Former district office on Piedmont flagged for deeper review; workforce housing and community uses discussed

The board discussed options for the former district office at 1376 Piedmont Road after consultant Dan Merar said the property—about 3.37 acres with 22,000 square feet of office improvements—has been marketed without finding a viable long-term tenant.

Merar told the board that the property's current zoning (agricultural) differs from the City general plan (neighborhood community commercial), which means a conforming rezoning and entitlements would be required for many uses. He said conversion cost is a major constraint: "the cost to convert the property to a different use is quite substantial," and that on a lease basis those costs often make the math unworkable for tenants. Board members discussed workforce housing, performing-arts and sports facilities as potential district-led or grant-funded projects and noted that state facilities grants and bond funding are among possible funding sources. Staff reported that a prior $10 million allocation had been expended on other projects, so building new facilities would require new funding sources or targeted bond/grant efforts.