The Palo Alto Architectural Review Board is scheduled to meet this morning to discuss plans to convert a vacant movie theater into office space within the Palo Alto Square office campus. The property, at 3000 El Camino Real, had been occupied by the CinéArts at Palo Alto Square Theater until it permanently shuttered in 2021. Hudson Pacific Properties is the project client.
Palo Alto Square Building 6 showcasing the new design, rendering by HGA
Palo Alto Square Building 6 outdoor amenity space, rendering by HGA
CinéArts has been operated by Texas-based theater chain Cinemark since 2001 when Cinemark bought the property from Landmark. The location focused on sharing independent movies and arthouse films until it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. By mid-2021, Cinemark announced the permanent closure of CinéArts at Palo Alto Square.
Plans shared by the office owners detail how the space will be reworked into offices connected to outdoor amenities. Hudson Pacific writes that the renovation will “infill the sloped theater seating floor and add windows to each of the existing theater’s windowless walls, creating a light-filled office with tall ceilings that also utilize the existing mezzanine. The theater’s lobby will be the new entry lobby for the office, flanked by conference rooms. An open collaboration space will greet visitors and office users, which leads to the double-height open office, filled with light from new windows on three sides.” New north-facing windows will give views of the large grass commons and shared amenity space. The outdoor lounge will be shaded by an existing grove of magnolia trees. HGA is the project architect, and SC Builders will be the general contractor.
Palo Alto Square site map, illustration by HGA
Palo Alto Square Building 6 pedestrian view, rendering by HGA
The Palo Alto Square office campus is a mid-rise infill surrounded by surface parking at the corner of El Camino Real and Page Mill Road. The site is close to the California Avenue Caltrain Station, and several other apartment projects are in the pipeline, such as the mixed-use proposal at 3400 El Camino Real, which we covered this Monday. In mid-June, Vittoria Management filed plans for over five hundred new apartments split between 3606 and 3781 El Camino Real.
The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be shared.
Palo Alto Square Building 6, image via Google Street View
The City’s Board is scheduled to meet this morning, September 5th, starting at 8:30 AM. The event will be in-person and online, allowing virtual participation via Zoom. For more information, visit the meeting agenda here.
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What they really need to do here is get rid of that massive wasteful parking lot in such a prime location an amazing waste of real estate.
The best use of this space is high rise housing, we don’t need more office buildings.