An emerging plan to redevelop the Northgate mall complex in Terra Linda is garnering mixed reviews, with some San Rafael residents saying it needs to include more housing and others less. Adrian Rodriguez covers transportation, San Rafael and the Ross Valley for the Marin IJ. Slide 1 of 2. Walking and biking paths would be built throughout the property and new standalone retail stores and restaurants would be built along Las Gallinas Avenue. The popular clothing store Forever 21 is reportedly closing its location in Northgate Mall in San Rafael, California. Portions of the mall roof would be removed to return to the outdoor shopping experience before the center was closed in during the mid-1980s. Get hot deals, the inside scoop and special promotions all available through our exclusive profiles. We are taking community input and new trends in retail to transform Northgate into something special for San Rafael." The mall, which first became a premier shopping destination for Marin County when it opened in the 1960s, has had to adjust through 50 years of economic changes. The company plans to renovate the malls movie theater and expand it by 20,000 square feet. There are some significant changes to the project based on feedback that the applicant team received from the community, meaning the public, and decision-makers, the boards and commissions and staff, Mendez said. Time on Market. The first phase in 2025 includes the demolition of the former Sears store, the HomeGoods building and approximately 140,932 square feet of the mall. The Commissions focus is on land use matters (ie traffic, noise, parking, land use compatibility). At this point, the decision to pursue the project is for Costco/Northgate Mall to make and if they do, if and how they want propose the revise the plans. The project includes two construction phases. An additional 42 affordable apartments would be scattered throughout the remaining market-rate apartments in the second phase of the project. The project came under public scrutiny this week during a joint study session of the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board. so that it is closer in size to the existing Sears buildings and takes into consideration the lower scale of both the adjacent residential neighborhood and the existing Mall. No binding decisions are made as a result, Given the public interest in this project, the City has also suggested that the Planning Commission review the Conceptual Design Review application in order to weigh in on land use matters, (ie. Reduce the scale of the project (i.e., height, lot coverage, etc.) The Conceptual Review and Pre Application process have been completed and comments from city staff, the Design Review Board and Planning Commission and the public being forwarded to the applicant. San Rafael Join us for the next meeting of the Policing in our Community series: 3/8/2023, 6:00-8:00pm, Albert J. Boro Community Center at Pickleweed Park or Virtually. The Citys Design Review Board and Planning Commission will hold public hearings on any formal applications filed. A developer seeks to build 1,345 units of housing at Northgate Mall in San Rafael. Enough to shut down every resort. This Study Session is an opportunity for early Planning Commission and Design Review Board project feedback on land use and design and allows early opportunity for public input. The closure will also affect 90 employees who work at. The second phase calls for building two five-story apartment buildings with a combined 460 residences. A developer wants to convert Northgate Mall in San Rafael to an open-air shopping center, replacing some of the retail space with apartments. Northgate Mall Redevelopment Project - Northgate Town Center - San Rafael. The City'sPlanning Commission (PC) reviewed the preliminary application onTuesday, October 15, 2019andprovided the following comments: The DRB reviewed the conceptual design onTuesday, October 22, 2019. NOP - Notice of Preparation of a Draft EIR. NORTHGATE MALL - Northgate Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903; Request Photos or Floorplans. The current zoning for the mall property (General Commercial), allows gas stations in the zone, subject to a Conditional Use Permit. Costco and Merlone Geier (owner of Northgate Mall) have applied for a Conceptual Review/Pre Application to solicit preliminary feedback from the City and the public for a Costco at this location. The approximately 44.76-acre project site consists of the Northgate Mall, which is located within the San Rafael Town Center in the northern portion of the city. The traffic study will be reviewed by the Citys traffic engineer, along with a 3rd party traffic engineer hired by the City. Two years after the owner of Marin Countys only enclosed shopping mall announced plans to build the largest Costco in the United States a 180,000-square-foot store with 30 gas pumps that would have been dwarfed only by the chains outlets in Mexico and Japan the developer has decided to scrap the warehouse retailer in favor of a residential development with a new town center. RT @HowardWPenney: Restaurants with mall exposure are underperformers.. BJ's Restaurant in San Rafael's Northgate Mall to close, lay off 90 workers $CAKE $BJRI $RRGB . San Rafael (Northgate) 5800 Northgate Mall, Suite 51 San Rafael CA 94903 (415) 472-2265. Eliminate tall wall sections by Increasing articulation along all or portions of all elevations, particularly along the south and north elevations. The WARN letter indicated the employees are working remotely in locations throughout the Bay Area and other states. The proposed project would result in the redevelopment of the existing mall through demolition, renovation, and new construction with a mix of commercial and residential land uses. The owner of the Mall, Merlone Geier has indicated that housing is still an option that they will consider in the future. Heres where California reservoir levels stand after this weeks rains. The affected workers are represented by the Oakland office of Teamsters Local 70, the WARN notice stated. If the applicant decides to pursue the project, their next step would be to formally submit any required applications to the City for formal review. An estimated 333 jobs, including both tech and non-tech industries, are being lost in the Bay Area as a result of the most recent layoff decisions, a review of the WARN letters shows. This content is for decoration only skip decoration. Logan said the new buildings would blend into the Eichler aesthetic, with pitched roofs and simple, traditional materials such as metals, woods, glass and brick. Restaurant and department store hours may vary. The San Rafael City Council recently voted to lower the citys affordable housing requirement from 20% to 10% to spur construction during the pandemic. The company warned that the job cuts could occur throughout 2023, depending on demand for warehouse and shipping work at the Port of Oakland. The first is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 30 and the second for 6 p.m. on April 20. The neighbors would prefer a more open space, a mix of rental housing and condos rather than all rental and probably a bit less density than the developer is proposing, especially close to the single-family homes. While some voiced support for creating as many new housing units as possible, others worried about the projects scope and its water needs. The first work would involve demolishing the former Sears store, which has been temporarily used partly as an RH outlet store, and its related spaces to make way for 898 apartments. Major snowstorm might leave you stranded, New 101 express lanes opens in Bay Area. In addition, technical studies (i.e. We are thrilled that Merlone Geier Partners listened to the community and our little groups grassroots efforts, she said. Northgate San Rafael CA Hours: 2022 Holiday hours (Saturday, Sunday, Easter, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and today's opening /closing times. GSC Logistics is cutting 80 jobs, with layoffs scheduled to begin as soon as April 12. Costco and Northgate Mall are hosting a community open house on the Costco project. Logan said, We can offer a better and more diverse type of affordable housing in there. He said other housing will take 10 or 12 years, and affordable apartments will be built more quickly. That plan has faced active resistance from the community, including a petition drive with hundreds of signatures in opposition. The first, which Merlone Geier aims to begin in 2025, involves demolishing portions of the indoor mall, in addition to the former Sears building and the HomeGoods store, which would be relocated. 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Were certainly much happier with the larger town square and the a mixture of ownership townhomes in phase one.. We understand where the zoning and General Plan sit, but we feel that is the best way to make this site plan work, he said. Plan Set Submitted July 26, 2019 for Conceptual Design Review/Pre-Application. The BJ's location at Northgate Mall in San Rafael is set to permanently close April 12, the San Francisco Business Times reports. It is meant to allow an applicant to hear both public and City comments on a project before fully developing required plans and materials. The Thursday Marin Farmers Market is known as the local chef's market welcoming premier chefs from around the Bay Area seeking out the freshest ingredients of the season. The plan comes at a time when San Rafael will have to triple its housing production to comply with the state Regional Housing Needs Allocation numbers. We look forward to you joining us on Tuesday, September 14th at 7 p.m.! It is the only enclosed regional shopping center in Marin County. Rating: 2.7/5 (7 rates) Make a Review: Phone number: (415) 479-5956: State: California: Area/City: Join us for the next meeting of the Policing in our Community series: 3/8/2023, 6:00-8:00pm, Albert J. Boro Community Center at Pickleweed Park or Virtually. Minted, an online marketplace and platform for independent artists and designers, is cutting six jobs at a Hayward manufacturing plant that will be closed down. The new cinema would reach 65,000 square feet and include an IMAX theater. Northgate Mallis a shopping mall located in the Terra Lindaneighborhood of San Rafael, California, 15 miles (24 km) north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Merlone Geier has donated a 2-acre section of the lot to San Rafael-based EAH Housing to develop 96 affordable apartments with onsite resident support services, including summer and after-school programs and adult programs. Architectural rendering of some of the 898 apartments and grocery retail that . Posted on September 16, 2019. The developers have also decided to offer 85 three-story townhomes for sale in the first phase. The mall would shrink from about 750,000 square feet of retail to about 250,000, while 1.5 million square feet of housing would be added. Merlone Geier hopes to revitalize the mall by building housing on the site, said David Geiser, the companys managing director. No upcoming events. The city staff has 30 days to review the plans to determine whether additional information or revisions are needed, Mendez said. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256. Northgate Station (formerly Northgate Mall) is an enclosed shopping mall in Seattle, Washington, United States.It is located in the Northgate neighborhood on Interstate 5, adjacent to Northgate Way and Northgate station, a light rail station. 0. View Dining Options The closure will also affect 90 employees who work at the restaurant. . . Some commenters, like Terra Linda resident Claire Halenbeck, said they want the central plaza to be built sooner than 2040. It was managed by The Macerich Companyuntil 2017 and is now managed by Merlone Geier Partners. Retail as an enclosed mall is dead, Logan said. Leslie Mendez, a city planning official, said the project will be referred to the countys water and sanitation districts first. SFGATE reached out to BJs for comments but did not hear back by publication. Apparently, this location is now on private property with no public access. This news comes as a surprise to many, as Forever 21 has been a staple in the Northgate Mall community. J.K. Dineen covers housing and real estate development. Geraghty said that the mall was a regional attraction when it opened in the 1960s, at a time when malls were a novelty and a destination. Address and locations: 5800 Northgate Mall, San Rafael, California - CA 94903. Logan added that parking for residents is a major issue. The site is designated as mixed use in the 2040 General Plan. But they'll cost you, Fight at high school basketball game in S.F. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Why not consider housing in this location instead? The current standard used for evaluating significance of traffic impacts is Level of Service (LOS) standards, which is the seconds of delay at signalized intersections. Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction and real estate. The layoffs were expected to be permanent, although the company said its possible that some affected workers could be recalled to their jobs in order of seniority, depending on the demand for work at the port. The first phase also calls for building four apartment buildings on the southern and eastern edges of the property with a combined 896 residences. reports on traffic, air quality, etc) required for formal submittal are not submitted during conceptual review. Consider that separate but equal doesnt really work with affordable housing, she said. It was managed by The Macerich Company until 2017 and is now managed by Merlone Geier Partners. It looked at the benefits of holding on to Costco versus seeking a more residential-focused project with a gathering place for the neighborhood a specialty grocer or food hall and a new expanded movie theater. Geraghty said her group still has concerns about height and density, and whether the green space is large enough for such a big project. The approximately 44.76-acre project site consists of the Northgate Mall, which is located within the San Rafael Town Center in the northern portion of the city. In North Hollywood, the Noho West center has residential next to office and retail spaces. Northgate 5800 Northgate Mall San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 479-5956. Those days are gone, but with a walkable mix of shopping, plazas, entertainment and housing, it could once again be a draw. Ft. 225100, Acres 44.76, Employees 1), Aesthetics, Air Quality, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Copyright (415) 499-5200. Early last month, Bloomberg reported that Bay Area-based Impossible Foods planned to lay off 20% of its staff. He has since expanded his focus to explore housing and development issues throughout Northern California. START SAVING TODAY GATHER ENJOY INDULGE DINING RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT Open for dine-in, takeout and delivery We're here when and where you need us. Housing really becomes the critical piece in Northgates evolution in that amenities will be close by. The layoffs are due to occur on April 17. Specific details behind BJs decision to shutter its Northgate Mall restaurant are unclear. For more than an hour, community members got the chance to describe their concerns about the project. The recent spate of storms lifted the statewide snowpack to 190% of average for the start of the month, and more snow is on the way. He has a degree from Walla Walla University. The new submission does not propose more residences than before, so it should not affect the environmental review of the project, she said. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. But they long-term leaseholds and no intention of their going away. The current zoning for the property does allow housing, in addition to commercial development. Improve the pedestrian circulation around the project and connecting to the Mall by relocating or eliminating the fuel station element, and converting the proposed new driveway between the project and Mall to pedestrian only. Andy Neff, a representative for Merlone Geier, confirmed that. The housing component would include 911 homes in six apartment buildings no more than five stories tall. Tenants. We are definitely pro-housing, she said. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The project site is located west of US Highway 101 (US 101), in the City of San Rafael, Marin County. Were very glad to see that all residential units will be 100% electrical, said Bill Carney, chairman of Sustainable San Rafael. The proposal includes 1,402 public parking spaces and 2,233 residential parking spaces, including garages for townhomes. He joined The Chronicle in 2014 covering San Francisco land use politics for the City Hall team. At the time of submittal of formal applications, the City requires a complete traffic study to be prepared by a licensed traffic engineer. The second phase has a much longer time frame tentatively circa 2040 and includes up to 460 more apartments plus revamped retail spaces and more open areas. Join us for the next meeting of the Policing in our Community series: 3/8/2023, 6:00-8:00pm, Albert J. Boro Community Center at Pickleweed Park or Virtually. Is government-run social housing the solution to the Bay Areas affordability crisis? Artist's rendering for proposed development at Northgate Mall shows shops and residential building. Northgate Mall 124 reviews Claimed $$ Shopping Centers Closed 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Hours updated 2 months ago See hours See all 162 photos Write a review Add photo Save Location & Hours Suggest an edit 5800 Northgate Mall San Rafael, CA 94903 Get directions You Might Also Consider Sponsored Jewelry Art Center 51 17.8 miles away from Northgate Mall It's the largest of three shopping centers in San Rafael called Northgate. The job cuts occurred on Feb. 17. 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The company said it is offering transfers to all employees if they wish to work at another location. It would include the demolition of the Macys and Kohls stores, the installation of a town square plaza and the addition of 409 residences and more retail space. Need project to better respect the design and character ofsurroundingarea. In addition, the Conceptual Design Review is a process required by the City for major projects to have preliminary design level plans reviewed by the Citys Design Review Board (DRB) before they are developed too far. The redesigned town square would be approximately 50,000 square feet with space for gatherings, outdoor concerts and movies, and a flex space for special events. Among the announced layoffs was BJ's Restaurants, which said it would close the San Rafael location at Northgate mall on April 12. She also hoped that a grocery store would be included, and that there would be more integration of affordable residences throughout the complex. If done right, it could be an attraction not just for the neighbors but all of Marin, she said. Since the announcement last spring that Northgate could become housing mixed with retail, there have been about two dozen meetings with various stakeholders. For major projects, the City requires the submittal of a Conceptual Design Review as a first step to allow the public and the Citys Design Review Board an opportunity to provide early comments on a preliminary plan/concept.