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08/25/2003 1953 in order to create a new, seismically safe, inpatient medical facility for Kaiser Permanente members and the Redwood City community. Without the seismic safety improvements, the inpatient facility would be required by law to close by 2013, which would cause a significant adverse impact. Three major phases of the Project will provide replacement facilities. Any significant environmental impacts will only occur in conjunction with the later phases of the Project. (iv) Support Redwood City's Objectives and Design Guidelines for the Downtown Area The Project would play an important role in the revitalization and enhancement of Redwood City's Downtown District due to its proximity to the downtown retail core and its location at a gateway entrance into the downtown at Main Street and Veterans Boulevard, particularly given the size of the Medical Center. The Project would provide a campus environment that is easy to negotiate for both pedestrians and vehicles, by creating open spaces and pedestrian walkways with clearly recognizable destination points, building entrances, landmarks, and street crossings to orient people to Medical Center programs. The Project would create a friendly environment for a diverse mix of people and uses in the downtown. The Project would establish a central downtown public gathering space that serves as a focal point for the community and, in addition, help to define the downtown area. (v) Economic Impacts to the City of Redwood City The Project will provide significant market support to downtown businesses and will enhance the City's ongoing revitalization efforts. The Project will retain Kaiser's approximately 1,387 employees in the City and will result in additional new employees. These employees are a primary source of potential business, patronizing restaurants, shops and cafes. Out - patient and in- patient visitors combing trips to the campus and Downtown are an additional source of economic activity for Downtown. In addition, Kaiser provides over one million dollars of annual charitable investment in the City. (vi) Increase in Number of Jobs The economic development goals and policies of the Redwood City General Plan include creating more job opportunities. The Project would promote these goals and policies by ultimately generating approximately 134 additional jobs. The Higher Occupancy Scenario would promote these goals and policies by ultimately generating approximately 626 additional jobs. (vii) Smart Growth The Project would encourage "smart growth" by intensifying the use of a currently developed site, thereby preserving open space. As discussed above, development would also be in proximity to existing housing and transit opportunities such as Caltrain. F:Atty /Reso /Reso.1422 14549 8/20/02 4