Sign of the Times: Ford Dealership Comes Down- Makes Room for Saris Regis Development

This development will be located at 216 Miller Ave, 405 Cypress Ave, and 309-421 Airport Blvd (odd numbers) and replacing in part, the old Ford Bldgs

As more development continues through out our City, our downtown area especially will take on a new look with the demolition of the Ford buildings as they make room for the Saris Regis development. Not only will the immediate area change, so will the views through out the area. What we once took for granted, open views of the mountains and San Francisco Bay, will become obscure with the high density planned through out the downtown.

Lucinda Roman shared a video of the demo taking place which can be seen CLICK HERE. Barbara Ervin wrote on our social media “My grandfather Fred Lautze, built that building and Lautze Ford was in business for more that 50 years.” Her thoughts on the new development? “Seven stories…too bad, I sure wouldn’t want to live right on the freeway!”

The San Mateo-based Sares Regis Group of Northern California (SRGNC) has received approval from the city council for a new South San Francisco luxury apartment community. This new 7 story two building 260 high-quality apartments and 12 townhomes residence development spans four lots at 401 and 411 Airport Blvd., 405 Cypress Ave. and 216 Miller Ave. Two of the townhome residences will be affordable under South San Francisco housing ordinance. The project is scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2019. South City resident Jaime González commented “Actually, 20% of the units will fall under affordable. what ever that means. The Developer donated $3.2 Million for Parks Improvement, plus an additional $2.7 Million going towards community fund. This is probably the main reason not more are Affordable.”

Traffic and higher priced rents continue to be a major concern for those already struggling to continue living in their home town.
Lynn Brunetti Ellison questions “Again where will all these people park and where will all the traffic go?” ” Traffic and parking. Bringing lots of people and cars to SSF:(” responded Karen Romano. Bruno Ching agreed “I’m dreading the traffic in that area ?” Linda Holstein Jensen commented “Grateful we moved to Oregon to get out of that crazy area.” while South City Ryan Rogers replied “Can’t wait to get the hell out of the Bay Area. It’s really starting to not be the same place I grew up in.” He continued “Great more over priced multioccupancy building eye sores taking away from the quaint small town feel we have enjoyed for decades. But are we ready for all the extra cars the are going to bog down our already highly congested streets? Hell no we aren’t.”

Dave Mayers had this to say “Avoid down town in the future” while Edgar Luiz Diaz commented “Luxury? is that for the enttiled douchebags who bag to have a starbucks on every corner? CANT WAIT FOR MY RENT TO GO UP!” Sara Ruiz added “Get ready for more auto chaos in this area. Smh”

Emil Down isn’t sure these developments will benefit South City residents as he writes “New LUXURY housing dope. It ain’t for those who are here now and hurting. It’s for some hipster engineer from MIT so he can be near SF not in God awful SJ. Mark my words it will be just like that monstrosity on the hill. A cold steel and glass structure to hold transplants and H1B visa owners. No current SSFer will ever live in this place.”

Sebastian Lowe had a more positive take on this “SSF is lucky to get new housing. Better than an empty lot and rundown hotels. More housing can’t hurt. Yes, new housing costs more but more housing is better for rents overall. More inventory is good for the consumer.”

Chris Vito who was more even with this response on traffic concerns “Everyone is complaining about traffic but when Costco moved in on El Camino in 2000 no one seems to complain about that anymore.”

One thing we do know for sure – South City has been through many major changes in the past and we will continue to change. And as South Citians we are industrial in that we roll up our sleeves and get to work on whatever is before us be it dairy farms, steel manufacturing, or biotech. We have come from dirt roads to freeways, from open space to high density, from a blue collar to white shirts and lab coats – we will continue to prosper because we are South City.