B’way: John Kevranian resigns from the BID

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B’way: John Kevranian resigns from the BID

October 3, 2025

Broadway was buzzing today with the announcement that the long-time, tireless BID president is stepping down. John’s letter notes:

After deep reflection, I am formally resigning from my position as volunteer President of the Broadway Burlingame Business Improvement District, effective November 30, 2025. For 25 years, I have proudly served on the Board — including the past 11 years as President.

Unfortunately, I can no longer continue in this role in good conscience due to a series of troubling developments that have significantly undermined Broadway’s future and my ability to serve with integrity.

He notes three reasons that I will include here verbatim, so you get the full impact:

First, the City of Burlingame’s decision to terminate the Broadway Specific Plan — which was intended to guide development and investment over the next 5, 10, and 20 years — reflects a concerning lack of vision and long-term commitment to Broadway’s prosperity.

Second, the City Council’s continued refusal to support the reopening of weekday Caltrain service at the Broadway station further demonstrates a lack of understanding of the essential role of transit in our district’s history and future. The station, opened in 1910 as Easton Station in what was then known as Buri Buri, was the very reason the Broadway business district and surrounding apartments were built. When weekday service was removed over 20 years ago, the negative impact was immediate and profound. Restoring service should be a priority — not a political inconvenience.

Third, in late 2023, I opposed efforts by a City Council member and a Beautification Commissioner to weaken Burlingame’s flavored tobacco laws to benefit a personal associate. In retaliation, on October 8, 2023, both individuals called the Burlingame Police Department and falsely claimed I had threatened the commissioner. These fabricated allegations were clearly intended to intimidate and silence me. This misuse of public authority and law enforcement was not only inappropriate — it crossed a line, both legally and ethically.

I’m hoping BPD did the minimum perfunctory “investigation” of that last item. Item 1 reminds me of the sentiment on B’way that it is the poor stepchild of the Avenue. John has been a leading advocate for said refresh. I like Broadway a lot and actually spend more time there than on the Ave, but it could use a refresh and that takes help from the city. You have to wonder if moving to tiny district elections has narrowed the focus of city councilmembers.

It’s a shame John is stepping down, but he will always have a prominent voice in all things B’way. You can listen to Mark Lucchesi interview John here as well.

Posted in Broadway, Burlingame’s Best, City Council, Dine Burlingame, Downtown Specific Plan, Parking, SamTrans-Caltrain, Shop Burlingame, Volunteer Extraordinaire

8 responses to “B’way: John Kevranian resigns from the BID”

Paloma Ave

October 4, 2025

My opinion has been that John always wanted Broadway to be different than it is. I am glad to hear that his years and years of complaining will actually stop now.
Grace

October 4, 2025

Oh, the irony, Broadway’s troubles didn’t appear out of nowhere. John is now suffering from the very policies and candidates he spent years endorsing. But I bet he has not learned his lesson.
Jennifer Pfaff

October 5, 2025

I’m guessing it was about 20 years ago when the City updated the Broadway streetscape, fixing the sidewalks, creating bulb-outs for safer crossings. As with everything in Burlingame, it was controversial at the time, but the hope was to beautify the street and make it more of a draw. John K., and also Ross Bruce, have been caretakers and wonderful cheerleaders for the street for literally decades. Thank you to both of them for caring so much.
Everyone has always had opinions on what Broadway should be, but the thoroughfare was always primarily an access road of one type or another–first as a service road to Easton’s Black Hawk Ranch, with access to and from the Bay, and then, by the late 1920s Bayshore Highway’s final southbound exit for commuters driving four blocks westward up to El Camino to continue their journey southbound… always passing through, and how to get these folks to stay awhile? Mostly Broadway has always serving the locals.

The conundrum with the Broadway (formerly Easton) railroad stop is a mess, and it cannot (IMO) be blamed on the Council. Does Caltrain know how to manage any type of infrastructure project? I don’t think so. That’s why we are being asked, yet again, for infill.

On the list of disappointments, John mentioned Council’s lack of support by discontinuing a Broadway Specific Plan. Personally, I think they did the right thing, it would have been more funds wasted. With literally dozens of State mandates in place, changes will be coming to Broadway that will not be guided, nor constrained by any local “plan.” Widened sidewalks and bike lanes certainly looked great in those illustrations, but in the real world, one has to wonder how a longstanding freeway exit could have melded with the consultant’s concept(s) that one way, or the other, would have hampered traffic flow. The best idea that came out of those sessions was for small pop-up type establishments that would be nimble and flexible, and those can still be a reality.

Instead of turning inward on past and current Councils, and those who have been stewards of Broadway for literally eons, take a look at those in Sacramento intent on continuing to strip cities of any local control. In the past, Specific- and General plans were opportunities for everyone in a community to share ideas, hopes and dreams–shaping their own cities in unique ways. Considering the current situation, these have become exercises in futility.
resident

October 5, 2025

The city should buy one or two properties just off Broadway and make them parking lots so they can shift at least one side of Broadway to parallel parking and widen the sidewalks and give restaurants a way to do more outdoor seating like Burlingame Avenue. Other improvements could happen at that time.

The irony of tons of new stack and pack units right next to the train station that only has bare bones weekend service shows how badly Caltrain and the state thinks.
Joe

October 6, 2025

I think that is an interesting option. Doing just one side would probably be odd-looking but the overall feel of the street would be better in my opinion. Checking with the AI, it appears that “For instance, one calculation found that 45-degree angle parking allows for up to 35% more cars along a single side of the street compared to parallel parking.” So any newly acquired parking would have to at least make a dent in a 35% reduction.
Joe

October 7, 2025

The DJ ran a piece today about John’s resignation and got him on the phone to add some details. Item #3 in his resignation letter gets some history revealed:

Kevranian’s resignation letter also expressed frustrations with Burlingame’s political leadership stemming from a verbal confrontation with Burlingame Beautification Commissioner Hadia Khoury about the city’s tobacco ban, an issue on which the two disagreed.

That interaction resulted in the police being called on him to check up on what he deemed “fabricated allegations” that he’d threatened Khoury’s business, he said. He also alleged Burlingame Councilmember Donna Colson was improperly involved in the calling of the police.

“It’s an intimidation of a business leader to scare and intimidate and bully me,” he said.

Colson had no comment on the accusation regarding the police, but commended Kevranian for his community service work throughout the years. Khoury also had no comment.
HR

October 9, 2025

Hello again all. Holly Roller here. In my opinion, from the beginning the COB had a lot of Monies and was determined to spend it.
Those good intensions have ended up being a contest of who can get a Marshmello into a “Piggybank” first. The “Remodeling” of ECR, will not be completed for 3-5 years.; HSR. And ongoing Political and financial Pipe Dreams. Of course, the “Cherry on the Top,” Trump. Thank all the contributors to these subjects. Time to consider a “Do Over.”
Timothy Hooker

October 12, 2025

A heartfelt tribute to John Kevranian, who served with unwavering dedication as the volunteer President of the Broadway Burlingame Business District for many years. John stands out as a truly exceptional business leader—one in a million—whose tireless work ethic and singular focus propelled him forward around the clock, always in service to his vision for the district’s success. Wherever one might encounter John, his thoughts inevitably returned to Broadway Burlingame and the ways it could be elevated further. I recall offering him a set of gently used golf clubs one day, in the hope of encouraging a well-deserved respite from his duties. Yet, true to form, John politely declined, his priorities firmly rooted in the ongoing needs of the district—a gentle reminder of his profound commitment.Having collaborated with John over the years, I can attest to his qualities as a steadfast manager: impeccably honest, deeply committed, and supported by a remarkable family that has shared in his noble pursuits.

To John, with profound respect and gratitude.

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