Coming Soon in Menlo Park: A Supermarket or a County Jail?

Sticking out like a sore thumb in the posh residential area, the long stretch of vacant lot in El Camino, Menlo Park has been a problem for nearby residents ever since it had been abandoned by a Cadillac dealer.

Recently, there have been a few proposals for the vacant commercial space that the residents, and even the Menlo Park Planning Commission, may not be too happy to know about.

One developer had submitted four proposals -- none of them including residential projects. Sand Hill Property is considering either a supermarket, office space, or a commercial complex with a mix of restaurants, retail establishments, and a fitness center.

If given an option, the Menlo Park planning department would prefer housing projects on the vacant lot, which is a perfect spot for residents due to its proximity to the downtown area and CalTrain station.

The other proposal for the vacant El Camino lot is a rather more unusual and controversial one – a county jail.

San Mateo County has laid out plans for building a new county jail by 2011 and Menlo Park is one of the cities being considered to house this new project. Other sites under consideration are East Palo Alto, San Carlos, Burlingame, and Redwood City. These cities have been shortlisted out of 24 initial sites.

Menlo Park residents will most definitely not be happy about a county jail sitting smack in the middle of their executive neighborhoods since it would affect not just their image, but also the values and selling prices of their homes.