City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: STUDY SESSION
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: October 20, 2025
Report #:2503-4353
TITLE
Cubberley Project: Receive an Update on Development of a Master Concept Plan and Phasing; Review and Provide Feedback on Themes for the Second Poll; Receive an Update on Strategic Activation Plan and Review an Update on the Workplan for the Cubberley Master Plan in Consideration of a November 2026 Ballot Measure; CEQA Status – the Master Plan will undergo CEQA review.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council receive an update on development of the Cubberley master concept and phasing plan; review and provide feedback on themes for the second poll; receive an update on the Strategic Activation Plan; and receive work plan progress to date.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Palo Alto (City) is advancing a master planning effort for a 15-acre portion of the Cubberley site, including seven acres proposed to be purchased from the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD). The purchase and improvements are pending voter approval of a November 2026 ballot measure. The master plan will be presented to the City Council in December with a recommendation to adopt the plan and associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document in March 2026 in anticipation of Council consideration of placement of a November 2026 ballot measure to fund the purchase of the seven acres, and the project or a portion of the project. This staff report provides updates on:
Development of a draft concept plan, including program placement and phasing plan following the second and third Cubberley community meetings. Development of second community poll, including themes and topics expected to be tested.
Phase I of the Strategic Activation Plan and next steps expected in Phase II. Overall Workplan schedule.
The second and third community meetings occurred on June 12 and September 17. The meetings shared progress on the iterative process of developing the master plan and engaged the community in co-design activities related to building layouts, placement and amount of green space, parking structures, and preferences between above- and below-ground concepts, ultimately leading to discussion of program placement, phasing, and site circulation. The meetings reinforced the important elements of preserving some existing buildings, phasing the construction based on available funding, and ensuring programming spaces remain flexible.
The draft concept plan (Attachment B) is intended to be developed as three phases with a combination of new construction and building renovation. The site layout considers appropriate program adjacencies by grouping similar activities together, balances building space with outdoor space and site circulation, and accommodates phasing of construction over time. The phased approach recognizes that funding may be a limiting factor in full site redevelopment and allows the opportunity for program and activity continuity during project construction.
In a parallel process, development of the second poll to be launched in early November 2025 is underway to determine voter support of a bond or tax measure to fund the proposed Cubberley project to inform Council’s consideration of placing a measure on the November 2026 ballot. Voters will be asked whether they are in support of packaging additional projects with the bond measure and measure willingness to pay the associated cost of new construction, renovation, and phasing of the project.
BACKGROUND
There has been extensive foundational work completed to support the advancement of the Cubberley Project, including several actions by the City Council. Attachment A shares a summary of actions and progress to date and the history of the Cubberley site. Since staff last presented and provided an informational update on the Cubberley Community Center Project to the City Council on June 9,1 completed milestones include:
1 City Council, June 9, 2025; Agenda Item 2; SR #2503-4313, https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=182790&repo=r-704298fc&searchid=b8466c78-a59e-41dc- a6cd-52e7bc5d8005
Community Meeting #2 on June 12,
Public Art Commission Meeting on June 19,
Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting on June 24,
Planning and Transportation Commission Meeting on July 9, Architectural Review Board Meeting on July 17,
Community Meeting #3 on September 17, and
Parks and Recreation Commission on September 23.
Work completed to date can be found on the City’s website at www.paloalto.gov/improvecubberley. Staff reports related to this project can be found under the “Archived Work on Cubberley” section of the webpage.
ANALYSIS
Milestones that are covered in this report include the status of the master plan concept development including a plan for phasing, development of the second poll, and buildout of a Strategic Activation Plan.
Master Plan Concept Development
Since the last time Council received an update on the Cubberley master plan project, progress has been made on the development of a conceptual design for the site. Building on the 2019 co-design plan, the phased concept is the culmination of feedback received during three community meetings, online input, and from Board, Commission, and Council study sessions. At the community meetings, participants engaged in co-design activities related to building layouts, placement and amount of outdoor space, arrival and parking, and preferences between above- and below-ground parking, ultimately leading to discussion of program placement, phasing, and site circulation. Community preferences were received during the community meetings and continue to be used to inform the planning process and the concept designs in Attachment B. Summaries of that feedback, including the activities and comments received, can be found in Attachment B.
The meetings reinforced the important elements of preserving some existing buildings, phasing the construction based on available funding, and ensuring programming spaces remain flexible.
Attachment B is the most current master plan iteration to date and highlights a phased approach to site development that includes a combination of new construction and building renovation. The site layout identifies and considers appropriate program adjacencies by grouping similar activities together, balances building space with outdoor space and site circulation, and accommodates phasing of construction over time. The phased approach is intentional. Available funding may be a limiting factor in full site redevelopment, and phasing also allows the opportunity for some program and activity continuity during project construction.
The vision outlined in the master plan would be implemented in three phases.
Phase I: Phase I of the Cubberley Master Plan would focus on constructing a new Recreation and Wellness Center, a two-story facility designed to serve multiple community needs. The building would include four multipurpose gymnasiums that could accommodate basketball, volleyball, indoor pickleball, and other recreational uses, along with fitness studio spaces, locker rooms, offices, and dedicated health and wellness areas. The facility would also incorporate storage space for emergency services and sheltering supplies such as cots and equipment, supporting the City’s emergency preparedness efforts. As part of this phase, the current tennis courts would be elevated, with a surface-level parking lot constructed underneath and the tennis courts reestablished on top. Additionally, Phase I would include the construction of a new outdoor swimming pool to expand aquatics programming and community recreation opportunities.
In addition to the Recreation and Wellness Center, Phase I would also include the construction of a new Education Building to support a range of educational and community programs. This facility would house early education offerings, after-school programs, and other lifelong learning opportunities, creating a dedicated space for youth and family enrichment. The existing two-story “I” building would be renovated to improve functionality and extend its useful life.
Within the Performing Arts section of the campus, both the Pavilion and Cubberley Theatre would be renovated to enhance the space as a community cultural hub. These improvements would create flexible spaces for performing arts, dance, martial arts, music, rehearsals, and related activities. Renovations would also include upgraded lobby areas to provide a more welcoming and functional gathering space for audiences and performers.
Phase 1 also includes renovation of remaining buildings, so the full site continues to be operational until funding for phases 2 and 3 is secured. Buildings and rooms currently used and occupied by PAUSD would become available for programming, visual arts, makerspace and workshops and flexible rental spaces.
Phase II: Phase 2 focuses on the construction of visual arts and technology buildings, which includes makerspace and workshop areas for hands-on projects, as well as gallery space for city curated and community exhibitions. This area will also include artist creative studios, expanding opportunities for artists and community members to create, learn, and showcase their work.
Phase III: Phase 3 will complete the Community Services section and provide a café and lounge gathering space, a popular request from the community, along with new community service and flexible spaces. The flexible space is especially valuable, as it provides the ability to adapt to changing program needs and future community priorities. It is designed to be future-proof, multi-purpose, and nimble—supporting staff-led programs, hourly rentals, office space, and potentially accommodating additional tenants. This intentional flexibility will ensure the campus continues to meet evolving needs long after construction is complete.
Overall, the master plan proposes to increase the amount of indoor space from the current 184,000 square feet to 247,000 square feet after phase one, and ultimately to 284,000 square feet after phases two and three. The increase in indoor square footage was informed by feedback received from the community and existing tenants during the 2019 co-design process and current master planning process, and opportunities to build upon existing public private partnerships for expanded community space. Examples where square footage increases are notable include:
Recreational space, including gyms and programmable spaces for health and wellness classes and activities;
Expanded theater and performing arts spaces with improved accessibility; Visual arts spaces for art programs, classes, and exhibits to the community, including a makerspace and creative workshops; and
Flexible spaces for city programming of classes and camps, and rental space.
Outdoor space also increases with the proposed plan from 250,000 square feet to 390,000 square feet after phase one, and to 415,000 square feet after phases two and three. This provides an opportunity to improve the quality of outdoor spaces at Cubberley and provide for more diverse uses, such as events, performances, outdoor programs, unstructured play and casual gathering spaces.
Development of Second Community Poll
Staff engaged with Fairbank, Maslin, Metz & Associates (FM3) to develop and conduct polling on public opinion to place a measure on the November 2026 ballot. Staff’s updated workplan presented to the City Council on June 10, 20253 included three rounds of polling: the first poll released in April 2025, the second to be released in November 2025, and the third and final to be released in April 2026. On August 5, 2025, staff met with the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee and recommended that an additional poll be added to the workplan, for a total of four.
The second poll has three main objectives and is expected to be conducted in November. First, to determine voter support of a bond or tax measure to finance the land purchase and the extent of how much voters are willing to pay annually for range of visions and scopes under these scenarios:
3 City Council, June 10, 2025: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=182790&repo=r- 704298fc&searchid=57dac2b5-5c42-4ef0-978a-be940766f395
Results from these scenarios will be an indicator of whether a phased approach to build out and/or renovation is a viable path forward, given the amount that voters are willing to pay.
Second, the poll will evaluate voter opinion testing components in the Cubberley Vision Statement and provide insight on voter support of relatable elements.
Finally, potential voters will be asked whether they are in support of packaging additional projects with the bond measure and weigh willingness to pay the associated cost of new construction, renovation, and phasing of the project. Additional details on the poll outline are anticipated to be released in a supplemental memorandum upon final review with the City Council Adhoc and polling consultant prior to the Council discussion.
Staff anticipate the third poll will be launched in February/March 2026, and the final poll launched in May 2026 and both set to test potential ballot measure language and related messaging.
As a reminder, the City Council reviewed the results of the first poll on June 9, 20255. In the first poll, voters ranked three messages as very convincing in support of a bond measure:
1. Building Standards: Palo Alto residents deserve a community center that is modern, safe, and accessible to the entire community,
2. Early Childhood Education: this project will create a dedicated space for childcare and early childhood education for families from all walks of life, and 5 City Council, June 9, 2025: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=182790&repo=r-704298fc Land Purchase
Recreation &
Wellness
Performing
Arts
Vistual Arts,
Technology &
Sciences
Community
Services &
Flex Space
Scenario 5
(Phases I, II, &
III)
Land Purchase
Recreation &
Wellness
Performing
Arts
Visual Arts,
Technology &
Sciences
Scenario 4
(Phase I & II)
Land Purchase
Recreation &
Wellness
Performing
Arts
Scenario 3
(Complete
Phase I)
Land Purchase
Recreation &
Wellness
Scenario 2
(Partial Phase I)
Land Purchase
Renovations
to maintain
base building
standards
Scenario 1
3. Affordability: Palo Alto should invest in creating an affordable, accessible place where people can gather to learn, play, read, enjoy the arts, experience joy, and connect with one another.
Strategic Activation Plan
Staff, in coordination with the City Council Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee, developed a Strategic Activation Plan to guide near-term enhancements and activations at the Cubberley site. This plan builds upon the many events and activities already taking place daily at the Cubberley campus, including City-run programs, tenant-led offerings, rentals, special events, artist studio workshops and open studios. It is intended to complement and enhance the existing vibrancy of the site.
This plan is intentionally aligned with the broader workplan. By timing short-term improvements to complement key milestones, the plan is designed to engage the community, enhance public interest, and demonstrate visible progress when it is most impactful. Balancing existing resources and staff capacity the Strategic Activation Plan enhances engagement activities in 2025 to create a strong foundation, while 2026 focuses on increasing public visibility and the workplan underway.
To ensure the plan is comprehensive and inclusive of key stakeholders, staff met with several groups over the summer to refine the plan, which included the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission Ad Hoc Committee, the Public Art Commission, and Cubberley tenants. These meetings provided valuable opportunities to share updates, invite input, and incorporate feedback into the final plan (Attachment C). The document outlines a range of potential ideas to build community excitement and momentum for the project including a mix of short-term physical enhancements, community events, and temporary art installations and performances that will be facilitated through the City’s Public Art 2026 ArtLift Community Grant program.
Phase I Activation Status Report
Staff have been actively working to bring forward the ideas in Phase I of the Cubberley Master Plan. We are pleased to provide the following update on current initiatives:
Tenant Door Painting Program – Enhancing the campus environment with tenant-led, colorful door designs. Program plans are currently being finalized and nearing launch. Community Canvas – 10-foot banner was presented at the third community meeting, inviting the community to share “what excites you about the new community center,” with words, phrases or drawings. The banner is now hung at Cubberley for the community to continue adding contributions.
Movie Nights – Hosting a three-part series of family-friendly movies at the Cubberley Theater to activate the site and build excitement. Movies will occur in November, December, and January.
Wayfinding / Information Sharing Implementation – Update current directory signs on- site to improve navigation and enhance the visitor experience, as well as share project information to keep the community informed and excited. Directory signage is currently being designed and will be updated soon.
Next Steps – Phase II Strategic Activation (January – March 2026) With the Master Plan anticipated for completion in December 2025 and City Council approval targeted for March 2026, the next phase of the Strategic Activation Plan will focus on awareness and buzz-building. The primary goal of Phase II is to generate broad public excitement of the Master Plan.
To achieve this, the Cubberley site will be further activated through pop-up events and physical enhancements that showcase the future vision while building on Phase I successes. Planned initiatives include:
Launching the Public Art ArtLift Grants to bring temporary, community-focused projects to the site.
Ongoing Cubberley Artist Studio Workshops to invite residents into the creative process. Continuing Phase I activities such as Movie Nights and Tenant Door Painting. Leveraging the existing energy of the campus with its daily events and tenant programming to highlight Cubberley as a lively, active community hub.
Phase II will serve as the bridge between the completed Master Plan and the City Council’s approval process, ensuring the community remains engaged and energized around the future of Cubberley.
Workplan Updates
As the various project elements advance it is important to recognize the interdependencies that exist and are necessary to meet the timeline. Each workplan step is intentionally designed to inform the next – input and data received during the previous and current master planning efforts inform the polling themes and questions, while poll results will inform the concept plans for a new community center at the Cubberley site. Given the constrained timeline and resources needed to complete multiple and complex bodies of work, it is important to maintain focus on the critical path to ensure milestones are met. The milestones listed below are necessary to complete the master plan and draft a potential ordinance by Spring 2026 to reach the November 2026 ballot
Project Milestones (current step is bold)
Feb 18, 2025 – City Council Visioning Session
March 19, 2025 – First Cubberley Master Planning Community Meeting April 21, 2025 – City Council direction on Poll #1 themes April 22, 2025 – Presentation to Parks and Recreation Commission April 28, 2025 –Poll #1 released to Palo Alto community June 9, 2025 – City Council review of Poll #1 results
June 12, 2025 – Second Cubberley Master Planning Community Meeting June 19, 2025 – Public Art Commission Meeting
June 24, 2025 – Presentation to Parks and Recreation Commission July 9, 2025 – Presentation to Planning & Transportation Commission July 17, 2025 – Presentation to Architectural Review Board September 17, 2025 – Third Cubberley Master Planning Community Meeting September 23, 2025 – Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting October 2025 – City Council review of third community meeting and second poll November 2025 – Release Poll #2
November 2025 – Presentation to Parks & Recreation Commission December 2025 – Final Cubberley Master Plan Presentation to City Council February 2026 – Release Poll #3 (newly added)
March 2026 – Adopt Master Plan and CEQA
April 2026 – Release Poll #4
June 2026 – Council approval to place a measure on the November ballot August 2026 – Deadline to submit Final Ballot Language for November Election November 2026 – Election and placement of a ballot measure Other work ongoing and underway includes beginning California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis of the master plan, developing future financial and operating models to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability, coordinating with the Friends of the Palo Alto Recreation Wellness Center and continuing community outreach and stakeholder engagement.
Next Steps
The next steps in the Cubberley Master Plan process are to continue refining the master plan and finalize cost estimates by phase. Staff are also analyzing current and proposed space usage on the site by area and type, developing financial models and possible management structures for future operations for the purpose of long-term forecasting and to guide decision-making.
Concurrently, results from the second community poll, expected in mid-November, will further shape the plan and guide phasing by testing potential bond measure funding levels. Staff will continue to work closely with the Cubberley Ad Hoc as progress continues. These efforts will culminate in a presentation of the proposed master plan, cost estimates, phasing scenarios, and results of the second poll to the City Council and community in December 2025.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
In FY 2025, $1.0 million was approved by the City Council to be transferred from the Real Property Reserve to CB-26000. Approximately $919,000 in costs associated with these transfers were realized in FY 2025 as shown in Table 1 below. The remaining $81,000 was moved into FY 2026 to support legal counsel services.
In addition to the funding remaining from FY 2025, $0.7 million will be recommended to be transferred from the Real Property Reserve to CB-26000 and will be used to support the items listed in Table 1. Staff will still need to return to Council to amend and award contracts above the $85,000 contract authority level.
Table 1: Estimated Cubberley Costs
FY 2025 FY 2026 Council Status Total Costs
Master Plan Update
(Concordia)
$631,966 Approved
ed
$631,966
CEQA Environmental
Review (Rincon)
202,322 Approved 202,322
Ballot Measure Polling
(FM3)
43,988 $109,012 $26,775 Contract
Amendment Pending
153,000
Strategy Consultant (Lew
Edwards Group)
27,000 81,000 Approved 108,000
Municipal Advisor (PFM) 20,000 Approved 20,000
Legal Counsel 85,000 Below Authority Level 85,000
Geotech and Surveying 17,545 Below Authority Level 17,545 Engagement & Outreach
Materials
13,795 51,000 Below Authority Level 64,795
Limited Term
Staff Augmentation
100,000 Pending 100,000
General Expenses 100,000 Pending 100,000
Contractual Services 217,372 Pending 217,372
Total Estimated Costs $919,071 $780,929 $1,700,000
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Community outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts for the project have been extensive and remain a central component of the overall process. Following the second and third community meetings, recordings of the presentations were uploaded to the project website to ensure broader access. Community members who could not attend in person were invited to share their input through an online public comment card, providing additional opportunities for feedback to the broader community.
Following the adoption of a new master plan, staff will initiate broader community outreach and engagement strategies aimed at generating excitement and awareness about the transformative potential of the future facility and campus. In the interim, staff are actively developing strategies and solutions to keep the community well-informed, engaged, and enthusiastic about the project's progress and long-term vision.
In addition to community meetings and updates to the City Council, Project updates and ways to stay involved and informed are shared through:
Project website (www.paloalto.gov/cubberleyproject),
Online comment card asking for priorities and open field to share vision and service needs,
City updates via medium.com blog space,
Project updates sent via email newsletter to the project distribution list and project updates shared through City channels including Nextdoor and digital newsletters, and videos
Utility bill inserts,
Resident mailers, and
Tabling at key City events.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review is underway for the Cubberley Master Plan Project and will be brought to the City Council at a future date.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Cubberley Project Background
Attachment B: Cubberley Draft Concept Plan and Phasing
Attachment C: Strategic Activation Plan
APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director