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The Gateway to Millbrae Station development, which includes priority units for military veterans, hit multiple milestones Wednesday.
At an event for the development — one of the largest transit-oriented projects in California — the project team celebrated reaching structural completion of the hotel and apartment building, and the groundbreaking for veteran housing.
“This project really aligns with our purpose as a builder,” Dan Rogers, president at Blach Construction Company, said. “It’s gonna be a phenomenal space and I think what most of us are proud of is we will provide housing for veterans, people who served this country, an affordable place here in the Bay Area. So really appreciate these guys’ leadership in getting this project to this point.”
The project is expected to create 1,100 new jobs and will include 300 market-rate apartments, 100 affordable apartments, 80 of which are veteran-preferred, a 164-room hotel, 150,000 square feet of office space, 44,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant. Also included are new public open spaces such as plazas, pedestrian and bike paths and a dog park.
“This is really the most innovative project in our industry on the West Coast,” said Michael Van Every, president and CEO of Republic Urban Properties, the West Division of the Republic Family of Companies. “This is something you’ll drive by the rest of your lives and say we worked on this.”
The complex is intended to address housing needs and provide access to sustainable commuting through BART, CalTrain, SamTrans and other local transit agencies. It will also have spaces to work, shop and eat.
“Overall, it’s a 12-acre development which will include new parking, street realignment behind us with public pathway that connects to the residential neighborhood. And then what we’re building are four new structures,” said Tony Matulich, senior project manager at Blach Construction walking through the area.
The project was started in January 2020 and was able to continue as it was deemed an essential project. The absence of BART ridership also allowed them to accelerate the work, Rogers said.
The last milestone will be celebrated around summer 2022 when everything is complete and ready to be occupied, Kate Blocker, Blach director of communications said.
