The fencing at 753 Laurel Street is for Harrington Park. It is not the long-discussed redesign of the 700 block. The City of San Carlos expects the Harrington Park Refresh to be finished in early 2027. The redesign, which will be called Centennial Plaza, was approved a year ago. The city says its construction schedule "has not yet been determined."
That leaves downtown in an in-between stage this fall. The block has been permanently closed to cars, but the permanent plaza hasn't been built. The changes people can actually see on Laurel are mostly things that can be moved: chairs, a statue, a new market layout, lawn games. For now, the 700 block is a temporary plaza that the city keeps rearranging, while the permanent one waits for construction plans and funding.
Two Projects on One Block
Most of the confusion comes from treating these as one project. Here is where each one stands as of early October 2026.
| Harrington Park Refresh | Centennial Plaza, 700 block of Laurel | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | 753 Laurel St., between Faith & Spirits and Mama Coco's | The 700 block of Laurel Street |
| Approval | Under construction since the May 8, 2026 groundbreaking | Final design approved by City Council on Oct. 14, 2025 |
| Current status | Active construction, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Technical construction documents still in progress |
| Expected finish | Early 2027 | No construction schedule set |
The plaza design calls for new paving and sidewalk layouts, rain gardens, new trees, custom benches, a multi-purpose pavilion, lighting, bicycle parking, and drinking fountains. A water feature is also under consideration, with its centerpiece to be designed through a separate public process. The city's own wording on timing is careful. Contractors will use the construction documents to build the plaza "should funding become available and pursuant to City Council direction."
So the block's legal status is settled, but its physical future is not. The City Council adopted the ordinance that permanently closed the 700 block in December 2023. The broader Downtown Specific Plan took effect on Feb. 25, 2026. Neither one paid for paving or put a pavilion in the street.
What the Park Work Has Already Done
Harrington Park has been an active work site for five months, and much of the finished work is now underground. The city's construction blog gives the order of events:
- May 7: The "Balancing Act" statue moved to a new spot near Laurel and Cherry streets, and an A-frame sign went up to announce storm drain work.
- May 11: Storm drain installation began across Laurel, between the park and the Bank of America parking lot.
- May 16–17: The construction crew covered the open trench with steel plates so the Hometown Days parade could still go down Laurel.
- May 22: Most of the storm drain work was finished, and the Laurel sidewalk reopened.
- June 9–18: Crews did catch basin work on Laurel Street.
- June 30: Silva Cells were installed under the park. These are underground structures that give tree roots room to grow and filter stormwater.
- July 23, Aug. 17, and Sept. 23: Separate rounds of work in Cowgill Alley, the alley just north of the 700 block.
The day-to-day rules haven't changed. Storefronts on Laurel stay open. Construction trucks mostly use the alley behind Laurel, entering and leaving from Cherry and Olive streets. Four public parking spaces behind the park have been removed for a new drop-off and loading zone. The city's construction update page was last refreshed on Sept. 30 and shows no new updates.
The Block Is Already Working as a Plaza, With Movable Furniture
While the permanent design waits, the city has been setting up the 700 block as a plaza with pieces it can rearrange. Adirondack chairs first appeared on Laurel after Hometown Days in May, and more were added on Aug. 18. The statue moved. On an August Friday night, the block had cornhole, checkers, Connect 4, and Jenga.
The largest crowd of the year gathered just off the block. About 500 people came to the city's World Cup watch party at Wheeler Plaza on June 12 for the USA vs. Paraguay opener, many with takeout from downtown restaurants.
The Sunday farmers' market was also rearranged. On May 3, the city described the change this way:
"Since 2021, the market has used a curbside, emergency-access friendly 'promenade' setup. In response to downtown business feedback, the City worked with the Urban Village Farmers' Market Association and fire officials to reposition vendor booths away from the curbs."
Vendors spread into the Wheeler Plaza parking lot, which let Cherry Street reopen to traffic and parking. The city's market listing still shows the regular hours of Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Laurel between Cherry Street and San Carlos Avenue. The city hasn't posted anything since May about whether the new layout has changed.
The newest addition is a set of information boards. The city scheduled two Downtown Revitalization boards for installation on the 700 block during the week of Sept. 28, one in the raised planter near Diddams and one near U.S. Bank.
Who Is Open Around the Fence
The businesses next to the park have been open throughout the construction. In June, the city pointed to Mama Coco's, right next to the park site, when the Adult Community Center's Lunch Bunch program held its monthly outing there. On the other side of the park is Faith & Spirits.
Openings and filings since late summer:
- muditā, 653 Laurel St., is a South Asian art and home goods shop. After soft openings, it held a community grand-opening weekend on Sept. 12–13.
- Casa Mia has been linked to 677 Laurel St., Suite B, through a liquor license filing. As of a late-August report, no opening date had been announced.
- Zac's Bar & Grill opened Sept. 1 at 1748 El Camino Real. The menu has bar bites, sandwiches, burgers, and mains, and there's a full bar.
There are also two reported departures, neither confirmed by the business. An Aug. 13 White Oaks Blog post said Dona's Hallmark at 717 Laurel St., a downtown shop for nearly 50 years, is closing and gave a downturn in business as the reason. The post did not give a last day. SFGate reported on Sept. 25 that the Starbucks locations at 1187 San Carlos Ave. and 1135 Industrial Road were on a list of likely closures, but Starbucks would not confirm individual California locations.
The Fall Calendar Uses the Same Blocks
Every major downtown event this fall is on Laurel Street, so each one will take place next to the park fencing. As of this week, neither the city nor the event organizer has posted any route change related to the construction.
- San Carlos Art & Wine Faire, Oct. 10–11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than 200 artists and crafters, plus music, wine and craft beer, and a Family Fun Zone. The 2026 route from Pacific Fine Arts runs along San Carlos Avenue between Laurel and Elm, then down Laurel from San Carlos Avenue to Arroyo.
- Spooky Streets contest: entries are due Oct. 23, and winners will be announced Oct. 30.
- Goblin Walk, Oct. 30, 4 to 5:30 p.m., on Laurel from San Carlos Avenue to Arroyo Avenue.
- Diwali, Nov. 14. The city's events list shows this date. The event's own page still says more information is coming.
- Night of Holiday Lights, Friday, Dec. 4, 5 to 8:30 p.m., on Laurel from San Carlos Avenue to Cherry Street.
The city's Life on Laurel series, which has run the block's smaller events, last listed a fitness night on Oct. 1. The city says more fall and winter activities are planned but hasn't posted dates yet.
After the Fencing Comes Down
The city expects to finish Harrington Park in early 2027. Once it's done, the trees planted over the Silva Cells will have room to grow into the larger canopy and shade the city has described. The plaza is on a separate track. City staff and consultants are still preparing Centennial Plaza's construction documents, no construction schedule has been set, and building depends on funding and City Council direction. For now, the Adirondack chairs, the market layout, and the boards near Diddams and U.S. Bank are the 700 block's plaza. Questions about the plaza plan go to the city's Advance Planning team at [email protected].
If you own property near Laurel Street, the gap between the park and the plaza affects your plans as well as your weekends. At Breakwater Properties, Tom Werbe follows downtown San Carlos project by project, including what's funded, what's scheduled, and what's still on paper. If you'd like a clear read on how this affects your home's value, request a home valuation and we'll go through the details with you.
