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. Merlone Geier aims to begin the second construction phase in 2040. Sign up today. Restaurant and department store hours may vary. FIND SALON NEAR ME . Close window. 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. 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. The draft environmental impact report is expected to be scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing in August. Ninety jobs are affected. Susan Coleman of Responsible Growth in Marin asked the developer to disperse affordable units equitably. The project would also include a 9,000-square-foot bicycle center with a repair shop, bike parking and other features. This content is for decoration only skip decoration. Conceptual Design Review is meant to provide an informal critique and evaluation of a projects basic design approach. The project came under public scrutiny this week during a joint study session of the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board. 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. The site is designated as mixed use in the 2040 General Plan. Phase one would consist of 896 units in four three- and four-story apartment buildings on the southern and eastern edge of the property. Reduce the scale of the project (i.e., height, lot coverage, etc.) 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. California snowpack hits highest level this century for March. Merlone Geier presented the new plan to members of the group this week. The popular clothing store Forever 21 is reportedly closing its location in Northgate Mall in San Rafael, California. 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. The project site is located west of US Highway 101 (US 101), in the City of San Rafael, Marin County. 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. That drove the decision to reconsider its use for housing as well as retail. 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. The applicant has indicated they are taking a pause to analyze the City, outside agency and public feedback received during the preliminary process and decide whether to proceed with the project, and if so, how to proceed. The plan also includes a fenced dog park, a childrens nature playground and other amenities. Cookie Notice The layoffs are slated to occur on April 3. The plan calls for the mall movie theater to be renovated and expanded to include an Imax theater. To view all public comments received through January 6, 2020, please click here. In addition, the City will review the project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determine if the project is exempt from CEQA or prepare an Initial Study and Negative Declaration, mitigated Declaration or Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Current major tenants within the mall include Century Theatre, Macys, Kohls, Rite Aid, and HomeGoods. BJs continues to operate 11 locations in the Bay Area, as well as several across the U.S. We look forward to you joining us on Tuesday, September 14th at 7 p.m.! The six apartment buildings would add 1,464,000 square feet of residential space. Merlone Geier Partners, a San Francisco-based real estate investment firm that bought the mall in 2017, submitted the plan to San Rafael officials this week. A copy of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act document filed by the chain Feb. 10 revealed that BJs will be offering all affected team members transfers to other Company restaurants.. Making the height Exception findings will be difficult. 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. (See next . We see a lot that we like. 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. Please see the City Public Meetings Page for meeting minutes and staff reports. Merlone Geier announced Thursday that it has submitted to the city a master plan application for the first phase of the transformation of the 710,000-square-foot center, anticipated to get underway in 2025, after 18-24 months of city hearings and community meetings. On July 26, 2019, Costco filed a Pre Application and Conceptual Design Review application with the City of San Rafael. Is government-run social housing the solution to the Bay Areas affordability crisis? No upcoming events. 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. Were certainly much happier with the larger town square and the a mixture of ownership townhomes in phase one.. The company said it is offering transfers to all affected . 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. Logan declined to say how much the mall transformation would cost. Sign up today. Hanson previously covered city government politics, homelessness and housing and environmental issues at the Chico Enterprise-Record. Its the way we things evolving in the future.. 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. What is the next step in the process for the project? Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area. Other highlights of the revision include solar power: all residential buildings would be 100% electric. Northgate is in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael, a district of Mid-Century architecture that includes 900 homes built by Joseph Eichler, the California modernist known for glass walls, cork floors, open-beam ceilings and gable windows. That would be followed by construction for retail and residential uses. For more information Click. 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.. 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 acceptance of in-lieu fees as a substitute for actual affordable housing getting built is counterproductive to fulfilling this great need at this time.. The second phase calls for building two five-story apartment buildings with a combined 460 residences. Apparently, this location is now on private property with no public access. Northgate is in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael, a district of Mid-Century architecture that includes 900 homes built by Joseph Eichler, the California modernist known for glass. Overall, the project aims to mix transit-oriented housing with community space, retail and restaurants. Local, regional and national restaurants will then be added. Hours Sun: 12P - 6P. Futurewei Technologies, a unit of China-based Huawei, is cutting 43 jobs in Santa Clara. The job cuts occurred on Feb. 17. Slide 1 of 2. 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 San Rafael officials are reviewing Merlone Geiers application for completeness, according to Community Development Director Paul Jensen. 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. Phone (415)479-1302. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal). San Rafael, CA 94903. Walking and biking paths would be built throughout the property and new standalone retail stores and restaurants would be built along Las Gallinas Avenue. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal), The former Sears store at Northgate Mall is seen in San Rafael on Thursday, March 11, 2021. Merlone Geier plans to hold virtual community forums about the redevelopment master plan on March 30 and April 20. 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. 5800 Northgate Mall Suite 100 San Rafael, CA 94903. The layoffs are due to occur on April 17. This is not a city-sponsored project, therefore the City does not decide where to propose new projects. It's the largest of three shopping centers in San Rafael called Northgate. 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. Temporary move: 6000 Northgate Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903. The project calls for 96 affordable residences along with structure and surface parking. 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. While some voiced support for creating as many new housing units as possible, others worried about the projects scope and its water needs. Major snowstorm might leave you stranded, New 101 express lanes opens in Bay Area. Logan added that parking for residents is a major issue. The project would be surrounded by stores, restaurants and a remodeled IMAX Century Theater. But Jenny Silva said, We need to be able to grow higher. 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. 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. The traffic study will also look at traffic safety in relation to pedestrians and bicycles. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256. Need project to better respect the design and character ofsurroundingarea. (Provided by City of San Rafael), Artist's rendering for proposed development at Northgate Mall shows a view of a community park. According to its website it's one of the. Parking would be reduced from 2,908 to 2,311 spaces. Share your opinion with users and insert mall rating and reviews for Northgate. Posted on September 16, 2019. The company warned that the job cuts could occur throughout 2023, depending on demand for warehouse and shipping work at the Port of Oakland. Thats what the retailers want these days, is exterior access, said Stephen Logan, vice president for development in Merlone Geiers San Diego office. She received an M.A. Address and locations: 5800 Northgate Mall, San Rafael, California - CA 94903. Costco and Northgate Mall hosting a community open house on September 25 and September 26, About the Costco Pre Application and Conceptual Design Review, About the Community Development Review Process (Costco Project), Costco Wholesale Corporation, Michael Okuma, No PC support for gas component of the project (unanimous), Really need a master plan to understand what is planned for rest of mall, how this project would impact that and what that would do to housing potential, Confirmed the main Costco retail use and tire center are consistent with the current Master Use Permit, but not as designed (lack of integration with mall, circulation issues, height/bulk/mass), Need for data to support the benefits to the community and support claims that Costco will bring shoppers to mall, Concern with the increased height (Exception findings) more than current Sear footprint which results in bulk and mass coming so close to Northgate Dr, Need for better integration of the Costco with rest of Mall, Concern with on-site circulation access as noted by staff. California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marin Region 7 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region 2 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Historic Preservation, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), Residential (Units 1443, Acres 44.76), Commercial (Sq. GSC Logistics is cutting 80 jobs, with layoffs scheduled to begin as soon as April 12. Northgate address: 5800 Northgate Mall, San Rafael, California - CA 94903. Why are other locations not being considered (near Target or the former Orchard Supply Hardware)? Evernote, a software company that has developed a note-taking app, will eliminate 65 positions in Redwood City. Carney said the advocacy group hopes the town square space could be larger and replace some of the parking. Phase 1 would also include the construction of a town square near the center of the project site. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Weather | Father and two girls stranded in snowstorm for 13 hoursNews | New report shows thousands of workers have left downtown SFLocal | Bald eagles nesting at Bay Area golf course could lay eggs 'any day now'Tahoe | How much snow did Tahoe get? 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. Northgate will not have an office component, but people migrating from workign from home or a remote location will be able to go to pool decks, fitness areas and outdoor spaces, Logan said. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal). 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. What applications have been filed and how/when will those be reviewed? Similar projects are under way at malls in Newark and Richmond, although the pandemic has slowed some of these plans. Merlone Geier Partners, a real estate investment firm that bought the mall in 2017, is proposing to build 1,345 housing units and a town center for the Terra Linda neighborhood. The affected workers are represented by the Oakland office of Teamsters Local 70, the WARN notice stated. 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. Eliminate tall wall sections by Increasing articulation along all or portions of all elevations, particularly along the south and north elevations. Architectural rendering of some of the 898 apartments and grocery retail that . 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. 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. In North Hollywood, the Noho West center has residential next to office and retail spaces. At San Antonio Center in Mountain View, there is residential above grocery-anchored retail space plus offices, movie theaters and outdoor areas such as a dog park. The Planning Commission meeting on the Conceptual application is scheduled for October 15, 2019. At the time of submittal of formal applications, the City requires a complete traffic study to be prepared by a licensed traffic engineer. 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. 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. Northgate Mall has 2.5 stars. Thats if Kohls and Macys go away, Logan said. Las Gallinas Avenue would be lined with new restaurants and stores. A Costco Wholesale store has been proposed to replace the shuttered Sears location. Jessuina Prez-Tern of the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative said the project must move forward to help San Rafael approach goals for housing. The new proposal, on the other hand, includes many elements residents want: housing, community gathering spaces and an improved theater. The DRB provided the following primary comments. 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. Since the announcement last spring that Northgate could become housing mixed with retail, there have been about two dozen meetings with various stakeholders. 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. (Provided by Merlone Geier Partners), The Northgate shopping mall in San Rafael, Calif. on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Numerous studies have noted its important for affordable units to be dispersed through other elements of the project, so they get the same experience of life as everyone at market-rate housing as well.. He also writes the weekly business column Movers & Shakers, which appears in Friday's paper. Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM 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. Rating: 2.7/5 (7 rates) Make a Review: Phone number: (415) 479-5956: State: California: Area/City: 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. The new plan represents a major shift from the companys 2019 proposal to build a Costco store and a gas station at the site of the former Sears building, which drew widespread scrutiny from Terra Linda residents. It is the only enclosed regional shopping center in Marin County. Tenants. Heres where California reservoir levels stand after this weeks rains. 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. 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. 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. Hundreds more job cuts affecting the tech, shipping and the service industry are set to batter the Bay Area economy, official state reports show. That is one of the key elements that we are committing to as part of these changes to the plan.. Start my search; . We think housing in these kind of (malls) help bring a synergy that the mall by itself doesnt bring anymore, Logan said. Email her at Susana.Guerrero@sfgate.com, BJs Restaurant to permanently close Bay Area mall location, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, No seriously, dont drive up to Tahoe this weekend, The best fried chicken is at a San Francisco strip club, Scream publicity stunt floods Bay Area dispatch with 911 calls, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Arrest in killing of woman seen running through Tahoe campground, Rain reenters Bay Area forecast: Have an umbrella near you, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Two more Shake Shack restaurants head to the Bay Area, Father and two girls stranded in snowstorm for 13 hours, New report shows thousands of workers have left downtown SF, Bald eagles nesting at Bay Area golf course could lay eggs 'any day now', How much snow did Tahoe get? ft. to 225,100 square feet and construct high . Among the announced layoffs was BJ's Restaurants, which said it would close the San Rafael location at Northgate mall on April 12. his meeting will be held in Spanish with English translation. 5800 Northgate Drive San Rafael California 94903 Next Event. 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. 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. (Provided by City of San Rafael), A design rendering for the proposed redevelopment of Northgate mall in Terra Linda depicts the Main Street area. Whether affected staffers retain their positions at neighboring BJs restaurants is uncertain. Ninety jobs are affected. If you have questions or comments about this project, please submit them in advanceto Project Planner. Northgate is the only enclosed regional mall and the largest family oriented shopping destination in Marin County. 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 traffic study will evaluate existing traffic conditions, along with previously approved, but not yet built projects, including the recently approved Northgate Walk and other approved, but not yet built projects in North San Rafael. Conceptual Design Review involves a public meeting with the DRB. The mall would be converted to an open-air shopping center, while some of the existing retail space, including the former Sears building, would be knocked down to make way for apartments. (Provided by City of San Rafael), Artist's rendering for proposed development at Northgate Mall shows a residential parcel along Northgate Drive. Photos outside of town are hard to find (at least in digital archives), but pics of a few stagecoaches follow. The city staff has 30 days to review the plans to determine whether additional information or revisions are needed, Mendez said. New plan for San Rafaels Northgate mall: 1,356, 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), New plan for San Rafaels Northgate mall: 1,356 apartments, no Costco, San Rafael council candidates frame visions for Northgate, housing, Dick Spotswood: San Rafael keeps eye on Northgate as possible priority development area, Marin Voice: Northgate needs a comprehensive mixed-use 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. Submittal of formal applications would include more detailed, plans and all require technical studies. Close. View photos and contact a broker. He has since expanded his focus to explore housing and development issues throughout Northern California. Thats a great signal to the city to phase out burning fossil fuels to heat our homes.. Improve the visual connection to the mail by incorporating some of the existing material palette i.e., (more stone, less concrete). The Pre Application process allows an applicant to receive: 1) preliminary feedback from the City, including code requirements, 2) capacity review from utility providers, and 3) roadmap for any subsequent permits or processes required by the City to process the formal application. . The proposal includes 1,402 public parking spaces and 2,233 residential parking spaces, including garages for townhomes. It is the only enclosed regional shopping center in Marin County. 1000 Northgate Mall. 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. The BJ's location at Northgate Mall in San Rafael is set to permanently close April 12, the San Francisco Business Times reports. 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. 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 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. The job cuts took place on Feb. 17. Merlone Geier hopes to revitalize the mall by building housing on the site, said David Geiser, the companys managing director. Mall Directory. 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. 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. The developers have also decided to offer 85 three-story townhomes for sale in the first phase. Open Menu Close Menu. The mall is anchored by Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Nordstrom Rack.. Northgate opened in 1950 as one of the first modern shopping centers to . The first is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 30 and the second for 6 p.m. on April 20. 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.