Strip centers · California
2820 South El Camino Real
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
Retrofit in the pipeline
This site: …proposed newtypes-extraction · all sites with this3+ other atlas sites within 10 km
This site: 5 within 10 km computed · all sites with this30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent road
This site: 34,000 on 82 fhwa-hpms · all sites with thisCounty lost 10%+ of retail establishments since 2012
This site: -11% census-cbp · all sites with thisCounty typical rent $2,000+
This site: $3,993/mo zillow · all sites with thisShrinking county
This site: -2.7% census-acs · all sites with thisUnder 20 acres
This site: 0.5 acres newtypes-extraction · all sites with thisRedeveloped
This site: …an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spots record · all sites with thisHousing
This site: …an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spots newtypes-extraction · all sites with thisRetail (continued)
This site: …an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spots newtypes-extraction · all sites with thisNow
| Status | Retrofit proposednewtypes-extraction reported |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Redevelopment, proposedWikipedia no source |
| New uses | housing, retailWikipedia no source |
| What is there now | an eight-story apartment complex with 75 apartments and two retail spotsnewtypes-extraction reported |
Site context
| Housing permits, San Mateo County (CA), 2024 | 538 units in 5+ unit buildings, 29 in 2–4, 521 single-family; 2023: 750 in 5+Census BPS |
|---|---|
| Other atlas sites nearby | 5 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, 2025 (BLS QCEW) | 28,461 jobs in 1,714 establishments; average annual pay $58,616; employment location quotient 0.70; employment -3.1% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private |
| Jobs located in the tract, 2022 | 8,037 jobs; 658 in retail trade, 1,758 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 06081606300)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022 |
| Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract) | children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 49th income percentile as adults; 1.6% incarcerated at the 2010 count (319 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights |
| Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract) | not a low-access tract at 1 mile; poverty rate 6.4%; median family income $126,131; 61 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS |
| Schools | San Mateo Union High School District (09-12); 7 public schools within 1 mile: South Hillsborough; Baywood Elementary; Borel Middle; College Park ElementaryNCES EDGE |
| Elevation | 46 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP |
| Storm events in the county, 2016-2025 | 101 county-logged events: 50 flood, 18 debris flow, 15 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail; $10,060 property damage reported; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events |
| Homes for sale in ZIP 94401, 2026-09 | median list price $770,450 (+10.2% on the year); 34 active listings; median 35 days on market; 13% with a price cutRealtor.com Research |
| Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023 | 1,827 establishments (-11%); 32,272 jobs (-5%)Census CBP |
| Housing market in the county | typical 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
| Acres | 0.5newtypes-extraction |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Census division | 9 · Pacific |
| Notes | Draft 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
- 2026 Preliminary permits filed for an eight-story apartment complex
Sources
- Preliminary Application For Housing at 2820 South El Camino Real ...
2 quoted sentences
2820 South El Camino Real
Preliminary permits have been filed for an eight-story apartment complex at 2820 South El Camino Real in San Mateo