Menlo Park eyes future of El Camino Real Menlo Park eyes future of El Camino Real (February 08, 2006)

By Rory Brown

Almanac Staff Writer

The future of El Camino Real will be the focus of a study session of the Menlo Park City Council, set to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 7, in the council chambers in the Civic Center.

Ideas for developing three sites abandoned by auto dealers will be introduced at the meeting, said David Johnson, the city's business development manager.

The sites are at 1300 El Camino Real, formerly occupied by a Cadillac dealer; 300 El Camino, formerly occupied by the Anderson Chevrolet car dealer; and the lot across the street, formerly occupied by an Anderson truck lot.

Stanford Park Hotel officials are looking to use the former Anderson car site next-door to expand the hotel's conference and banquet facilities, said Jonathan Farrington, the hotel's general manager.

The hotel's existing meeting spaces are scattered throughout the building, he said. The new facility would allow the hotel to consolidate its conference rooms in one location.

"We don't have a specific plan that's been developed, but we've talked about it for years," Mr. Farrington said. He said hotel officials would work on the project with the community; with Stanford Management Co., the landlord; and AutoNation, which holds a lease on the property.

At the study session, city staff and developers will also discuss development projects already in the works, and long-term plans for El Camino Real.

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