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Council leans toward exclusive negotiations with Junior League for Gate House, asks staff for cost and lease options
Summary
In a study session, Menlo Park council signaled support for negotiating exclusively with the Junior League to continue occupying the Gate House (55 Ravens Avenue) but asked staff for detailed cost estimates for roof replacement and electrification and for lease options that clarify capital‑improvement responsibilities and reporting requirements.
The Menlo Park City Council spent its Feb. 24 study session discussing lease options for the Gate House (55 Ravens Avenue) and broadly signaled support for negotiating exclusively with the current tenant, the Junior League, while asking staff to return with cost estimates and alternative lease structures.
Staff outlined three basic options: negotiate exclusively with the Junior League, issue an RFP to invite other community organizations to propose uses, or consider alternative rent structures that share capital‑improvement responsibilities. Staff noted the Gate House’s historical nature and identified a replacement‑roof estimate of roughly $600,000 in the presentation.
Councilmembers expressed a mix of support for maintaining the current relationship with the Junior League and concern about committing the city to very long leases. Several members said they would favor a 10‑year term as reasonable while asking staff to quantify the tradeoffs of 10‑ versus 20‑year terms, including how capital improvements would be funded and how rent would reflect those responsibilities.
Christi Bono, president‑elect of the Junior League, told the council the League is willing to continue as the primary tenant and said a 10‑year term would be acceptable; she also said the League has a capital improvements fund and is open to coordinating on roof repairs and continued stewardship of the property.
Staff identified an opportunity to pursue electrification through a PGN program (transcript reference) and asked the council whether the city should pursue that path; several councilmembers asked staff to return with cost estimates for electrification and with potential grant or state funding options (the transcript references a possible $4.5 million state fund as a source to explore for related electrification investments).
Council direction: members generally favored exclusive negotiations with the Junior League conditioned on staff returning with a proposal that includes (1) a recommended lease term, (2) cost estimates for roof replacement and electrification, (3) options for sharing capital costs, and (4) reporting/transparency requirements for any subletting or third‑party use. Staff will prepare those materials for a future council meeting.
