It may not be a day at the races, but now a day at Bay Meadows in San Mateo is so much more. The sprawling, 83-acre former horse racetrack is now home to a thriving urban village, including a community garden, high school for gifted youth, apartments, and townhomes.
Thanks to some sustainably-minded architects and developers, the underused piece of land is now prime real estate in one of the country’s most densely-populated metro regions.
Situated mid-way between San Francisco and the tech-centric South Bay, Bay Meadows has completely transformed since the 2008 racetrack closure. The star of the new site is undoubtedly Persimmon Park, the 99-bed community garden designed by CMG Landscape Architecture and maintained by Homestead Design Collective.
Exemplifying a true “farm-to-table” ethos, gardeners grow organic veggies in the planter boxes, grill them on the barbecue, and serve them to community members on an outdoor table. While everyone indulges in homegrown fare, kids have the chance to explore arborist/artist Evan Shively‘s artistic tree creations.