3606 El Camino Real
City Council Meeting
April 13th, 2026
Introduction
Architect: BDE Architecture
• Local firm with over 37 years of experience in the Bay Area Landscape Architect: The Guzzardo Partnership
• Local firm with over 62 years of experience in the Bay Area Civil Engineer: Kier & Wright
• Local firm with over 53 years of experience in the Bay Area Development Advisors: Sares Regis Group of Northern California • Deep experience in building successful, well-conceived multi family buildings Property Owner: Giovannotto Family
• Multi-generational Palo Alto residents that have owned the land for over 20 years Building Homes for Families
3606 ECR Community Benefits
• Delivers 321 new homes, including 37 affordable units, helping address Palo Alto’s housing shortage
• Advances Palo Alto’s RHNA housing goals and Housing Element commitments
• Provides diverse housing options, from studios to 2- and 3-bedroom family units
• Improves the pedestrian experience along El Camino Real, Matadero and Kendall
• Helps build Palo Alto’s vision for housing on El Camino Real Alignment with Focus Area Goals
The City put forth a vision for El Camino Real that established urban design principles and guidelines for future projects to create a coherent and attractive corridor that supports Palo Alto’s housing goals.
In our project, we see an alignment with the goals and many of the objective standards of the El Camino Focus Area:
100%
Housing
Project
Building Scale
and Density
Below the
FAR limit
Shields visibility
of parking from
ECR
Exceeds
Parking
Requirements
Includes
Facade
Variation
Enhanced
Ground Floor
Experience
Provides
Affordable
Housing
An Infill Site with Excellent Transit Access
Current: Bus Kiosk On Site. Protected Bike Lane on El Camino. Extensive Work-from-Home facilities within the Project.
Future: Palo Alto Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) would further enhance transportation in the El Camino Focus Area.
PROTECTED BIKE LANE (CLASS 4)
Existing Pedestrian Experience
Design 1 – SB 330 App, February 2024
Design 2 – Full Planning Application
Final Design – Submitted March 2026
ARB Feedback: Building Articulation
ARB Feedback from December 2025
The ARB encouraged additional façade and roofline modulation to more clearly articulate changes in plane and strengthen the building’s visual character.
Existing Condition
ARB Feedback from December 2025
ARB members suggested that the Kendall-facing façade would benefit from a more prominent expression of the second pedestrian lobby, in keeping with the primary lobby.
ARB Feedback: Kendall Facade
ARB Feedback : Open Space and Transition
ARB Feedback:
Recommended,
expanded roof
decks, and
improved usability
of shared open
spaces, and
strategies to visually
soften transition to
neighborhood.
Distributed Vehicle Egress: 2 Access Points
Located Per Palo Alto
Project Standard:
Palo Alto's Objective Design
Standards (ODS
18.24.030(D)) states that
"vehicle access shall be
located on alleys or side
streets where available".
An infill site with the rare
opportunity to distribute
vehicle egress through two
separate points of egress,
helping to minimize
potential neighborhood
effects.
1 2
Sight Lines:
Increased the
sight lines to
ensure cars can
see 200 ft in
either direction
during egress
from the
garage.
El Camino Real
200 Foot Sight Lines at Both Egress Points
200 Feet200 Feet
Figure 1: Calculated Sight Line Distances at Vehicle Egress Points 200 Feet 200 Feet
Kendall Avenue
Matadero Avenue
1 2
Conclusion
321 New
Apartment Homes,
including 37
Affordable Units.
Add Vitality to
the El Camino
Corridor
Contributes to
Palo Alto’s
Housing Vision
Architectural Review Board
December 4th, 2025
Thank you!
Architectural Review Board
December 4th, 2025
Appendix
Delivery, Drop Off, Pick Up Functions
Pick Up/
Drop Off Zone
Trash stored
inside, pulled to
Kendall for pick
up day
Move in
loading
zone
Schedule: 321 New Homes in 2029
2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Entitlements
Design Development +
Construction Docs
Building Permit
Construction
City Council
Hearing
Construction
Starts
Next Steps:
Following approval, we expect construction to begin in 2027, and 321 new homes delivered in late 2029.
New homes
delivered
Proposed Street Experience - Kendall
Currently there are no sidewalks along this stretch of Kendall, includes in the proposed design are tree-lined sidewalks that provide a safe and convenient gateway to the neighborhood.
El Camino Real
El Camino Real
Proposed Street Experience - Matadero
The corner of Matadero and ECR will be improved to include spacious sidewalks, additional street trees, and native landscaping, and will be lined with lobby and amenity uses that activate the ground floor.
El Camino Real
El Camino Real
Enhanced Pedestrian Experience
Activates the pedestrian experience along El Camino Real with:
• Storefront windows and active ground-floor amenities. • Landscaped setbacks, seating, and pedestrian-scale lighting. • Double-height lobby with visual street connection.
• Streetscape improvements promoting walkability.
PTC Feedback: Audio and Visual Signals
Audio and Visual
Queue:
"Car Coming" sign
flashes and warns
pedestrians, cyclists
when car approaches
exit
Architecture: Elevations and Materials
Architecture: Character & Design
Site Circulation
Sustainability & Building Performance
• All-Electric Building – No natural gas
• Solar equipped roof
• EV charging infrastructure for all units
• Enhanced energy and water efficiency
• Native and drought tolerant plants
• 100% Stormwater Treatment
• Bike parking with repair station + ECR Bus Line
to encourage alternative mode of transit
• Construction Carbon Footprint Reduced
Landscape: Materials and Plants