The proposed facility at 400 Mitchell Lane would house part of Stanford’s geological and paleontological specimen collection, supporting a range of sustainability courses. The location’s proximity to Caltrain and regional bus routes is intended to boost accessibility for students participating in field-based training.
“The facility will provide the needed space for specimen management, staging, and preparation,” wrote Stacey Yuen, project manager at Stanford University, in the school's conditional use permit application. “Its proximity to public transportation will greatly facilitate student participation and access to necessary resources.”
The one-story, 7,528-square-foot building, constructed in 1946, was formerly occupied by the American Red Cross and Urban Ministry of Palo Alto. It has remained unoccupied for several years. The proposed adaptive reuse includes ADA compliance updates, lighting and HVAC upgrades, and reconfiguration of interior spaces for collections storage, training, and fieldwork support. All flooring will be replaced with concrete.
No changes to the existing footprint are planned, and the 17-space parking lot, including one accessible stall, will remain in place. Under California Assembly Bill 2097, minimum parking requirements are waived for developments located within half a mile of public transit stations.
On June 9, 2025, Palo Alto’s Planning and Development Services Director tentatively approved the conditional use permit. A public hearing was requested shortly after, citing concerns about the simultaneous processing of a separate hazardous tree removal permit on the same site. City staff responded that the applications were independent and both fell under CEQA exemptions for existing facilities (Section 15301).
The Planning and Transportation Commission reviewed the project on July 30, 2025, and will forward a recommendation to City Council. If approved, renovations could begin in spring 2026.
While the building itself lies on land zoned Public Facilities (PF) and not within the dedicated portion of El Camino Park, the area surrounding the Caltrain station is undergoing broader urban planning updates. Stanford has committed to working with the city on mobility enhancements in the area, including the recently voter-approved conversion of parkland for a new bus road.
By repurposing an existing structure for sustainability-focused education, Stanford's project supports Comprehensive Plan policies encouraging adaptive reuse and multimodal access to academic resources.
