A garden shop in the Richmond Annex neighborhood aims to nearly double its footprint by adding a three-story building on what is currently an outdoor loading area at 10767 San Pablo Ave.
The proposed 4,984-square-foot addition intends to move customer loading indoors and keep heavy equipment off the street.
The business currently occupies a 7,500-square-foot lot surrounded by small businesses, restaurants, and single-family homes. It provides supplies and also equipment rentals and repairs for gardening. According to city documents, the store has outgrown its current space, resulting in supplies stacked in a small loft and merchandise blocking the front entrance. The congestion forces customers to enter through a side loading area, making the expansion a necessity for safe operations.
The expansion project would provide two upper floors for inventory, offices and a staff breakroom, while leaving the ground floor dedicated to sales.
The project is scheduled for review by the Design Review Board on March 11. The owners are seeking exceptions to city code to maintain a street-facing garage door and use window sizes that match the original 1950s architecture. If approved, the shop will maintain its current hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with two on-site employees.
City staff recommends approval of the project, noting that the expansion supports a long-standing local business and fits the neighborhood context. To ensure visual cohesion, the city is requiring the owners to paint the original building to match the new addition.