Harrington Park Reopens in Early 2027. The Rest of the Laurel Street Plan Has No Date Yet.

How long will the fence on Laurel Street be there? The City of San Carlos gives a clear answer for Harrington Park, the small park between Faith & Spirits and Mama Coco. The City held a groundbreaking celebration on May 8, 2026, and expects the work to finish in early 2027.

The bigger question gets a less exact answer. Harrington Park is the first phase of a plan for the whole 700 block of Laurel Street. The City's own page for that next phase says its construction schedule "has not yet been determined." So the block you walk this fall is a stopgap. The City has filled it with movable chairs, pop-up games, a rearranged farmers' market and new signs. With no start date on the next phase, those temporary pieces may stay in place well beyond early 2027.

What the Fence Closes, and What Stays Open

Construction covers less space than the fencing suggests. Here is the official picture as of the City's September 2026 update. Its construction-status field read "No Updates" on September 30.

Weekday-only hours shape how the block feels. Friday evening dinners and Saturday errands happen next to a quiet site. Weekday lunch at Mama Coco happens next to an active one.

Some of the most disruptive work is already done. The City started a storm drain across Laurel Street between Harrington Park and the Bank of America parking lot on May 11. By May 22, most of it was finished and the sidewalk had reopened. Between those dates, the contractor laid steel plates over a trench on Laurel so the Hometown Days parade could run on May 16 and 17. At the end of June, crews installed Silva Cells under the park. These underground structures give future tree roots room to grow and filter stormwater before it runs off.

The park also lost trees. The City approved removing 10 of them to make room for the new building, utility connections, seating and public art. Its FAQ cites aphid infestations and sticky sap. The plan calls for eight replacement trees inside the park and two more on Laurel Street. When the park reopens, it will have a multipurpose plaza, a building with restrooms and storage, public seating, a rain garden and a grove of trees. The City awarded the construction contract at $5.2 million, 3.7% above the engineer's estimate of $5 million.

A Block Running on Temporary Parts

The City's downtown blog reads like a list of small, removable fixes for keeping the block busy during construction.

Adirondack chairs went up on Laurel after Hometown Days in May, and more were added in mid-August. At an August "Life on Laurel" Friday night, the 700 block had cornhole, checkers, Connect 4 and Jenga. In June, about 500 fans gathered at Wheeler Plaza for the City's watch party of the USA's opening World Cup match against Paraguay, and many of them bought takeout from downtown restaurants. Also in June, the Adult Community Center's Lunch Bunch held its monthly outing at Mama Coco, next to the fencing. The City's post said plainly that construction can make nearby businesses easy to overlook.

The biggest change is the Saturday farmers' market. Since 2021, it had used a curbside "promenade" layout. In May, after downtown businesses gave feedback, the City worked with the Urban Village Farmers' Market Association and fire officials to move booths away from the curbs so storefronts are easier to see. The market also expanded into the Wheeler Plaza parking lot, which let Cherry Street reopen to traffic and parking. If you have been looking for Balancing Act, the blue figure statue, it moved in early May to a new spot near Laurel and Cherry.

The newest additions are scheduled for this week. The City's September 28 update says it will install two Downtown Revitalization information boards on the 700 block. One goes in the raised planter near Diddams, and the other near U.S. Bank.

A draft list from the City's Downtown Prosperity Team shows how much behind-the-scenes work supports all this. Items listed as completed include a lease to use 1800 El Camino Real, the former Carl's Jr. site, as off-site construction staging. The list also shows 20 SamTrans garage permits so contractors don't take customer parking downtown, and a $30,000 budget for Life on Laurel events. Possible future items include up to $20,000 for a temporary art or lighting display along the construction walkways, temporary wayfinding signs around the 700 block, and new short-term green-zone parking spaces nearby. Because the list is a draft, its future items are options, not commitments.

October Goes Down Laurel Anyway

The fall calendar still runs through downtown. The City's event pages reviewed for this post don't mention any construction detours.

1. October 2. Patch lists Salty Licks performing live at Auto Vino, 380 Industrial Road, at 4:30 p.m.
2. October 10 and 11. The San Carlos Art & Wine Faire runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at San Carlos Avenue and Laurel Street, with more than 200 artists, food, beer, wine and entertainment. The City's FAQ links to a street-closure map and lists a shuttle drop-off at 500 Laurel.
3. October 23. This is the last day to enter the City's Spooky Streets decorating contest. The same evening, Witches & Brews runs from 4 to 9 p.m. at Devil's Canyon Brewing Company, 935 Washington Street, with an artisan market and food trucks.
4. October 30. The Goblin Walk runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on downtown Laurel Street, from San Carlos Avenue to Arroyo Avenue. It's for children 7 and under with an adult, and the first 600 trick-or-treaters get a bag. Spooky Streets winners are announced the same day.

Before the Faire weekend, check the City's closure map, since it's the one document that would show any change around the fenced park.

The Phase Without a Start Date

Harrington Park is labeled Phase 1A for a reason. The 700 block of Laurel has been closed to cars since June 2020, when it started as a temporary pandemic measure for outdoor dining. In December 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1605, which made the closure permanent. On October 14, 2025, the Council approved the final design for the block, to be named Centennial Plaza.

The approved design includes new paving, rain gardens, trees, custom benches, a multipurpose pavilion, lighting, bicycle parking and drinking fountains. A water feature is also planned, but its centerpiece will be designed through a separate public process. The City's description of what happens next explains why there's no date yet:

"These documents will provide detailed engineering and construction information that contractors will use to build the project should funding become available and pursuant to City Council direction. The construction schedule for the 700 Block of Laurel Street has not yet been determined."

The Harrington Park FAQ also lists the 700 block improvements as the next phase, with timing still to be determined.

That open question matters most to anyone who eats outside on Laurel. The long-term standards in a November 24, 2025 Council staff report call for a nine-foot outdoor dining and retail zone along the block. The pandemic-era parklets would be retired once the streetscape work is finished. That is the end goal, not a removal date. The draft Prosperity Team list includes one option for the parklets. They could stay until Phase 1B begins, and businesses would get six months' notice to salvage materials before demolition. The Council has not adopted that option. If it does, even a notice sent today would keep the parklets in place into spring 2027.

Faith & Spirits is a separate case because its parklet sits in the path of the Phase 1A drainage channel. The draft list calls for the contractor to remove and replace the platform, and for the City to waive the restaurant's encroachment permit fee and help it set up interim outdoor dining. A draft parking measure points the same way. It proposes construction-related permit waivers for businesses on the northern 700 block from 2026 to 2027, then for the full 700 block from 2027 to 2029. That is the only multiyear timeline in the City's materials. It describes a possible construction window that stretches beyond the park, though no schedule has been set.

The Downtown Specific Plan behind all of this took effect on February 25, 2026. The plan is final. The timing of the next phase is still open.

If you own or are thinking about buying near downtown San Carlos, a multiyear project on the 700 block affects daily life and should factor into your plans. Laura Dunne follows these City updates closely and can talk through what the Centennial Plaza timeline could mean for your plans. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.