Retrofit Atlas

Strip centers · California

2820 South El Camino Real

Imported, unreviewedRedevelopedRetrofit proposedSan Mateo, CA

Proposed 75-unit housing/retail project on 0.5-acre strip; high rent market but retail decline and status conflict noted. · summary, model-written

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Site profile10 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Finance and pipeline
Retrofit in the pipelineThis site: …proposed newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Place
3+ other atlas sites within 10 kmThis site: 5 within 10 km computed · all sites with this
30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent roadThis site: 34,000 on 82 fhwa-hpms · all sites with this
County lost 10%+ of retail establishments since 2012This site: -11% census-cbp · all sites with this
County typical rent $2,000+This site: $3,993/mo zillow · all sites with this
Shrinking countyThis site: -2.7% census-acs · all sites with this
Scale
Under 20 acresThis site: 0.5 acres newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Strategy
RedevelopedThis site: …an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spots record · all sites with this
New use
HousingThis site: …an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spots newtypes-extraction · all sites with this
Retail (continued)This site: …an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spots newtypes-extraction · all sites with this

All elements and lists · Trends

Now

StatusRetrofit proposednewtypes-extraction
StrategyRedevelopment, proposedWikipedia
New useshousing, retailWikipedia
What is there nowan eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spotsnewtypes-extraction

Site context

Housing permits, San Mateo County (CA), 2024538 units in 5+ unit buildings, 29 in 2–4, 521 single-family; 2023: 750 in 5+Census BPS
Other atlas sites nearby5 within 10 km, 18 within 25 km: Hillsdale Mall (0.0 km); 668 East 3rd Avenue (0.7 km); 3000 Clearview Way (3.4 km); Hillsdale Shopping Center (3.6 km); San Mateo Fashion Island (3.9 km)computed
Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 20231,827 establishments (-11%); 32,272 jobs (-5%)Census CBP
Housing market in the countytypical home value $1.6M (+4% 1 yr, +8% 5 yr); typical rent $3,993/mo (+11% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research
Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024)34,000 vehicles a day on 82 (principal arterial, 6 lanes); 1,255 trucks; 31 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS

Summary, model-written

Proposed redevelopment of a 0.5-acre strip site (originally a parking lot) into an eight-story apartment complex with 75 units and two retail spaces. Preliminary permits filed in 2026.

Why. Status is proposed, but record states it is 'already in play' (under construction/approved/sold with housing plans). County population shrank -2.7% (2018–23). Median rent is $2,893. Nearby projects include Hillsdale Mall (proposed, 0km away) and three approved developments within 3.9km.

Where it stands. Project is proposed but permits filed in 2026. Housing market shows strong demand (ZHVI $1.58M, ZORI $3,993 rent, 11.2% annual rent growth). Retail sector declining (11.3% fewer stores, 5.1% fewer jobs in county since 2012). Traffic volume high (34,000 ADT on principal arterial).

For a planner

  • Small parcel (0.5 acres) for 75 housing units indicates high density. Retail viability uncertain given declining retail jobs and stores. Nearby approved projects may affect market saturation.

For a developer

  • Project status contradicts 'proposed' (permits filed 2026) but record lists it as 'already in play'. High rent market supports housing demand, but retail component faces sector headwinds. Traffic volume supports site accessibility.

What we do not know yet

  • Status conflict: 'proposed' vs. 2026 permit filing. Retail trend decline (11.3% store reduction) not offset by housing demand. No details on construction timeline or financing.

Generated by qwen3-30b-a3b-64k:latest on Dell 5820 RTX 3090 (Ollama, qwen3-30b-a3b) from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.

Similar sites

  • San Antonio Shopping Center, Mountain View, CA · Strip centers · same strategy: redevelop; also in CA; 26 km away
  • Moonlite Center Development, Santa Clara, CA · Strip centers · same strategy: redevelop; also in CA; 39 km away
  • Harbor Bay Landing, Alameda, CA · Strip centers · same strategy: redevelop; also in CA; 21 km away
  • 1198 Valencia, San Francisco, CA · Gas stations · same strategy: redevelop; also in CA; 23 km away

Elsewhere on the web

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Multifamily screen

  • already in play: under construction, approved, or sold to a developer with housing plans
  • county shrank -2.7% 2018–23
  • median rent $2,893
  • housing in the record

Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.

History and original facts

Acres0.5newtypes-extraction
CountySan Mateo County
Census division9 · Pacific
NotesDraft from sfyimby.com, model-extracted, unreviewed: Preliminary permits filed for an eight-story apartment complex with 75 units and retail on a vacant half-acre property at 2820 South El Camino Real in San Mateo.

Not yet recorded: GLA, year opened, original developer, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.

Timeline

  1. 2026 Preliminary permits filed for an eight-story apartment complex

Sources

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