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San Rafael Smart Growth Tour

Allow yourself approximately 90 minutes to complete the walking tour. If you are short on time, you may complete a shorter tour by skipping the Restored Pacific Telephone Building at 1 H Street (details provided below, at the end of the Boyd Court section).

Since the founding of Mission San Rafael Arcangel as a northern outpost of the California Mission system in 1817, San Rafael has occupied a central role in Marin County. It is the largest city in Marin, the county seat, and the key county center for employment and services. In this, the most affluent county in the U.S., it is unique in hosting a large immigrant population and a substantial low-income community. In addition, the planning boundaries of San Rafael encompass open rangeland and undeveloped wetlands.

Following the path of many American cities, San Rafael's downtown began to decline during the early 1960s, when local government offices were moved to the landmark Marin Civic Center complex north of downtown and regional shopping malls began to threaten the viability of downtown retail.

Over the last decade the city, working with citizens and business groups, has responded by developing and implementing a sweeping vision for downtown revitalization. Developers are encouraged to adopt smart growth practices through incentives such as density bonuses and reduced parking requirements for infill development. In addition, the city now requires that 10% of new residential units be made available at below-market rents. The city has been a vigorous partner in smart development, clearing roadblocks, lining up partners, and occasionally creating public spaces to enhance the value of commercial and residential developments.

The results have been impressive—800 new units of residential housing have been added in the city since the late 1990s, with two-thirds of them in the downtown area. On this tour, you will see some of the results of these ongoing efforts, focusing on mixed-use projects that include dedicated affordable housing units.

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The Tour

C. Paul Bettini Transit Center Clocktower Rafael Town Center Boyd Court Restored Pacific Telephone Building Centertown Lone Palm Court

The Tour

Click on the map to see a larger map:

If it is not possible to take public transit from your location directly to the C. Paul Bettini Transit Center, there is public metered parking available in the garage at 3rd Street and Lootens Place. From here, walk 4 blocks east to the transit center.

1. C. PAUL BETTINI TRANSIT CENTER (850 Tamalpais Avenue)

The C. Paul Bettini Transit Center sits at the corner of 3rd and Hetherton Streets. Golden Gate Transit (GGT) is the primary transit provider for Marin County and the largest tenant at the center. Interconnections with Greyhound, Sonoma County Transit, and various airport shuttles are also found here. If you plan on using local bus service to get around San Rafael on your tour, you should stop in the main terminal building to pick up a GGT schedule.

To begin your journey up the 4th Street corridor, walk through the main terminal building to Tamalpais Avenue. Turn right and walk north on Tamalpais 1 1/2 blocks to 4th Street.

As you begin your walk to 4th Street, you will pass over the old Northwestern Pacific railroad tracks just before the main terminal building. These tracks may soon augment the transit options serving downtown San Rafael. The Sonoma Marin Rail Transit organization (SMART) has begun the planning process for a regional rail service (with ferry connections), spanning from Cloverdale in Northern Sonoma County to Central Marin. This service has the potential to reduce traffic along the 101 corridor.

Food for thought: How do you commute to work or to go shopping? Under what conditions would you use rail service to commute?

At 4th Street, turn left and begin traveling west. At the corner of 4th Street and Lincoln Avenue you will find our next stop.

2. THE CLOCKTOWER (729 Fourth Street)

This mixed-use development includes 30 rental units (17% of which are low/moderate income) and ~12,000 square feet of office/retail space. The developer of this project, Tommy Kennedy, benefited from a reduction in residential parking requirements and city-provided retail parking. San Rafael's density bonus also helped in making this project a reality. A density bonus is a tool used my many communities to encourage affordable housing and infill development. It is an allowance for a builder to exceed the standard height or density allowed by the zoning codes if the development provides affordable housing. In San Rafael, the density bonus is applicable to any development with at least 10% allocated towards affordable housing, In this case the developer was allowed to increase the density by 53%.

It is worth noting the handsome old Victorian façade on the building to the left of the Clocktower on Fourth Street and another historic building diagonally across the street. As you walk up Fourth Street you will see a fine collection of historic buildings, many of them handsomely restored. This is something that gives an old downtown a unique character that cannot be found in strip malls and big box store developments.

Food for thought: San Rafael has done a fine job of making Fourth Street a more pedestrian-friendly "main street." What are some of the things that help create a more pleasant ambiance for a person on foot?

From here, you may continue straight along 4th Street walking west (away from the transit center and freeway). After three blocks (crossing Lincoln, Cijos, and Lootens), you come to our next stop.

3. RAFAEL TOWN CENTER (998 4th Street)

The Rafael Town Center, developed by Samuelson & Schaffer , is the largest of the new mixed-use developments in downtown San Rafael. This complex covers nearly one acre, including 113 apartments, 26,000 square feet of retail space, and 40,000 square feet of office space. 38 of the apartments (37%) are set aside for low/moderate income renters.

The six-story building, completed in 2002 on the site of a former Macy's retail store, was not permissible under height restrictions put in place in the late 1960s (Note: these restrictions were put in place after the 104-foot Luther Burbank Savings tower at the western end of the courthouse square was built). These height restrictions were one of many limitations that were revisited and ultimately changed as part of the downtown visioning process completed in the early 1990s. You will note that there are many older 5-6 story buildings in the downtown area.

Another critical change was a liberalization of the downtown congestion guidelines—in essence, the city decided to allow for potentially higher projected automobile congestion because they believed that a development such as this would actually reduce the need for automobiles downtown. Take a look around you—do you think that this prediction has come true?

Citizens' groups were heavily involved in the building design for the site, requesting specific color palettes and a design that would complement the neighboring Mission San Rafael Arcangel.

Take some time to enjoy the city-developed public plaza from one of the benches running along the west side of the development. Regardless of when you visit this site, you will find it to be among the livelier settings in downtown San Rafael.

A subtle yet very pedestrian-friendly design feature sits across 4th Street—the Lauren Place alleyway that connects to a parking structure on 3rd Street.

Food for thought: How does this building relate to its surroundings? Does it encourage a vibrant urban space? Does the height of the building seem out of place in this context? What are some of the costs/benefits of allowing an open design process that includes the local shareholders?

Continuing west on 4th Street you will pass by the adjacent Luther Burbank Savings building. After you cross A Street, you will pass the Rafael Film Center at 1118 4th Street. This historic theater was shuttered after sustaining damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. In the late 1990s it was renovated through a partnership between the city and the California Film Institute, and now serves as a key entertainment anchor for downtown. Independent films are shown on the three screens inside and the theater is an occasional venue for both the Mill Valley and San Francisco International Film Festivals.

Food for thought: What role do ancillary services such as movie theaters play in creating an attractive urban environment? Does this theater seem to enhance the surrounding street life?

At B Street, cross to the west side of 4th Street, turn right and continue by heading north two blocks up B Street. At the corner of B and Mission Streets you will find our next stop.

4. BOYD COURT (1115 B Street)

Boyd Court consists of 25 owner-occupied condominiums developed by Chris Craiker in 1993, 28% of which are low/moderate income units. A density bonus of 25% applied to this project.

The development process was slowed by the objections of some local residents, primarily related to concerns about density and view impediment. Such neighborhood opposition is a common obstacle to smart growth, and can sometimes prevent infill projects from being approved. Across the street uphill is an attractive urban park with a historic museum in the colorful old Victorian house.

An interesting side note—this development was built with two parking spaces per unit, to comply with a city ordinance in effect at the time (an ordinance which has been reformed). Due to the site's proximity to downtown and transit, these parking spaces are usually underutilized.

Food for thought: How much parking do you think should be required for housing units downtown? If no parking were required, would it lead to less automobile usage? If excessive parking were required, would it lead to more automobile usage? How does the surplus parking affect your perception of the development?

Return to 4th Street by heading south, noting the handsome new urban office building at the SE corner of 5th and B Streets with its circular tower entrance that harmonizes with surrounding older buildings. For the full 90-minute tour, including the excellent 1 H Street building, continue west on 4th Street until you reach 1 H Street. For a shorter, 60-minute tour, continue west on 4th one block, turning left on C and heading south for two blocks until you reach 855 C Street (skip to "Centertown—855 C Street" and follow the rest of the tour from there).

If you choose to take in the full tour, you may also be able to shave some time off of the trip by catching the 20 or 23 GGT bus at 4th and E Streets.

5. RESTORED PACIFIC TELEPHONE BUILDING (1 H Street)

This project, completed in 1994, is a wonderful example of restoration and renovation. The developers (Samuelson & Schaffer ) wisely left the building shell intact while focusing on rehabilitating the inside for rental units.

With its easy access to transit, shopping, and downtown businesses, the restored project has seen high demand for available units. The rental tenants are a diverse population: senior citizens, young professionals, married couples, non-profit activists, and even local policemen. 20 of the 38 units are low-income, with the remainder being market rate. With the high cost of housing, especially in Marin County, accessible, affordable housing is at a premium.

In addition to the housing units, this project includes almost 5000 square feet of retail space. The city provided a $100,000 loan (with payments deferred for five years) and a 45% density bonus for this project.

The developers did encounter opposition from the neighbors throughout the approval process, despite extensive efforts to share the design with nearby property owners. After the completion of 1 H Street, however, the original opponents were very pleased. Their reaction was this – if they had known what the project was “truly like”, they would have supported it from the outset.

The overall excellence of this project is highlighted by turning around and contrasting it with the drab, dated strip mall on the south side of the street.

Food for thought: What are some of the steps that a development team can take to keep the existing community involved in a new project like this? If you were a legacy tenant in the area, how would you feel about a project like this going in?

We continue the tour by turning around and walking east, towards downtown. Walk approximately six blocks back to C Street and turn right. Walk south two blocks to our next stop.

6. CENTERTOWN (Between 2nd and 3rd)

This site, for many years an abandoned construction project, is now noteworthy for its affordable, comfortable housing as well as its easy access to shopping, transit, and services.

Centertown consists of 60 apartments for very low and low-income families. The apartments include 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units with central laundry facilities, a residential storage area, and children's play areas.

This 1992 development is a wonderful example of a private, public, and non-profit partnership. The San Rafael Redevelopment Agency originally acquired the property and then entered into a long-term ground lease with Centertown Associates (BRIDGE Housing Corp. and Ecumenical Association for Housing) in preparation for the project.

Subsidy funds from the State of California (through the Rental Housing Construction Program) made exceptional affordability possible. Additional funds provided by the Marin Community Foundation, Koret Foundation, Federal Home Loan Bank, and the County of Marin were also vital. A 62% density bonus applied to this project.

The development process went fairly smoothly, although the density and height of the project had to be negotiated with the community.

Turn to the east and cross the street to see:

7. LONE PALM COURT (840 C Street)

This development by Samuelson & Schaffer consists of 60 residential apartments (affordable and market-rate) that sits directly across from Centertown. Like the other C Street development, it was assisted by state-mandated “set-aside” funds. The state mandates that 20% of the tax increment revenue (i.e. the tax revenue obtained from redevelopment projects in excess of the level of tax revenue generated by the areas prior to redevelopment) be set aside for affordable housing projects like this one.

40% of Lone Palm Court¹s units are classified affordable to very low income residents.

Food for thought: What do you think about the juxtaposition of these two projects? How would you feel about living in either? What are your first impressions of the living environment to be found in each?

To wrap up the tour, continue walking south on C Street to 2nd Street. You may catch a southbound 20 or 23 GGT bus at the corner of 2nd and C or continue on foot for approximately six blocks.

To continue on foot, turn left here on 2nd and continue walking east, towards the C. Paul Bettini Transit Center. After 2 1/2 blocks you will pass the Lofts at Albert Park development. This mixed-use development by Lalanne-Volckmann includes 113 loft-style rental units (17 below market rate) and 18 commercial units. This project is the most 'conventional' of the developments on this tour – the affordability ratio is low, there was no density bonus involved, and the city had no active role in the development. Nonetheless, it does represent an increase in the downtown housing stock.

Continue walking east on 2nd Street towards the transit center. Walking back on 2nd, what is your feeling about the “pedestrian-friendliness” of this street compared to 4th street that you were on earlier? Why?

Off to your right, you will see the San Rafael Corporate Center, developed by Wilson Equity Office. Planned as a corporate campus for San Rafael's Fair-Isaac Corporation, this property became a general purpose office site after the economic downturn caused Fair-Isaac to scale back their growth plans.

Two of the four planned buildings in this brownfield development (formerly a PG&E coal gasification site) have been completed and are partially leased. When all four buildings are complete, the site will contain 406,000 square feet of office space. Brownfield properties are sites that may contain a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Brownfields such as this, after proper cleanup represent an important resource for future infill urban development.

The city played a very active role in getting this brownfield site developed, including RFP (Request For Proposals) development, tenant solicitation, and community outreach. In addition, the city developed a plan for the renovation of nearby Mahon Creek.

Our self-guided urban outing concludes at the C. Paul Bettini Transit Center.