City, San Mateo County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Codes: 94401, 94402, 94403, 94404, 94497
Middle-class,
well-kept city that rises from Bay to hills that offer great views. On clear
days, you can see Mt. Diablo, at the edge of the Sacramento Delta. www.mccormacks.com
Located at
one of the key intersections of the Peninsula: Highway 101 and Highway 92. The
latter feeds to a long bridge that connects San Mateo to Hayward in the East
Bay. Highway 101 runs up to San Francisco Airport and then to San Francisco,
and south to Palo Alto and Silicon Valley.
The City
of San Mateo, situated about the middle of the county, dispatches workers in
both directions and to the East Bay and probably because of its location, has
attracted high-rise office buildings in its downtown and near the highway
intersection.
Click for regional or detailed map
More are
coming. The Bay Meadows Race Track, situated about a half dozen blocks from the
highway junction, is to be demolished (but there are legal challenges).
Tentative plans call for offices covering 1 million square feet and 1,500
residential units.
The city
is also debating how to revamp its downtown, which takes in a large mall, to
make it more pleasing to residents and shoppers.
Second-most
populous city (after Daly City) in the county, 95,776 people. Middle class but
changing. Like many Peninsula cities, it is becoming ethnically diverse from an
influx of immigrants and first-, second- and third-generation Americans. www.mccormacks.com
Median age
of residents is 38. Under 18 years, 20 percent. Over 55 years, 24 percent.
Growing a little gray.
San Mateo
to about El Camino Real, a major boulevard, is fairly flat. Moving west, the
land rises into hills that overlook the Bay and the region. Of note, the Bay at
this point widens into what appears a giant lake, miles of water, a pleasing
sight. Several years ago, government agencies and environmentalists bought out
the salt lands and are returning them to water; the “lake” is getting bigger.
Near the
water, San Mateo has built townhouses and single homes around a long and
winding lagoon that ends at a regional park with a golf course and a marina —
Shoreline Park and Coyote Point. The park ties into a long trail that runs along
the shore through Foster City, a popular jaunt for many people.
San Mateo
(city) is evenly divided between apartments and single homes. Most of the
apartments are located in the flatlands, mixed in with single homes and
townhouses. The single homes are located in the hills. San Mateo mixes its
demographics: high, low and middle income.
When you
drive San Mateo streets, you see housing that is fairly new and of modern
design, especially the townhouses, but the dominant styles, led by the two- and
three-bedroom home, come out of the 25 years after World War II. With few
exceptions, the homes are well maintained and many have been remodeled. www.mccormacks.com
In north San Mateo, between railroad
tracks and Highway 101, the neighborhood has gone transitional, offering
housing that meets the needs of low-income residents.
For the
newest housing and for examples of what is called the new urbanism, drive the
streets east of the racetrack and Hillsdale Boulevard. The racetrack used to
have a practice track that was torn up in 1998 and turned to housing and an
office complex dominated by Franklin Templeton Investments. The housing
encourages (or tries to) people to shop locally and avoid the car for each and
every task. Very unAmerican but in this age of global warming maybe getting traction.
Last pun; we promise.
The state
in 2008 counted 39,168 housing units, of which 17,736 were single homes, 3,493
single attached, 17,894 multiples and 45 mobile homes.
Children
are educated by the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary District, kinder to 8th,
and by the San Mateo Union High School District, which also serves San Bruno,
Millbrae and Burlingame. Three high schools are located in the City of San
Mateo: Aragon, Hillsdale and San Mateo.
The three
high schools score in the 80th and 90th percentiles, the
top 20 percent in the state. Scores in the elementary schools in San Mateo
range from the 30th to the 90th percentile, a real
mix. See Schools. www.mccormacks.com
In 2000,
the San Mateo Union High School District passed a $138 million bond to renovate
its high schools. San Mateo High, earthquake unsafe, was rebuilt, the work
completed in 2005. In 2006, the high school district passed another bond, $298
million, to replace old classrooms and facilities. Nice show of support for
schools.
Residents
approved a bond to renovate elementary schools and build new facilities, and a
parcel tax to lower elementary class sizes and improve programs. Foundation
raises money for schools.
The
elementary district has installed Spanish immersion and “magnet” programs to
meet the diverse academic needs of the children.
Parents
have choice of sending kids to neighborhood school or to “magnets” which have
enriched programs. Magnet schools mix the kids ethnically by offering programs
to attract them out of their neighborhood schools. If you are new to town, call
the school district right away and get the enrollment information. Some schools
fill early. Deadlines are important.
The
high-school district assigns by neighborhood but space permitting allows
transfers. www.mccormacks.com
Many of
the elementary schools run year-round schedules. Three-week breaks every nine
weeks, except summer, a five-week break. See Choosing a School.
San Mateo
Community College in hills. Many classes and activities open to public.
Four
homicides each in 2005 and 2004, one in 2003, zero in 2002, one in 2001, zero in
2000, 1999, three in 1998, two in 1997, one in 1996, six in 1995, one in 1994,
three in 1993, three in 1992, one in 1991, one in 1990, zero in 1989, three in
1988, one in 1987, four in 1986, and two in 1985, reports FBI. See Crime.
Good
commute. Not only because of Highway 101 and 92. But also because of El Camino
Real, a four-lane arterial that runs up and down the Peninsula. And because of
Interstate 280, which sits on the top of San Mateo.
Caltrain
to San Jose or San Francisco, with stops along the way. Caltrain also runs a “bullet”
train to San Francisco. Popular with commuters to the City. SamTrans buses
carry riders all over the county and to San Francisco and BART station at
Millbrae. Transit center at Third Avenue and Main Street. www.mccormacks.com
Another
reason for the short commute: the closeness of so many jobs.
Recreation
plentiful. 24 parks, 22 of them with play areas for children, performing arts
center, marina, softball, bocce, soccer, baseball, football, ice skating rink.
Farmers market. Bike paths. Municipal golf course. Senior and activity centers.
YMCA (gym, pool). In 2003, a movie complex, 12-screens, opened in downtown.
Three libraries, the main one a new facility opened in 2006.
San
Mateo's Central Park, designed when the town was small, is a charmer. In those days,
they planted shade trees to cool picnicker and strollers. Walking tours of
historic buildings.
Lots of
activities for all ages, especially the kids. The city’s recreational catalog
runs to about 60 pages.
Thoroughbred
racing at Bay Meadows, while it is still open, wildlife center, Bay beach, kiteboarding
and swimming at Coyote Point. Crystal Springs Reservoir, miles of open space
and trails, just west of the city. Garden Center, run by volunteers; classes on
how to grow things. www.mccormacks.com
City
requires residents or business owners to scrub off or paint over graffiti
within a few days of detection. Streets clean, parks maintained, lawns mowed,
shrubs trimmed. San Mateo employs a code enforcer to make sure people don't
create eyesores.
Hillsdale
Center in downtown — Macys, Nordstrom, Mervyns, Sears, Barnes and Noble
bookstore.
East of
Highway 101, the Bridgepointe Shopping Center: Home Depot, Target. Also in
town: a Trader Joe’s and a Whole Foods. Foster City has a Costco.
Two
hospitals, Mills and San Mateo County General.
Chamber of commerce (650) 341-5679.
• About
2,000 elderly live in the downtown, which has several seniors' complexes. www.mccormacks.com
• City in
2007 purchased old hotel to take care of the town’s hard core homeless, about
20 in number.
•
Elementary district has banned cell phones, text messaging and beepers. Too
distracting.
• Large
unincorporated neighborhood called The Highlands, on the top of San Mateo,
bordering Interstate 280. Next to College of San Mateo. Hills and ravines. Middle
to upper middle tract homes, some large custom jobs. Served by only three or
four roads. Many streets deadend. Section comes across as secluded with a
strong neighborhood identity. Has its own elementary school, Highlands
Elementary, scores in the 90th percentile. To visit, Bunker Hills
Drive or Polhemus Road.
• Summer
school classes in Mandarin. Parents want the classes inserted in the regular
program.
• Juvenile
jail near Interstate 280. www.mccormacks.com
• Re-opening
in 2007: the renovated Benjamin Franklin Hotel, 99 rooms. City leaders hope it
boosts the fortunes of the downtown.
City web
site: www.ci.sanmateo.ca.us
