Archive for August, 2011
by Jimmy Huang on August 31, 2011 | 
44 Comments | Topics: Development
The billionaire developer, who many believe will run for mayor in L.A., has bought 14.2 acres of land in Dublin, CA from the Alameda County Surplus Property Authority. Rick Caruso, President and CEO of Caruso Affiliated, paid $13.1M for this parcel of prime commercial real estate. As part of this sales agreement, Caruso will assume the cost of amending Dublin’s general plan to rezone the land from campus/office to retail. Previously an entrepreneur had wanted to take half of the parcel to build a Korean plaza, but that proposal got shot down by Dublin City Council.
For over two decades, Caruso Affiliated has established a reputation for creating quality destinations with parks, promenades, fountains, and plazas that seamlessly integrated with upscale retail. Past signature “CarusoStyle” projects include the 16-acre Americana at Brand in Glendale, CA; the 20-acre Grove and the 51,000-square-foot Burton Place in L.A.; the 95,000-square-foot Encino Marketplace in Encino, CA; the 200,000-square-foot Commons at Calabasas in Calabasas, CA; the 42,380-square-foot Village at Moorpark, the 210,000-square-foot Promenade at Westlake, and the 50,000-square-foot Lakes at Thousand Oaks in Thousand Oaks, CA; and the 130,000-square-foot Waterside Marina Del Rey in Marina Del Rey, CA. In addition to two upcoming projects in Southern California, Caruso Affiliated will be branching out to Las Vegas with the Linq.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 31, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Issues
All-America City Dublin, CA has had a long relationship with federal and county agencies over the years. Dublin hosted a U.S. Naval hospital during World War II and more recently Camp Parks, which serves as a base for the U.S. Army. Adjacent to the Camp Parks base is the Alameda County Santa Rita Jail, which was built on top of a former World War II training base in 1947. Alameda County will also be completing a full service courthouse within Dublin’s borders by Summer 2014. As a result of these strong ties to the legal system, Dublin often makes national news because it hosts a federal correctional institute that has been graced by many infamous women and men over the years.
Dublin played host to former Hollywood madame Heidi Fleiss, who grabbed headlines in the 1990s after she was arrested for running a high-priced prostitution ring serving Hollywood’s rich and famous, such as Winner and former “Two and a Half Men” star Charlie Sheen.
The most recent inmate of note was Pavlo Lazarenko who was incarcerated for money laundering and the sale of illegally acquired property abroad when he was Ukraine’s prime minister. Lazarenko was recently transferred from Dublin to his new home at Terminal Island where he is expected to remain until November 1, 2012. Lazarenko has also been accused of murdering influential international figures.
Another former Dublin Federal prison resident was Squeakie Fromme who back in the 1970s was known to be a quiet 26-year-old “bad girl” who carved an “X” into her head and hung out with Charles Manson, one of the most famous mass murderers of all time.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 30, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Schools
Valley Christian Schools is a magnificent longtime private institution in All-America City Dublin, CA that continues to grow and evolve in bold ways. The beloved preschool – 12th grade private school added a varsity football team coached by former Oakland Raiders great John Parrella in 2007 and recently started construction on a new church building. While most of the school’s roughly 1,000 K-12 students choose Valley Christian to receive an education with a Biblical foundation, quite a few parents send their children to Valley Christian because they believe this private school far surpasses their local public schools in every way. Superintendent Dr. Roger Valci recently commissioned the film above to capture what Valci refers to as the “beauty and glory” of the Valley Christian Schools experience.
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by Vickie Nagy on August 30, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Opinions
For those who are looking to buy a condo in Dublin, CA, their timing cannot be better as more options in all price ranges have become available to prospective home owners. Of the available condos in Dublin, 44% are new construction, 37.3% are distressed properties, and 18.7% are traditional resales. Of the distressed condos in Dublin, 65% are short sales and 35% are bank-owned.
New construction condos in Dublin are those new units by builders like Toll Brothers. What may come as a surprise to some is that not all of these units were built in 2011. Some of the ‘new’ units were finished up to 4 years ago and used as model homes. Others like the ones at Tralee were delayed as the project changed builders.
The new construction properties range from $199,995 to $727,495 in price. The least expensive is a 1-bedroom, 1-bath Below Market Rate unit. Located in the Terraces at Dublin Ranch Villages, this 840-square-foot charmer does come with income and resale restrictions. The most expensive units is a 3-bedroom, 3-1/2-bathroom unit with 2,215 square feet of living space.
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by Around Dublin Team on August 29, 2011 | 14 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Issues · Opinions
As Whole Foods Market reignites its growth engine, many Tri-Valley residents have wondered if the premier retailer in natural and organic foods will once again include the All-America City of Dublin, CA as part of its expansion plans. The national chain recently opened the much delayed store in Lafayette and the first San Jose store in the southern part of that city. In July, Whole Foods signed a lease for 24,000 square feet of prime retail space at the corner of Fremont Boulevard and Mowry Avenue in the City of Fremont. The future Fremont store will be slightly closer to I-880 than I-680.
While Whole Foods Market has already established a solid presence along the peninsula corridor, a significant gap along I-680 remains between San Ramon and San Jose. Fallon Gateway in East Dublin now seems the optimal location for Whole Foods, because it will not only help the beloved national grocer fill the obvious gap along I-680 but also launch its foray along the much-traveled I-580. The good news for Dublin residents is that Charter Properties, owner of the Fallon Gateway shopping center, has indicated on numerous occasions that it is actively courting Whole Foods to fill out the remaining anchor pads. In fact, the interest expressed by Terra Bella Family Farm owner Shawn Seufert to set up an artisanal grocery market at the withering Grafton Station may be exactly what Whole Foods needed to see before it seriously reconsiders a location in Dublin and takes the growing demand for local and organic foods in the area for itself.
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by LVCP on August 29, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Schools
As the newest public school in the Tri-Valley, Livermore Valley Charter Preparatory High School (LVCP) serves students from cities throughout the region and beyond, including many from Dublin, CA. LVCP will be hosting two Informational Nights for prospective families on August 31st and September 12th from 6:30PM-7:30PM in the Multi-Purpose Room. The school will also provide prospective students with the opportunity to shadow current students, so the prospective students may take a test drive on LVCP’s college-prep pathway.
LVCP is smaller than the large public schools in the Tri-Valley, yet it offers all the academics, athletics, and other extracurricular activities of the big high schools. Sixty-three percent of LVCP students participated in athletics during the 2010-11 academic year, and the Tri-Valley’s newest public school is proud of this high participation rate. Even more of LVCP’s students are actively involved in orchestra, jazz, and drama.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 28, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · City Hall · Sustainability · Things To Do
As part of Coastal Clean-up Day, the City of Dublin, CA will be sponsoring a Creek Clean-up day on Saturday, September 17, 2011. Creek Cleanup Day registration will begin at 9 am at Alamo Creek Park, located at 7601 Shady Creek Road. The All-America City will provide a small coffee, orange juice and muffin breakfast. As soon as everyone is checked in and ready to go, volunteer groups will head out to clean the creeks until about noon with a small pizza lunch to follow at Alamo Creek Park.
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by Around Dublin Team on August 27, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Local Businesses · Things To Do
The Taylor Family Foundation’s 21st Annual Day in the Park event takes place on Sunday, August 28th, from 11:30AM to 5:30PM at Camp Arroyo in Livermore, CA. Proceeds from the Day in the Park auction fundraiser help The Taylor Family Foundation to continue offering the gift of camp to more and more children. In addition to serving children with life-threatening diseases, chronic illnesses, and developmental disabilities, The Taylor Family Foundation is committed to sharing the gift of camp with at-risk youths.
For those who would like to contribute to this great cause but cannot attend the event, they can still help. La Rochelle, an artisan winery focusing on Pinot Noir, announced that seven dollars from every bottle sold of its new 2008 La Rochelle “Bradley Vineyard” Pinot Noir will go directly to the Taylor Family Foundation in Livermore. The winery debuted this single-vineyard release at a “Tasting on the Patio” in July. The L.R. “Bradley Vineyard” Pinot is from Oregon’s well-regarded Umpqua Valley appellation and retails for $28. The wine is specially labeled with the Taylor Family Foundation logo. “It is an honor and privilege to help [The Taylor Family Foundation]. Their longtime work providing camp experiences for children with special needs in our area is inspirational. By donating fifty percent of the wine’s profits, we hope to raise a substantial amount of money to help with their efforts,” said La Rochelle owner Steven Kent Mirassou.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 27, 2011 | 13 Comments | Topics: Development · Retail
Outgoing Livermore, CA Mayor Marshall Kamena presided over Friday’s joyous groundbreaking ceremony for the Paragon Outlet Mall in Livermore Valley on El Charro Road. Unlike the recent groundbreaking ceremony at Emerald Vista, the latest mixed-income housing project in the All-America City of Dublin, CA, cars were very much welcomed at the event. Over 70 guests were on hand to enjoy congratulatory comments by Robert Brevnik from Paragon Outlets, Mayor Marshall Kamena, and a representative from U.S. House Representative John Garamendi’s office.
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