Cummings Loft Project

Several years ago, the City of East Palo Alto (“City”) acquired nearly 1,000 sq/ft of commercial space on the second floor of Cummings Lofts at 1765 East Bayshore Road as part of a negotiation with a developer who built a mixed-use project.  The Council has expressed a desire to create incubator office space for East Palo Alto small businesses and non-profits who may be at risk of being displaced due to gentrification. 

The developer provided the space in a “cold shell” condition. Therefore, the space needs drywall, plumbing, flooring, paint, and other essential features prior to making the space available for use. As a first step towards site improvements, the City developed a capital project named the Cummings Loft Improvement Project.  

This project is fully funded by federal funds, which are administered by the State. Specifically, the City requested $555,000 from the Small Business Administration in the FY 2022 Financial Services & General Government appropriations bill to construct an incubator office space for small businesses which will help budding entrepreneurs grow their business. The City was awarded the grant in the amount of $555,000. The grant scope includes installing flooring, drywall, plumbing, electrical upgrades, a HVAC system, and furnishing the space using traditional office furniture.

Public Works staff advertised a Request for Proposals (RFP) for architectural services for the project. At the April 16th, 2024, City Council meeting, City Council awarded a contract to MBH Architects for the design of the Project.  The project plans can be found here.

The construction project is anticipated to be bid out and awarded by City Council in Winter 2025 and construction is anticipated to begin Spring 2026.