Reimagine Hillsdale
Earlier this month, the owners of the Hillsdale Shopping Center submitted preliminary plans to the City for the site’s redevelopment, which includes demolition of the inside mall (the “South Block”), while adding a mix of commercial buildings, retail and 1,392 new housing units. These plans will take many years to complete, and come after 6 years of planning and community discussion, as well as the continuing downturn of in-person shopping.
The high level outline of the plans includes two rows of 3-story town homes along the “neighborhood side” (Edison Street), rising to 5- to 8-story apartment buildings in the center, reaching down to the block where Barnes and Noble currently is. There will be retail/restaurants/services on the ground floors. A large, open green space and community gathering place in the center will connect to the “North Block,” where the movie theater, bowling alley, etc. will remain unchanged. 8 to 10-story commercial buildings will be constructed along El Camino and the entrance to Hillsdale will be redesigned to be more open to the area. The plan is designed to integrate where people live, work and enjoy their free time. The City’s goal is to ensure that Hillsdale remains a vibrant community and economic center for San Mateo. We will partner with Hillsdale and our neighbors to do so.
There will be more community discussion about this important project, so I ask you to stay up to date. You can read the San Mateo Daily Journal article about “Reimagine Hillsdale” and monitor the “What’s Happening In Development” page on the City’s website. The specific Hillsdale page is https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4856/Hillsdale-Mall-Redevelopment.
You also can subscribe to the City’s Bi-Weekly “What’s Happening In Development” enewsletter to stay updated on all San Mateo land use developments (as well as many other timely topics).
Alameda/Parrott Intersection
Several neighborhood meetings have been held (most recently in August 2024) about the Alameda/Parrott intersection and how to improve pedestrian safety. The proposed plan eliminated the “dog leg” turns at the intersection and used white safety poles to force full stops at the traffic light. After final review of a neighborhood survey, the plan was recently approved by City staff. The white poles will be replaced with reflective “buttons” and the areas cordoned off will be covered with green painted pavement.
The plan is to complete construction before the end of Summer 2025. Those who participated in the mail-in survey will receive another mailer with this update, and Nextdoor updates also will share the plan.
If you participated in the original mailed survey, you will receive another mailer out to those same addresses. To reach out to additional neighborhood residents, staff will post a neighborhood update about the project using NextDoor. The full history of the project can be found at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/3129/Baywood.
Par 3 Restaurant and Poplar Creek Public Golf Course
As many of you may know, the Par 3 Restaurant adjacent to the Poplar Creek Gold Course has been shut down for several months for extensive unplanned repairs. But the golf course remains open, and continues to be very popular.
During the repairs, portable toilets have been brought in and a Sam’s Chowder food truck is available to take care of those hungry appetites built up over 9 holes! Why drive all the way to the coast for some of Sam’s famous chowder or lobster rolls when you can get them right here in San Mateo? You can reserve your tee time at 650.522-GOLF (4653).
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