Glazenwood
Historic District
Zachary Dahl, AICP
Community Development Director
April 20, 2026
Background
• Identified a historic district eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 Survey.
• 1994 City Council Study Session on potential district designation, but no subsequent action
• 1995 Ordinance update noted Downtown District, but not Glazenwood • 2009/2010 General Plan Updates noted Glazenwood as a historic district • But no mention of a local designation action or supporting documentation • General Plan 2040 referenced carried over from 2030 Geneal Plan • Research concluded not locally designated, but remains an eligible district Background
• Questions and comments surfaced as part of Historic Policy Update Effort.
• City Council provided direction at February 2, 2026 meeting • Prepare information to support designating Glazenwood Historic District at the local district via resolution.
• Updated documentation required
• 1989 Survey information 37 years old and incomplete
• Rincon Consultants updated survey and historic status documentation • Necessary to support legal basis and future administration Methods
• Survey
• Intensive survey
effort with photo-
documentation
• Archival research
• Primary and
secondary sources
Findings
• Harmonious, well-designed residential neighborhood constructed on the land of the former Peninsula Hotel, which burned in 1920. • San Mateo Improvement Company redeveloped the land as a restricted residential tract.
• Subdivided in 1921
• S.A. Born Co. constructed many of the houses in popular Revival Styles. • San Mateo Improvement Company dissolved in 1929.
• Development stalled and some infill development continued into the 1930s.
Findings
• Recommended eligible for the NRHP/CRHR under Criteria A/1 (Events). • The Glazenwood Historic District is significant at the local level for its associations with urban planning and development as a residence park. Designed before Euclidean zoning was common, its construction as a planned residential park reflected the emerging trend toward suburbanization in San Mateo during this period. • Recommended eligible for the NRHP/CRHR under Criteria C/3 (Design). • Though common during the period in which it was developed, the execution of the revival styles in the Glazenwood Historic District illustrates an important period of residential development in San Mateo, from 1921 through 1936. Buildings within the historic district embody the style, including stucco exteriors, red clay tile roofs, arched openings, decorative wrought iron elements, and ornamental tilework. Many residences feature asymmetrical massing, recessed entries, arcades, and interior courtyards, reflecting revival styles adapted for modern living. Additionally, the district is significant as a good example of the work of the S.A. Born Building Company.
Findings
• 39 properties/features
• 36 contributors
• 3 non-contributors
• Period of Significance
• 1921-1936
• Boundary Justification
• The historic district encompasses all those parcels
that were developed as originally envisioned by the
San Mateo Improvement Company, composed of
mostly single-family residences. Though plotted as
part of the original subdivision, parcels south of
Hayward Avenue on Palm Avenue and on the east
side of Rosewood Drive were excluded because
they were developed many decades later and their
designs do not reflect the popular revival styles that
characterize the neighborhood’s early development
• Would be added to the San Mateo Historic
Resources Inventory upon adoption of the
updated Historic Preservation Ordinance
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution designating the Glazenwood Historic
District at the local level and find that the action is exempt under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption)
and 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment).