A historic 1940s post office building, weighing 1,010 tons, is being temporarily moved 120 feet in Burlingame, California to make way for the construction of a new underground parking garage beneath the building’s current location as part of the planned 220 Park Road office and retail development. 

While relocated, the historic structure will be restored before being moved back on site and integrated with the new development as a restaurant space at the base of the office building. The move is to ensure its safety during the construction of the new development. Page & Turnbull is the preservation architect working with KSH Architects and rehabilitation specialists Garden City Construction to move the building. The development is led by a joint venture of Sares Regis Group of Northern California (SRGNC) and Dostart Development Company (DDC). The project broke ground in September and will deliver 185,000 square feet of new office and retail space in a 1.3-acre lot in the center of downtown Burlingame, just a few miles south of San Francisco. 

“This post office, built in the 1940s, is part of the historic fabric of the city of Burlingame, and we are honored to help ensure the preservation and adaptation of this public treasure,” says architect Ruth Todd, FAIA, principal of Page and Turnbull, and the project’s preservation leader. 

Once completed, the repurposed post office will open onto a new adjacent Burlingame Town Square, which is set to begin construction immediately following the completion of 220 Park Road. The town square is envisioned to be a gathering space for outdoor dining and socializing, with flexibility to host live events.

Construction of 220 Park Road is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, with the exterior and site improvements done in early 2024.