San Mateo residents will get their first look at alternative design concepts for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center at a public workshop Monday, Aug. 3, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The session is the second in a series of workshops the city is holding with architecture firm ELS Architecture and Urban Design as it plans a modernization of the aging facility at 725 Monte Diablo Ave. The project aims to upgrade the swimming pool and locker rooms, establish a resiliency center to support residents during emergencies, and address deferred maintenance throughout the building.

The design team will present alternatives that build on feedback gathered at the first session, held July 14, according to the city's project page. Residents who missed that first workshop are still welcome.

All residents are welcome.

The meeting takes place in Social Rooms A & B at the King Center. Interpretation in Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese will be available, and the city is providing free childcare. A virtual option via Zoom is also listed in the city's announcement, though specific login details were not included in public materials.

The city has described the modernization as an effort to better serve the community by establishing a resiliency center for emergencies and addressing the aging facility's needs, particularly the pool. The project page is managed by the Public Works department.

What comes next

A third workshop is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 27, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. At that session, the design team plans to present a preferred design option drawn from community input, surveys, and meetings with city staff.

No project budget or funding source has been publicly identified. The city has not announced a timeline for a formal City Council vote on the final design.

Full workshop details are available on the city's project page.