seen as an opportunity to either move or redevelop the old library, children’s center, and/or administrative buildings - all centered around the beautiful duck pond.
Summary
Together, these sites provide ample capacity to absorb the 345 units currently slated for the downtown parking lots. And they would provide much better living environments for our new neighbors - rather than cramming them into the already congested downtown parking lots.