Construction in Millbrae where the Office Depot used to be located recently went underway and is starting to come along nicely; however, I personally have other thoughts. 

Downtown Millbrae has many stores and a unique vibe and it stays busy with workers, customers and people just walking by. But as of late the driving traffic has been much more busy and annoying with streets being closed at times for the construction of the new apartments, which can be very inconvenient and even time consuming. 

The building plan is supposed to be a five-story 232-unit building that would replace the existing single story structure and adjacent surface level parking lot at 959 El Camino Real near the city’s downtown corridor. A parking garage with 314 spaces would be included, and 20 units would be available with below-market rate rents. One Meadow Glen, the name of the apartment, is set to finish sometime in Spring of 2027. 

However, I feel the apartments right in the middle of downtown don’t look the best or help all the traffic that is already there. When it comes to parking space for the apartments, where it would be is a great question to consider. This will cause much more traffic, considering the building is right in front of El Camino Real and also next to a big parking lot.

The location of the building feels crammed and out of place, having it being a five story building will cause it to be one of the tallest buildings downtown, with the exception of Living Spaces. Although that part of the city has a few taller buildings, for the most part the apartment being there kills the aesthetic and low rise vibe downtown had. 

It’s clear that the apartment is already undergoing construction and all one can do is accept it, but that vibe and view of being able to see everything when you’re walking or driving by will no longer be there. I will miss the nostalgic feeling of seeing sunsets above shorter buildings, and with the construction going on, I hope to appreciate the last of it.