Live verbal commenting will be available during the session. Need project to better respect the design and character ofsurroundingarea. Cookie Notice There are already multiple gas stations near Northgate, can we stop Costco from opening a gas station at this location? Restaurant and department store hours may vary. Slide 1 of 2. Northgate Mallis a shopping mall located in the Terra Lindaneighborhood of San Rafael, California, 15 miles (24 km) north of the Golden Gate Bridge. The layoffs are due to occur on April 17. . Youre walking, not driving, out of your residence to shop or catch a movie or grab a cup of coffee or dinner with friends.. It's the largest of three shopping centers in San Rafael called Northgate. What applications have been filed and how/when will those be reviewed? Reduce the scale of the project (i.e., height, lot coverage, etc.) A developer seeks to build 1,345 units of housing at Northgate Mall in San Rafael. It was managed by The Macerich Companyuntil 2017 and is now managed by Merlone Geier Partners. NORTHGATE MALL - 154 Photos & 120 Reviews - Shopping Centers - 5800 Northgate Mall, San Rafael, CA - Phone Number - Yelp Northgate Mall 120 reviews Claimed $$ Shopping Centers Closed 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM See 160 photos Town Center Corte Madera Frequently Asked Questions about Northgate Mall How is Northgate Mall rated? Its the way we things evolving in the future.. On July 26, 2019, Costco filed a Pre Application and Conceptual Design Review application with the City of San Rafael. The WARN letter indicated the employees are working remotely in locations throughout the Bay Area and other states. Start my search; . The proposal also calls for 2-3 levels of rooftop parking on top of the proposed Costco warehouse. Mon - Sat: 11A - 7P. 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. The Pre Application and Conceptual review processes were completed in October 2019 and no further City action will occur on this project. The city staff has 30 days to review the plans to determine whether additional information or revisions are needed, Mendez said. We see some things we dont like so much and were looking forward to continuing to work with them., Smith said he likes that Merlone Geier incorporated housing into the plan, but the number of proposed residences seems like a lot.. Architectural rendering of some of the 898 apartments and grocery retail that . The plan calls for the mall movie theater to be renovated and expanded to include an Imax theater. The proposed project would be developed in two phases, and at full buildout is currently proposed to include a total of approximately 225,100 square feet of commercial uses and up to 1,443 residential units, of which 10 percent would be restricted to a minimum of low-income households. This content is for decoration only skip decoration. That drove the decision to reconsider its use for housing as well as retail. (Provided by Merlone Geier Partners), The Northgate shopping mall in San Rafael, Calif. on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Vegetation on the site consists of ornamental landscaping, including landscaped strips along the boundaries of the site that contain street trees and shrubs, planters with trees within the surface parking lot, and some mature trees located adjacent to the existing buildings. Grace Geraghty, executive director of the nonprofit Responsible Growth Marin, said she participated in a preview of the revision in a session organized by Merlone Geier. Phase 2 (also referred to as the 2040 Vision Plan) would generally include the demolition of the Macys and Kohls buildings and the construction of 430 residential units. Geraghty said her group still has concerns about height and density, and whether the green space is large enough for such a big project. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal), The former Sears store at Northgate Mall is seen in San Rafael on Thursday, March 11, 2021. Proposed plans have been introduced to transform the Northgate Mall into a mixed-use space of housing, retail, and entertainment. The traffic study will be reviewed by the Citys traffic engineer, along with a 3rd party traffic engineer hired by the City. We think housing in these kind of (malls) help bring a synergy that the mall by itself doesnt bring anymore, Logan said. 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 . We have been looking at ways to get more housing built faster in order to comply with the tall order given to us by the state, Jensen said. The closure will also affect 90 employees who work at the restaurant. We look forward to you joining us on Tuesday, September 14th at 7 p.m.! 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. Open Menu Close Menu. Leslie Mendez, a city planning official, said the project will be referred to the countys water and sanitation districts first. The second phase also calls for building two five-story apartment buildings with a combined 460 residences. He also writes the weekly business column Movers & Shakers, which appears in Friday's paper. The housing component would include 911 homes in six apartment buildings no more than five stories tall. Northgate 5800 Northgate Mall San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 479-5956. in English from UC Berkeley. The job cuts took place on Feb. 17. in journalism from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and earned a B.A. 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. Retail. This content is for decoration only skip decoration. Also envisioned for the first phase would be the transformation of the Century movie complex, including for IMAX features. The proposal includes 1,402 public parking spaces and 2,233 residential parking spaces, including garages for townhomes. Shops & Services. It's the largest of three shopping centers in San Rafael called Northgate. Northgate will offer all-new shopping offerings from boutique to national brands with a transition to an all-outdoor shopping, dining, entertainment and lifestyle destination, with walking paths and gathering spaces connecting all areas. 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. 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. The Mall ownership has not proposed housing at this time. In North Hollywood, the Noho West center has residential next to office and retail spaces. Please see the City Public Meetings Page for meeting minutes and staff reports. ion. Merlone Geier Partners, a real estate investment firm based in San Francisco, is seeking to build 1,320 new residences on the 45-acre site in Terra Linda. noise, traffic, parking, appropriateness and compatibility) before the project is further developed. Location. At this point, a Major Design Review Permit, Master Use Permit amendment and Sign Program amendment would be required. The mall, which originally opened in 1965, is generally oriented on a north-south axis, with the main building located in the center of the project site surrounded by surface parking and standalone buildings and structures. Among the announced layoffs was BJ's Restaurants, which said it would close the San Rafael location at Northgate mall on April 12. What: Costco San Rafael - Community Open Houses When: Open House #1 - Wednesday, Sept. 25; 4:00 to 7:00pm Open House #2 - Thursday, Sept. 26; 5:00 to 8:00pm Where: Northgate Mall - Eastern Common Area (Entrance Next to H&M) 5800. He has since expanded his focus to explore housing and development issues throughout Northern California. 13 Retail spaces for lease or rent at Northgate Dr & Las Gallinas Ave, San Rafael, CA 94903. 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 residents vet Northgate mall housing, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), San Rafael residents vet Northgate mall housing plan, Marin Municipal Water District selects strategy for new water supplies, Marin company proposes housing projects in South Bay, Rain and cold return to Marin County this weekend, Marin education panel opposes Novato charter school, Marin DA's office hit with racial discrimination claims, Drought is now over in more than half of California, including the Bay Area, feds say, Former San Quentin guard sentenced for cellphone smuggling, Novato City Council approves theater sale agreement, San Rafael workplace murder suspect convicted, Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom, California extends Bay Area tax deadlines to match IRS, Novato police arrest burglary suspect after scuffle, San Rafael still lagging on prior housing quota, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The project came under public scrutiny this week during a joint study session of the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board. Hanson previously covered city government politics, homelessness and housing and environmental issues at the Chico Enterprise-Record. While the details may change with community and city input, the propertys future has been guided by lessons from the challenges for malls in recent years and the constraints of the pandemic in the past 12 months. Rating: 2.7/5 (7 rates) Make a Review: Phone number: (415) 479-5956: State: California: Area/City: Share your opinion with users and insert mall rating and reviews for Northgate. Time on Market. The San Rafael City Council recently voted to lower the citys affordable housing requirement from 20% to 10% to spur construction during the pandemic. Were certainly much happier with the larger town square and the a mixture of ownership townhomes in phase one.. Specialties: With its scenic splendor, unique cultural attractions and events, and close proximity to San Francisco, Marin County is both a "must-see" West Coast destination and a renowned bedroom community for the Bay Area's most affluent residents. Thats what the retailers want these days, is exterior access, said Stephen Logan, vice president for development in Merlone Geiers San Diego office. The developers have also decided to offer 85 three-story townhomes for sale in the first phase. The second phase calls for building two five-story apartment buildings with a combined 460 residences. Wife of missing Bay Area radio host says Jeffrey Vandergrift will not Last chance to see: Bay Bridge lights turn off on Sunday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein is hospitalized in San Francisco with shingles, California extends deadline to file 2022 income taxes to match IRS decision, Going to Tahoe this weekend? More information on the project is atcityofsanrafael.org/northgate-town-square. San Rafael's Northgate Mall makeover vision includes nearly 1,400 apartments, smaller tenant spaces. Between the first and second phase of the project, the mall would lose 509,000 square feet of commercial space, with 246,677 square feet remaining. 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. 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 The new proposal, on the other hand, includes many elements residents want: housing, community gathering spaces and an improved theater. Ninety jobs are affected. The project calls for 96 affordable residences along with structure and surface parking. Some commenters, like Terra Linda resident Claire Halenbeck, said they want the central plaza to be built sooner than 2040. BJ's Restaurant is cutting 90 jobs due to its decision to permanently close its restaurant in San Rafael's Northgate Mall on April 12. 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. Northgate Mall has 2.5 stars. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. The BJ's location at Northgate Mall in San Rafael is set to permanently close. According to its website it's one of the. People cant find the housing they need, and they cant afford it, either, if they find it, she said. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The Chico State graduate is passionate about being outdoors, cooking, creative writing and community-focused journalism and resilience. Logan added that parking for residents is a major issue. and our We are just not sure the infrastructure traffic, sewer, schools can handle that much density.. Map Unavailable Upcoming Events; No events in this location; Helpful; Share. 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.. Hours Sun: 12P - 6P. Early last month, Bloomberg reported that Bay Area-based Impossible Foods planned to lay off 20% of its staff. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256. Many details still need to be worked out, Geraghty said. 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Grace Geraghty, co-founder and longtime North San Rafael resident, said Costco had been very unpopular because of fear that it would clog the streets with cars and hurt air quality in the area. For more information Click HERE. On Tuesday, September 14th at 7 p.m. there will be aJoint Planning Commission and Design Review Board Study Session on the Citys YouTube Channel. (415) 499-5200. The Board will identify relevant issues and significant concerns, and provide comments on the appropriateness of the conceptual design and its compliance with design review criteria and guidelines. It involves demolishing 645,312 square feet of commercial space, including the buildings that house Macys and Kohls if those businesses decide to end their leases at the mall. Submittal of formal applications would include more detailed, plans and all require technical studies. Susana Guerrero is a reporter for SFGATE covering the Bay Area's food scene. They would replace the originally planned 309 apartments that would have been on the southern parcel. (Provided by City of San Rafael), Artist's rendering for proposed development at Northgate Mall shows a residential parcel along Northgate Drive. Current major tenants within the mall include Century Theatre, Macys, Kohls, Rite Aid, and HomeGoods. For more information Click. Posted on September 16, 2019. Conceptual Design Review is meant to provide an informal critique and evaluation of a projects basic design approach. Exclusive: Stunning photos show Yosemite National Park under 15 feet of Warriors treating Andrew Wiggins with understandable patience, but his Map shows stunning improvement in California drought, Map shows which parts of California exceeded entire years worth of rain. The draft environmental impact report is expected to be scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing in August. It was managed by The Macerich Company until 2017 and is now managed by Merlone Geier Partners. Artist's rendering for proposed development at Northgate Mall shows shops and residential building. . Susan Coleman of Responsible Growth in Marin asked the developer to disperse affordable units equitably. Some would include retail stores on the ground floor. She's a Bay Area native. Were very glad to see that all residential units will be 100% electrical, said Bill Carney, chairman of Sustainable San Rafael. 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We dont build enough housing, including affordable housing., Ruth Jaeger, a member of the affordable housing team for the Marin Organizing Committee, called the project critical for creating workforce affordable housing, which is desperately needed for the essential workers in our community., This need is great throughout Marin County, not just in northern Marin, she said. Project is solely designed for car access and needs to pay attention to pedestrians, Ensure that traffic study is comprehensive and extends to greater are than just around mall. . SFGATE also reached out to Northgate Mall to learn what business could take over BJs forthcoming vacant space but did not hear back. Northgate is the only enclosed regional mall and the largest family oriented shopping destination in Marin County. Thats if Kohls and Macys go away, Logan said. 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. The first is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 30 and the second for 6 p.m. on April 20. The affected workers are represented by the Oakland office of Teamsters Local 70, the WARN notice stated. Square feet. This is not a city-sponsored project, therefore the City does not decide where to propose new projects. 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. Northgate Mall is a shopping mall located in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael, California, 15 miles (24 km) north of the Golden Gate Bridge.It's the largest of three shopping centers in San Rafael called Northgate. Closed - Opens at 10:00 AM Saturday. In its place, Costco is proposing to build a new 146,958 sq ft Costco Warehouse Center, including a 141,773 sq ft warehouse, 5,185 sq ft attached tire center, along with a detached fueling station. Jessuina Prez-Tern of the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative said the project must move forward to help San Rafael approach goals for housing. Enough to shut down every resort. 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. The six apartment buildings would add 1,464,000 square feet of residential space. Three of the buildings would be five stories tall and a fourth would be four stories. Get hot deals, the inside scoop and special promotions all available through our exclusive profiles. The revised plans, which were submitted Monday, are under review, said Leslie Mendez, the citys planning manager. The project would be surrounded by stores, restaurants and a remodeled IMAX Century Theater. A severe decrease in our warehouse operations prompted GSC Logistics undergo a reduction in its workforce, Frank Del Gaizo, a senior director in human resources, wrote in a letter to the companys warehouse workers in Oakland that GSC provided to the state EDD. Costco and Northgate Mall are hosting a community open house on the Costco project. The closure comes as Bay Area tech companies grapple with massive layoffs, which have also rattled businesses in the food industry. View Dining Options The company is proposing two project phases: the construction of 907 residences starting in 2025, followed by 413 homes beginning in 2040. The current plan calls for San Rafael to produce 3,200 housing units during the next eight-year cycle, more than three times the 1,000 units the city was required to build in the previous cycle. With malls struggling across the country, property owners are increasingly looking at housing as both an alternative to brick-and-mortar retail but also a way to create a built-in customer base for future shopkeepers and restaurateurs. We look forward to you joining us on Tuesday, September 14th at 7 p.m.! (Provided by City of San Rafael), Artist's rendering for proposed development at Northgate Mall shows a market and residential units. The spacious San Rafael restaurant, located at #159 of the mall at 5800 Northgate Dr., features 50-foot-high dining room ceilings and patio seating. Merlone Geier Partners bought the mall in 2017. Photos outside of town are hard to find (at least in digital archives), but pics of a few stagecoaches follow. The Design Review Board voted 4-0 . Home; Contact Us; Leasing; Northgate home page The traffic study will also look at traffic safety in relation to pedestrians and bicycles. The mall has 2,908 parking spaces and the new plan would reduce that number to 2,311, including 1,789 not reserved for apartments. The layoffs are slated to occur on April 3. Carney said the advocacy group hopes the town square space could be larger and replace some of the parking. Merlone Geier presented the new plan to members of the group this week. The DRBs purview is solely on design matters, so comments should be related to design, such as site plan, architecture, bulk and mass, colors and material, landscaping, etc. On November 14, 2019, Forever 21announced that the Northgate Mall location would be closing along with 21 other locations in California and 90 locations nationwide. Phase 1 (also referred to as the 2025 Master Plan) would generally include the demolition of the RH Outlet, HomeGoods, and approximately 140,932 square feet of the main building and construction of approximately 1,013 residential units. The company warned that the job cuts could occur throughout 2023, depending on demand for warehouse and shipping work at the Port of Oakland. Merlone Geier plans to hold virtual community forums about the redevelopment master plan on March 30 and April 20. If a formal application is submitted to the City, this web page will be updated and we will use the interested parties list (in the stay informed section below) to pass on any updates if we receive a formal application. Among the announced layoffs was BJs Restaurants, which said it would close the San Rafael location at Northgate mall on April 12. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. A new plan to redevelop the Northgate mall in San Rafael calls for building 1,356 apartments, transforming the shopping center into an open-air complex and scrapping a proposal for a Costco store that drew backlash from neighbors. See next photo for a look at this spot in 2012. The BJ's location at Northgate Mall in San Rafael is set to permanently close April 12, the San Francisco Business Times reports. Phase one would consist of 896 units in four three- and four-story apartment buildings on the southern and eastern edge of the property. The store, which has been in operation for over 20 years, is said to be shutting its doors for good in the next few weeks. Bay Area job cuts: Planned closure of BJs in, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Bay Area job cuts: Planned closure of BJs in San Rafael adds to growing numbers, Impossible Foods, Rivian Auto add to rising Bay Area layoffs, Editorial: California must lead in crafting AI protections, Google excludes thousands of workers from benefits: report, Tech, life science job cuts: hundreds more layoffs jolt Bay Area, Marin DA's office hit with racial discrimination claims, Drought is now over in more than half of California, including the Bay Area, feds say, Former San Quentin guard sentenced for cellphone smuggling, Novato City Council approves theater sale agreement, San Rafael workplace murder suspect convicted, Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom, California extends Bay Area tax deadlines to match IRS, Novato police arrest burglary suspect after scuffle, San Rafael still lagging on prior housing quota, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 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. He joined The Chronicle in 2014 covering San Francisco land use politics for the City Hall team. 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. The current zoning for the mall property (General Commercial), allows gas stations in the zone, subject to a Conditional Use Permit.