Burligame CA looks forward to new Community Center
Burlingame CA officials excitedly broke ground June 25 this year for the city’s new Community Center. This 37,000 square foot community center will house a fitness studio, teen center, active lounge, community room, music studio, ceramics and fine arts workshops, technology shop and active lounge. The price tag is $40 million. The city plans to build this new center over the footprint of the current center at 850 Burlingame Ave.
The planning process
The building design was the subject of some debate. According to The Daily Journal, the first design concept was more of a mission style. Those favoring the mission style claimed it fit better with the city’s landmark buildings that include the high school, library and train station. Others who supported the contemporary design maintained that the pavilion styling was more appropriate for the solar panels that would be used for energy. In the end however, city officials approved the “contemporary, pavilions style facility.”
Even before community center construction began, the Burlingame Parks and Recreation Department used its Facebook page to prepare for the center’s opening. The department asked for Burlingame residents’ input in a October 2018 Facebook post regarding programs they would like the city to provide at the community center. The department will use the responses gleaned from the survey to plan for community center utilization. This way the department will be able to develop services, activities and classes the Burlingame community considers valuable.
City officials participating in the groundbreaking included Mayor Donna Colson, Director of Parks and Recreation Margaret Glomstad, Vice Mayor Emily Beach, Council Member Michael Brownrigg, City Manager Lisa Goldman and Director of Public Works Syed Murtuza.
Group 4 Architecture, a Bay Area engineering and planning company, has been working with the City of Burlingame in designing the new community Center. Both Group 4 and Griffin Structures joined in the groundbreaking celebration.
