Jul 4, 2008

College housing project gets OK

Woodside's concerns about architecture resolved

By Shaun Bishop / Daily News Staff Writer

A 60-unit housing complex for faculty and staff at Canada College received the last major permit it needs before administrators break ground in August, officials said Thursday.

A dispute over the architecture of the hillside project stalled the process for a few extra months, but this week the Redwood City Planning Commission unanimously granted the planned community permit for the housing project.

Neighbors and council members in the Town of Woodside had complained that the original Mediterranean design didn't fit with the area, and held a series of meetings with administrators from the San Mateo County Community College District beginning in February.

The look of the estimated $8 million project, which will provide below-market-rate housing to college employees, was eventually changed to resemble more of an arts-and-crafts style.

"The final product is actually gorgeous. It turned out real well," said Dave Tanner, a member of Woodside's Town Council. But, "They originally showed us almost a commercial building that was going up on top of the hill."

Woodside had threatened to withhold its support for a key element of the project: moving the town's boundary to give Redwood City some of its land.

The 3.3-acre project site actually straddled the two localities, which became a problem because Woodside's ordinances prohibit construction of multi-family dwellings.

The boundary had to be moved to put the project in Redwood City, but the town wanted some architecture changes first.

Tanner said the stucco walls and red tiled roofs in the original plans made the complex stick out too much. The revised project has a darker look with wood roofs and more modest facades, he said.

"Once our folks saw the redesign, we embraced it too and thought it was a very good idea," said Maureen Riordan, a senior planner for Redwood City.

The Local Agency Formation Commission made the boundary change official effective June 20.

The college district expects to break ground in August and will likely begin construction of the buildings in the fall, which will take 12 to 14 months, said Barbara Christensen, director of government and community relations.

She said the college is glad the design issues could be worked out.

"It was perfect, fine with us. Both of them are beautiful," Christensen said. "You know what the architects told me? 'We can make it look like anything.'"



E-mail Shaun Bishop at sbishop@dailynewsgroup.com.