September 29, 2025
*RE:
https://www.menlopark.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Development/Projects
*
Dear Mayor Combs, City Council Members, Justin Murphy, City Manager, Tom
Smith, City Planner and Housing Commission:
As referenced above, please note the following estimated amount of office
space development currently either already approved by the Menlo Park City
Council or in the pipeline for review:
District 1 includes the following estimated office space proposals with
zero housing:
· 1350 Adams Court is five story life science R&D building
*260,400sqft*;
· 1005 O’Brien Dr is three story R&D building *67,688sqft*;
· 1125 O’Brien Dr is five story R&D building *131,825sqft*;
· Commonwealth Building 3 is four story office building
*404,000sqft*; and
· CSBio Phase3 is seven story office and R&D building *302,000sqft*
District 3 includes housing, however, the following estimated office space
or non-residential space:
· 80 Willow Road has non-residential of *530,167sqft;* and
· Parkline has an estimate of *130,000sqft*
Currently the *TOTAL* estimated office space for development in the
pipeline with the Menlo Park City Council for Districts 1 AND 3 listed above*
EQUALS 1,826,080 SQUARE FEET.*
The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) is based on office space and
employment numbers. An estimated 6,086 employees at 300sqft per employee
for each office would be needed for the estimated 1,826,080 square feet of
office space. The above reference square footage is in addition to current
office space already in existence in Menlo Park, such as the Facebook
Campus.
According to today’s Google AI search current key figures for the Menlo
Park office market include:
- *Total inventory*: Nearly 10 million square feet.
- *Class A space*: Makes up about 57% of the total market.
- *New construction*: An estimated 268,000 square feet of new office
space is expected to be added throughout 2025.
- *Vacancy rate*: In 2024, the overall office vacancy rate was 27.12%.
Some reports show different vacancy rates for specific submarkets or
classes of office space.
Based on the City’s current Resolution No. 6884 for BRM Guidelines, it is
an untenable situation given the very generous BMR requirements the Menlo
Park City Council provides to developers.
Should all of the office space referenced above be approved (especially
where developers are *not* required to provide necessary housing), the City
of Menlo Park, will never ever be able to make or keep up with the current
RHNA Guidelines set by the City Council.
*I propose an immediate change in the City Council’s BMR Guidelines that
absolutely requires affordable housing at all income levels on site or near
the site earmarked for office development by any developer. Penalties for
not providing inclusionary housing should be strict and punitive. *
