Quote:
Originally Posted by crzyabe
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It's been a challenge over the years to know exactly what is happening with the development of the Mercado and/or Mission Districts. For a bit of history:
The original Mercado District at Menlo Park (south of Congress and west of Avenida del Convento) was designed by urbanist architects Moule & Polyzoides in the early aughts, with about 100 residential lots to be built out by five different developers/builders. Those lots are about half built out at present, although a few of those original builders have left and sold their parcels to the ones who stayed.
The area between Avenida del Convento and the Santa Cruz River (to become known as the Mission District) was contracted out by the city to The Gadsden Company to be developed, with the following site plan eventually created in 2012:
(courtesy: The Gadsden Co.)
With many announced groundbreakings that never happened due to the recession and other factors, the city became frustrated and transferred title to those parcels to Rio Nuevo to hopefully get things moving. Since then, the streetcar has been finished, and RN has partnered with Gadsden to get the MSA Annex built, and is now building the Caterpillar offices just to the south, which has jump-started further interest in the area.
However, a new website for the Mercado District (apparently by The Gadsden Company)
https://mercadodistrict.com/, shows the former Mission District as now part of the Mercado District (perhaps just to keep things simple?):
(courtesy: Mercado District)
From the earlier posts, it now looks like Gadsden is partnering with Aerie development to build out parcels D & E of the Mission District as The Bautista, or Bautista Plaza--an apartment/retail complex also designed by Moule & Polyzoides (M&P). However, the new Mercado map only shows the project on Parcel E, rather than both D & E as shown by Aerie and M&P renderings. Also, Aerie refers to the project as being in the Mission District, while M&P erroneously refers to it on their website as in the "new neighborhood of Rio Nuevo."
Additionally, Cushman & Wakefield apparently has a listing for Parcel F (
http://www.suncorridorinc.com/SunCor...e.pdf?ext=.pdf) as a build-to-suit site for lease. The following map from their listing also shows Parcel B to be built out as the Menlo Park Commons--33k s.f. of retail with a 500-space parking garage--none of which is mentioned on the new Mercado map:
(courtesy: Sun Corridor)
Also, the name of this announced project with Aerie seems rather curious (The Baptist? Baptist Plaza?), as the Mission District was named in honor of the now demolished Catholic Mission San Agustin a few blocks south. (Maybe a reference to John the Baptist, or a part of local history I am unaware of? Hmmm....)
So, this long development story continues, but hopefully at a quicker pace going forward. However, as with most local developers, I'll believe a project is really happening when I see shovels in the ground.
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