Joe Capote – Certified Investment Agent Specialist Expert in Real Estate Investments and Properties

Tanforan

The Tanforan shopping center, built in 1972, underwent a major renovation in 2005 and is now known as the Shops at Tanforan. The shopping center is home to several large stores including a Target, JCPenney and Sears, as well has several small shops within the mall. Tanforan hosted a movie theater and a new century 20 theater opened shortly after the remodel.

Before the mall was built, the site was the home of the Tanforan Race Track from 1899-1964. In fact, the track was so well-respected that the wonder horse of the 1930′s, no other than Seabiscuit, made the track his home base and training track.

In 1899, the first viewing stands and the racetrack was built in San Bruno between El Camino and the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. Aside from seasonal racing, the track hosted other events as well. In 1910 the first airplane flight of the Bay Area was attempted by Louis Paulhan and took place at the Tanforan track during an air promotion event. Thousands of eager spectators watched while Paulham flew for eight full minutes and reached an altitude of 700 feet. In 1911, Pilot Eugen Ely took off from Tanforan and successfully land on the armored cruiser the U.S.S Pennsylvania, anchored in the San Francisco Bay.

In 1917, the grounds at Tanforan were used to pitch tents and train the Army for WWI. Gambling was outlawed in 1910, and the stands were torn down in 1918.

In 1923, a second set of viewing stands was constructed along El Camino Real. Horseracing began again and by the 1930′s, gambling was permitted.

During WWII, the Tanforan race track was closed and used as a site for the relocation center of many Northern California Japanese. The U.S. Navy took over the facility and used it as a naval base where sailors were assigned to Pacific Ocean fighting areas.

After WWII, the Tanforan Race Track was remodeled and seasonal horse racing began again throughout the 1940′s and 1950′s.

After decades of racing entertainment and events, the racetrack was destroyed in a fire in 1964.

Today, The Shops at Tanforan is also home to many community events and sponsors the popular “My School is Cool” competition, where competing school PTA’s make a run at a grand prize of $10,000 by collecting and turning in receipts from mall stores. And of couse, the memory of Seabiscuit still thrives there.