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7/09/26
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SummerHill Apartment Communities has broken ground on 11 El Camino Real, a new 251-unit multifamily rental community in San Mateo County. The development, which includes 38 essential affordable homes at various income levels, brings a contemporary, pedestrian-oriented design to a prominent 2.2-acre site between the San Carlos and Belmont Caltrain stations, supporting the city’s goals for transit-oriented housing and corridor revitalization. KTGY is responsible for the architecture and design work.
“Our goal with 11 El Camino Real was to design a community that feels rooted in its setting and welcoming to its neighbors,” said Lily Ciammaichella, associate principal at KTGY. “The development brings new housing and amenities to a key stretch of the corridor while contributing to a more connected, walkable environment.”
KTGY’s design uses the site’s significant grade change and long El Camino Real frontage to shape a building that is both visually compelling and contextually sensitive. The massing incorporates plane changes, height variation and dramatic horizontal stepbacks, concentrating taller volumes inward to reduce perceived height from public vantage points and creating a profile that echoes the character of the rolling San Carlos hills. Along the rear elevation, the design responds to the larger scale of warehouses and offices east of the Caltrain tracks with broader massing breaks and a more substantial building edge, aligning the development with its immediate context.
Along the street, the façade transitions from one to five stories, activating the frontage with a ground floor program that includes the leasing office, fitness center and work from home spaces. A major massing break at the south courtyard introduces a double-height clubroom, positioned above the garage entry for architectural emphasis and reduced visual mass. These moves establish an approachable scale along El Camino Real and contribute to a welcoming presence for residents, neighbors and the broader corridor.
Two podium level courtyards serve distinct purposes: the south courtyard (over 11k sf) combines a swimming pool with gathering spaces outside the clubroom, while the north courtyard (approximately 4.5k sf) offers additional outdoor gathering areas. The building is unified by a warm, timeless material palette with tactile base materials and articulated corner elements, reinforcing its contemporary character and establishing a cohesive architectural expression along the corridor.
Construction is underway, with completion anticipated in 2028.
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