Increased plans have cleared environmental review for an eight-story residential infill at 3705 Haven Avenue in Menlo Park, San Mateo County. The project will bring over a hundred rental apartments to a bayfront neighborhood alongside several low-slung commercial structures and newly built apartments. March Capital Fund is the project sponsor.
March Capital Fund resubmitted the plans in mid-January of this year, increasing the apartment count by 13 dwellings. The latest application uses density bonuses through both the city and state programs to achieve increased residential capacity.
3705 Haven Avenue isometric view, rendering by LDP Architects
3705 Haven Avenue inner-block view, rendering by LDP Architects
The proposal has completed an Environmental Review process for the California Environmental Quality Act, i.e., CEQA, concluding with a Notice of Exemption. The City of Menlo Park reasons the project is consistent with the Menlo Park General Plan, and the significant environmental effects have already been studied.
The 93-foot-tall structure is now expected to add 112 units to the parcel, of which ten will be designated as affordable to very low-income households and four for moderate-income households. Parking will be included for 56 cars and 188 bicycles.
LDP Architecture is responsible for the design. The overall design scheme has not changed significantly since our mid-2024 coverage, with an articulated facade and a podium-top amenity deck. Exterior materials will include cement plaster, fiber cement panels, metal panels, and tiles. The building will be all-electric and aims to achieve LEED Gold certification.
3705 Haven Avenue overview, rendering by LDP Architects
3705 Haven Street Avenue Street View via Google Maps
Demolition will be required for an existing commercial structure. The project is just the latest one looking to replace light industrial use with housing in the Bayfront neighborhood. It will rise next to the sprawling podium apartments by Essex Property Trust and Anton Menlo by Anton DevCo.
The 0.66-acre property is located at a bending section of Haven Court, across from a FedEx Shipping Center and five minutes on foot from Bedwell Bayfront Park. According to planning documents, construction is expected to last around 22 months from groundbreaking to completion and cost an estimated $77.7 million.
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This proposal needs a few more exterior materials and set backs.
Then it gets more expensive and maybe doesn’t pencil out, especially with the current interest rate climate. There’s affordable units in the property, and you can’t get everything you want because of cost. Exterior can be refaced later anyways if someone wants to increase the value of it.
I hate to say this flies over your head, but they definitely didn’t mean to add more to this conglomerate.
For what reason?
Pretty sure the comment is sarcastic. For such a small plot of land, it’s doing everything it can to be visually interesting, at the expense of being.. visually interesting. There’s too much going on. No need to have so much variation in roof height, window types and colors/materials. All that articulation and materials drives up the cost and creates some funky interior layouts.
Just circling back. Yes, it was a sarcastic comment. This design for me is a case where a building designed with a pen in hand is far better than a computer program, and better if the designer has a sense of urbanity and order. So much push me pull you.
This Frankenstein “design” sure is one hot mess. Looks like my cat ate six different types of cat food and then ralphed it all up in one big pile. As another commenter said, maybe add some more setbacks and cladding materials?
And, yes, I know YIMBYs….any construction, no matter how hideous, is supposed to win our uncritical approbation.
This makes my eyes hurt. At least what’s there now isn’t offensive.
Another thing….I see that light industrial buildings are being replaced in large numbers on the Peninsula. Where are these industries supposed to go? I understand that light industrial space is at a premium. Maybe some thought should be given to preserving some so contractors, tire shops, warehouses don’t all have to relocate to Tracy or Gilroy.
The Peninsula has a pretty extreme housing jobs-housing imbalance, so replacing some employment uses with housing seems like a net plus overall, although obviously some light industrial needs to remain.
That said, I agree the “architecture” here leaves a lot to be desired, and it would also be nice if some retail and other neighborhood necessities were added as they build all this residential so all the people living here have things in walking distance. Maybe start with at least a cafe?
This a train wreck of a design.