Important Updates for the Northgate Town Square Project!
Dear San Rafael Community,
On June 4th, Merlone Geier Partners (MGP), owner and developer of Northgate Mall, submitted revised plans for the Northgate Town Square Project to the City. Several revisions respond to the comments and feedback from San Rafael’s Design Review Board and community over the last three years. The City of San Rafael and MGP will continue to collaborate on a project design that meets the community’s needs.
Significant changes to the revised project submittal include the following:
- Eliminating the EAH stand-alone affordable housing development previously described as “Residential 1”. Instead, 143 affordable units (10% of all housing) will be dispersed throughout the development, per the City’s inclusionary ordinance specifying that 10% of residential development must be affordable.
- Adding 38 for-sale townhomes to the unit mix. In place of the EAH development, 38 for-sale townhomes will be constructed on Parcel 1. In total, there will be 138 for-sale townhomes. Of these, 14 will be affordable up to 60% of area median income (AMI).
- Increasing the size of the Town Square from 48,075 square feet to 56,975 square feet. Artificial turf has been replaced with natural turf across the Town Square, including the children’s playground, to support outdoor play for all. Additionally, the dog park has now been relocated to a new area of the site away from the Town Square.
- Modifications to the architectural design in response to comments received at the September 6, 2023, Design Review Board hearing.
- Increasing the number of multifamily units in “Residential 5” from 251 to 309.
- Removing the Development Agreement component of the entitlement package.
The overall number of residential units MGP has proposed under this plan is unchanged at 1,422. However, due to the shift in product types on Parcel 1 (multifamily to townhomes), the number of developed units in the 2025 plan has been reduced from 922 units under the previous submittal to 864 units in the current revision. The remaining 558 units will be constructed under the 2040 phasing plan. Additionally, the movie theatre and retail components are unchanged.
Staff is evaluating submittal documents and circulated them throughout various City departments for review. All project plans and narratives can be viewed on the project’s webpage.
In addition to the project highlighted above, on March 4, 2024, MGP submitted a Senate Bill (SB) 330 Preliminary Application for the Northgate Town Square Project. The SB 330 version of the project differs from the above in several aspects, including an increased number of residential units and a reduction in commercial retail space. To learn more about the SB 330 project, please visit the project’s webpage. You can find the press release on the SB 330 project here.
As the project continues to evolve, transparency and community engagement are our top priorities. We will keep you informed every step of the way, seeking your input and insights to shape the future of Northgate Town Square together.