1906 El Camino - Developers out of money

The same developers had permits etc to develop the old Gaylord's into a medical office bldg. They ran out of money for that project over six months ago before any work started, Property is now for sale again.
It's time the city's planning dept required financial statements before putting any city efforts in to plans and permits etc. Thus saving a lot of city money and time and time of the neighbors who went to countless now meaningless meetings.

Yeah, Neighbor, great idea...except that the planning commissioners and council members are tired of accusations of being "no growthers" and "driving business away" whenever they attempt a course of due diligence.

Anyone had a chance to check David Bohannon's financials, by the way? That's a huge eyesore in the works!

No wonder approved projects like Beltramo's, 1300 El Camino, and Derry (still needs to request Council approval) have waited until the economy strengthens.

It's also a reminder of why the Council doesn't need to rush to approve the Bohannon project before they create a M-2 plan.

"Menlo Voter", started this thread with the comment that 1906 El Camino, (corner of Watkins and El Camino) had run out of money...

A search of records does not show that this project is in bankruptcy or that it has been foreclosed.

1706 El Camino, which has an approved project, but on which no construction has started, has been foreclosed. The same group is involved in both projects, but as far as I can tell 1906 is still ongoing.

What is true is that construction seems to have stopped on 1906, with no activity for some time. This leaves the project in bad shape and the fence around the property continues to force pedestrians to walk on El Camino and Watkins Ave. to get around the project.

The developer should be forced immediately to move the fence closer to the building. The sidewalk on Watkins is completed. On the El Camino side, a temporary wooden sidewalk could be put into place at very little cost, until they are ready to pour the cement sidewalk, which they claim needs further utility before it can be completed.

The City is being derelict in its duty by not getting this done. Those of us who use this pathway, especially to get to Holbrook Palmer Park, should not be subjected to this hazard any longer.

morris brown...

I find it incredulous that Morris Brown is yelling foul and claiming a developer is derelict in their duties, etc.!? Aren't you THE Morris Brown that led the petition drive to overturn the Derry Project? Tell you what, I will personally pay for the sidewalk on Watkins, if you go over to the now abandon Derry Project and pay to reopen the dry cleaner, car wash and pet store that shuttered their businesses, so that the Derry Project could get underway, only to be shut down by a ridiculous petition that has now left this scar on our town in limbo. (and also inhibits MP from collecting over $1M in taxes each year!) Stop the hate against developers Morris, it's so painfully obvious that you do not want change! Even a half built, new building looks better than that mess you've left us with! Unbelieveable.

For the record, work is scheduled to resume this week. The project has been waiting for the site to dry out in order to begin the on-site grading work. Unfortunately, the high water table and long rainy season have made it impossible to move any heavy equipment on the site. The geotech gave the okay last Thursday (June 10th) to excavate to the subgrade and re-evaluate the soil conditions.

If anybody would like more information, feel free to contact me via eamil at phil@infinitipartners.us. I would prefer the opportunity to provide the correct information before false rumors are spread.

Thank you Morris for providing updated information.

To Unbelievable - it is disappointing to read such venom against someone who cares about the community's quality of life. You are incorrect that Morris is against change. He worked with the Derry project developers on a slightly smaller (but much larger than previously allowed) project that was approved some time ago by the Planning Commission and just needs to be submitted to the Council by Derry. It was not Morris who closed the businesses you cite and they were not closed prior to the referendum that nearly 3,000 residents signed. It looks to me if it is you who have hate.

Phil - thank you for your very informative update.

You are absolutely correct Get Real, I do hate it when I see perfectly viable businesses close because of the expectation that something was going to happen on that site. Yes, they chose to close, but Mr. Morris does not, and will never take, any responsibility for his little group's "slow down the progress of any development" campaign. I know he believes he is "making sure that Menlo Park does not become Redwood City", or some other ridiculous exaggeration, but we have lost so many opportunities and now are facing budget problems, housing shortages, and blight. This madness has to end, I am banking on the downtown visionary plan to be complete, voted upon an enacted, so that Morris and his Minions can slowly go away!

Phil:

Thanks for that information. I really hope you can open up the sidewalks. It really doesn't seem like a big deal

to "Unbelieveable"

Let me just now post what I have just learned regarding the Derry project.

morris brown
stone pine lane
MP.

=========

A note to City staff from Glen Rojas dated 6-11-2010

Derry Project Update

Staff has received communications from representatives of the Derry Family (property owner) and the O’Brien Group (developer) that they are prepared to complete the final steps of processing the revised Derry project. The revised project, with 135 residential units and 22,525 square feet of commercial space, would be consistent with the Settlement Agreement associated with the Referendum. On March 5, 2008, the Housing Commission recommended approval of the revised Below Market Rate (BMR) Housing Agreement. On March 31, 2008, the
Planning Commission made its recommendations on all of the various applications

(i.e., General Plan Amendment, Zoning Ordinance Amendment, Rezoning,
Development Agreement, Planned Development Permit, and Tentative Subdivision Map) and the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that the Council certified on August 29, 2006. Shortly after the March 31, 2008 Planning Commission meeting, the property owner and developer placed the project on hold.

Now that the project is ready to move forward again, staff will determine whether there have been any changes to the project or regulatory setting (e.g., new laws, new fees, etc.) that would necessitate another review by the Housing Commission and/or Planning Commission. If there is no legal need for additional review by
either Commission, then staff intends to bring the project directly to the City Council in late Summer or early Fall 2010 for final approval.

This project and the Gaylord site project probably would have succeeded had it not been for the delays caused by Morris Brown and his puppets on the council. Who could ever forget that after 18 mos. of hearings and on the final night when the council was to vote on the Acorn site project Fergusson at 11 Pm announced that she didn't like the architectural features of the building. That's right, she must have gotten instruction from her advisors to either kill this project or cause another delay.

Menlo Park has a bad reputation with developers and businesses. Our town will put developers through hell, cost them a bundle, and they'll have to face a referendum, countless traffic studies all of which will occur when the marketing is in flux.

While this council has spent the last 6 years obstructing any progress, Palo Alto has approved 3 amazing projects that offer multi level condos near the train station, near the freeway and near downtown.

An election is drawing near and let's hope John Boyle has some company on the ballot.

Nice spin Phil. This project has been dragging on far too long for it to be anything but a lack of funding. There were weeks at a time that project sat idle and it wasn't due to weather. I build for a living and I know what a project looks like when the owner starts to run out of money. It looks just like 1906 El Camino. I have it on good authority that it has been sitting due to lack of funds and that you were looking for more money. Sounds like you found it.

I have a three serious questions regarding the "note from G. Rojas to City staff dated 6/11" posted by Mr. Morris Brown. First, if this note was from the City Manager to his staff, why is he telling THEM what it is THEY are going to do? If this note is authentic, I don't think it was intended to go to staff (maybe Council?). Second, how is it that Mr. Brown has access to this document? Finally, does the note really exist?

A witness:

it is unlikely the Gaylords property project would have been completed, even if approved quickly, as they would have been right in the middle of construction when the economy tanked. If they could have managed to finish it how many medical suites do you think they would have sold. So they would have to be serviceing the debt on an empty unsold building. Somehow I don't think that is a recipe for the financial health of the developer.

No witness, what killed that project was the economy.

The Almanac has just posted this:

Web Link

The numbers in this posting above are correct. The numbers in the note were from the original project.

to: WhoRUpeople...

Why don't you ask the City for a copy of the note, rather than try to question my integrity.

Clean up auto row and the Crittendon theater first.