Daly City, California, September 7, 2025
News Summary
Work is underway on The Chester at Westlake, a seven-story mixed-use apartment building at 99 Southgate Avenue in Daly City. The project will deliver 214 apartments above a two-story concrete podium garage on a 1.93-acre site, plus roughly 10,000 sq ft of ground-floor retail. The building will feature varied facade materials, private balconies for most units, and over 13,000 sq ft of shared amenities including a fitness center, co-working space, landscaped courtyards and a rooftop sky lounge. Developers say the project will add market-rate housing and street-level retail to the Westlake neighborhood.
The Chester at Westlake breaks ground in Daly City: seven‑story, 214‑unit mixed‑use project now under construction
By Andrew Nelson — posted 5:30 a.m., September 5, 2025
Construction has begun on a new seven‑story apartment complex at 99 Southgate Avenue in Daly City. The project, known as The Chester at Westlake, will add 214 apartments above a two‑story concrete podium garage and is being billed as the city’s first major predominantly market‑rate mixed‑use apartment community in about 15 years. The development team aims to open the building as early as Winter 2027.
What’s being built
The development sits on 1.93 acres within the Westlake District, positioned between an existing shopping center and a large apartment complex. The seven‑story podium‑style building rises to roughly 85 feet and totals more than 350,000 square feet of gross floor area. About 250,000 square feet of that will be dedicated to housing, while ground‑floor retail will total nearly 10,000 square feet. The podium garage will provide 288 parking spaces, yielding an apartment‑to‑parking ratio of about 1:1.35.
Layout, units and amenities
The 214 units will include studios and one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom apartments. More than two‑thirds of units are planned with private balconies or terraces. Common amenities will include a fitness center, a yoga room, a co‑working space, a communal bar, two landscaped courtyards and a rooftop sky lounge. Amenity space is reported to total over 13,000 square feet.
Design and materials
Design work is led by BDE Architecture, with landscape architecture by JETT, civil engineering by Kimley‑Horn, interior design by Vida Design, and construction by general contractor Palisade Builders. Illustrations and plan sets show a contemporary podium building with varied cladding to break up the massing, including fiber cement panels, siding, board‑formed concrete and stucco.
Developers and financing
The project is a joint development between Bozzuto and Kimco Realty, with Bozzuto serving as lead developer and Kimco involved in the retail portion of the site. Financing for construction is being provided by J.P. Morgan. The partnership on this project follows an earlier joint venture between the two firms on an east coast development.
Parking, transit access and local context
The garage footprint consumes a substantial share of interior area and represents roughly 28% of the building’s interior square footage, according to project materials. The site is served by local buses and is about an eight‑minute bus or bicycle trip from the Daly City rapid transit station. Nearby bus routes include at least one frequent line with service every 10–15 minutes and another route offering regular but less frequent service. Project literature and local figures point to relatively high transit use in the area by regional standards, though driving remains common for many residents in the broader region.
Historic and nearby housing context
The Westlake Shopping Center adjacent to the site dates back to the early postwar era, with construction beginning in 1949 and the center opening in 1951. The Chester joins a wave of housing activity nearby that includes a large affordable housing revitalization. That effort has already delivered a phase of new affordable homes and is advancing a second phase planned to add 113 more affordable apartments and a roughly 15,000‑square‑foot childcare center with room for more than 100 children. The broader affordable project will ultimately replace an older property with more than 500 new units across multiple phases.
Timeline and next steps
Groundbreaking has been completed and site work is underway under the supervision of the general contractor and project consultants. With construction financing in place and construction now active, the development team has targeted an opening window in Winter 2027, subject to normal permitting, weather and construction conditions.
Public interest and trade‑offs
The project highlights common trade‑offs in suburban mixed‑use development: significant parking to serve residents and visitors occupies a notable share of the building, while the site’s transit connections offer alternatives to driving for some households. Local planners, transit advocates and neighborhood residents will likely weigh those factors as the project advances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is being built?
The Chester at Westlake is a seven‑story, mixed‑use apartment building with 214 units above a two‑story podium garage and ground‑floor retail.
Where is the project located?
The site address is 99 Southgate Avenue in Daly City, on a 1.93‑acre parcel in the Westlake District.
When will it open?
Construction began in 2025 with a targeted opening in Winter 2027, subject to construction progress and approvals.
Who is developing and financing the project?
The development is a joint venture led by Bozzuto with Kimco Realty; construction financing is provided by J.P. Morgan.
How much parking will there be?
The podium garage includes 288 parking spaces, an approximate ratio of 1.35 parking spaces per unit.
Will there be retail or public spaces?
Yes. The project includes nearly 10,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail and more than 13,000 square feet of shared resident amenities, plus landscaped courtyards and a rooftop lounge.
Is this project affordable housing?
No. This development is predominantly market‑rate housing. Nearby affordable housing projects are moving forward separately and include multiple phases to replace and expand older assisted housing.
Key project features
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project name | The Chester at Westlake |
| Address | 99 Southgate Avenue, Daly City |
| Site area | 1.93 acres |
| Stories / height | Seven stories; roughly 85 feet |
| Residential units | 214 units (studios to three‑bedrooms) |
| Parking | 288 spaces (podium garage); ratio ~1:1.35 |
| Gross floor area | Over 350,000 sq ft |
| Housing area | About 250,000 sq ft |
| Retail | Nearly 10,000 sq ft ground‑floor retail |
| Amenities | More than 13,000 sq ft; fitness, yoga, co‑work, bar, courtyards, rooftop lounge |
| Developers | Bozzuto (lead) and Kimco Realty (partner) |
| Architect / consultants | BDE Architecture; JETT (landscape); Kimley‑Horn (civil); Vida Design (interiors) |
| General contractor | Palisade Builders |
| Construction financing | J.P. Morgan |
| Target completion | Winter 2027 |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- SF YIMBY: Construction Begins on The Chester at Westlake
- Wikipedia: Daly City, California
- ConnectCRE: Bozzuto, Kimco Break Ground on Daly City Rentals
- Google Search: Bozzuto Kimco Daly City rentals
- San Jose Mercury News: San Mateo County Affordable and Market-Rate Housing Break Ground
- Google Scholar: Daly City affordable housing
- San Mateo Daily Journal: Affordable Housing Project Breaks Ground in Daly City
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Daly City
- ReBusinessOnline: Mid-Pen Opens First Phase of Midway Village in Daly City
- Google News: Midway Village Daly City
