Endorsed by Committee on December 17, 2025
Hillsdale Reimagined, as the name suggests, transforms the underutilized Hillsdale Mall into a mixed-use walkable neighborhood with nearly 1400 housing units. The project integrates retail, office, housing, and open space to allow residents and visitors to live, work, and play in the same area. The site is within a 10-minute walk from the Hillsdale Caltrain station and will install extensive walkways and bike lanes for multi-modal transportation.
For this and many other reasons, Hillsdale Reimagined is in line with Greenbelt Alliance’s climate SMART—Sustainable, Mixed, Affordable, Resilient, Transit-Oriented—development criteria.
Walkability and Transit-Oriented
Hillsdale Reimagined includes all the qualities Greenbelt Alliances looks for in a SMART housing development. As an infill site, the project revamps the old and underutilized Hillsdale Mall into a vibrant multi-use community with homes, shops, open space, and offices. Moreover, the project emphasizes walkability and minimizes the need for a car by providing a plethora of pedestrian walkways and bike lanes.
Hillsdale Reimagined is well-connected to San Mateo’s public transit network: residents will be able to reach the Caltrain station within a 10-minute walk. Multiple bus stops around the perimeter provide additional public transit access for those in the city.
Sustainability and Affordability
The project promotes sustainability by encouraging public transit use, biking, and walking, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project includes green spaces and tree-lined plazas that will provide recreation areas and much-needed cooling on a hot summer’s day. Hillsdale Reimagined will be all-electric, use high-efficiency water systems, and feature native and drought tolerant plants. It is not in a wildfire hazard zone and has limited flood risk.
Lastly, we appreciate the inclusion of over 200 affordable housing units, making up approximately 15% of the total housing stock in the project.
According to GreenTRIP—a free online tool created by Transform that models traffic and greenhouse gas impacts of residential projects in California—Hillsdale Reimagined will result in:
- 1,007 fewer miles driven every day compared to the San Mateo County average.
- 2% fewer GHG impacts every day compared to the San Mateo County average.
- 26% more parking use every day compared to the San Mateo County average.
Greenbelt Alliance believes the Hillsdale Reimagined project will be a major stepping-stone in creating the resilient and interconnected communities people desire. We are proud to give this project an endorsement! We hope its approval will inspire cities in San Mateo County and around the Bay Area to be audacious and redouble their efforts to grow in more sustainable ways.
Greenbelt Alliance’s Climate SMART—Sustainable, Mixed, Affordable, Resilient, Transit-Oriented— Development Endorsement Program goals call for fully protecting the Bay Area’s greenbelt, directing growth within existing communities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and accomplishing both in a way that equitably benefits all Bay Area residents. Our Endorsement Program supports projects that advance the right kind of development in the right places. By promoting climate SMART development, we can create thriving, resilient neighborhoods with ready access to transit and housing choices for all of the Bay Area’s people. Find out more about our Endorsement Program here. Feel free to contact our team for more information and support.
