Development
by John M. Zukoski on August 31, 2010 | 
14 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Businesses · Opinions
Located at the corner of Dublin Boulevard and Dougherty Road in Dublin, CA, Tralee Village is a stunning retail and residential mixed-use infill project that combines timeless architecture with the ultimate in accessibility and convenience. While most of the retail space at Tralee Village has been leased out, nearly all of the 233 residential units sit vacant. The project’s developer, Pinn Brothers, defaulted on its loan, and lender Wells Fargo has assumed ownership of the Shops at Tralee and the unsold condos and townhomes.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 30, 2010 | 5 Comments | Topics: Development
Dublin’s Planning Commission recently approved D.R. Horton’s request to have an option to build either a 105-unit townhouse project named Esprit or 300-unit condo project named Metropolitan. The 15,000 square feet of retail space at the East Dublin BART Station transit village originally proposed for Metropolitan will be dropped for Esprit. The 4.13 acre site for Esprit/Metropolitan is directly across from the Avalon apartment complex on the corner of Dublin Boulevard and Iron Horse Parkway.
If approved by the Dublin City Council, D.R. Horton’s new option would not include the 15,000 square feet of retail space that had initially been planned for the parcel. This decision is based on the fact that there has not been any demand for the existing retail space that sits vacant on the first floor of the Avalon community.
The Esprit project has five plan designs that include two to three bedrooms ranging from 1,174 square feet to 1,610 square feet.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 26, 2010 | 11 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Issues
The City of Pleasanton recently approved plans to extend Stoneridge Drive out to El Charro Road at the future site of Staples Ranch. Once completed, Staples Ranch is expected to showcase an 11-acre retail plaza, 17-acres of parkland (including an ice skating complex), the 45-acre Stoneridge Creek Pleasanton senior continuing care community, and Hendrick Automotive Group’s 37-acre luxury auto mall.
While the City of Pleasanton may have approved the extension, it gave itself a contingency clause. Pleasanton will extend Stoneridge Drive to El Charro Road only if Livermore connects Jack London Boulevard to El Charro Road. The Jack London Boulevard extension has been put on hold until development begins at the Prime Outlet Mall on El Charro Road. This conditional approval is not the first time Pleasanton has used an “out” clause to delay the extension of Stoneridge Drive. For years the City of Pleasanton has blocked this critical road extension, in spite of Supervisor Scott Haggerty’s promise to have Alameda County pay for it.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 12, 2010 | 11 Comments | Topics: Development
Prime Outlets is still planning to open a discount outlet mall on El Charro Road in Livermore directly across from the future Staples Ranch development in Pleasanton. Simon Property Group inked a deal with the Lightstone Group LLC in December 2009 to acquire Prime Outlets. As part of the anti-trust review of the acquisition, the FTC ordered Simon to shed three of the Prime Outlet sites – St. Augustine in Florida, Grand Prairie in Texas, and the Livermore Valley site in California. Based on this revised agreement, Lightstone Group LLC will hold onto the Livermore Valley site at El Charro Road for now and possibly sell it to another outlet mall operator.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 11, 2010 | 32 Comments | Topics: Development · Restaurants
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse is eager to open a new location in the Tri-Valley. Early indications point to Dublin as BJ’s preferred location for its new restaurant. BJ’s will most likely construct a new building roughly 9,000 square feet in size instead of leasing space from an existing building. The Shops at Waterford would have been an option for BJ’s, if the property owner could relocate the nail salon and reconfigure the space formerly occupied by Stacey’s and Blockbuster. Unfortunately, The Shops at Waterford simply does not have nearly the parking spaces to meet BJ’s minimum parking requirement.
BJ’s is considering at least two sites in Dublin. The first is a parcel that sits between Dublin Toyota and Hacienda Crossings. This location is close to where BJ’s target market lives, near a thriving retail and entertainment hub, and highly visible from I-580. The second is the parking lot next to the vacant Mervyn’s building and Toys “R” Us in Downtown Dublin. This site is appealing to BJ’s, because the new restaurant will be next to the West Dublin BART station, easily accessible from both I-680 and I-580, and well positioned to take advantage of the emerging Downtown Dublin District. Simon Malls took a similar approach at Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton when it built The Cheesecake Factory and PF Chang’s on top of land previously used for parking.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 5, 2010 | 16 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Businesses
Charter Properties has confirmed that a new steakhouse will be opening at Grafton Station before Christmas 2010. The new steakhouse will be owned by an investment group led by a former employee of the Hungry Hunter Steakhouse chain. Currently in the design phase, the steakhouse will be called Cellar 9 Wine Bar & Restaurant. Once opened, the new steakhouse will be in the same building as Karma Fusion Lounge and right across from Dublin Ranch Dental.
The addition of a steakhouse to Grafton Station makes a great deal of sense and should complement Buffalo Wild Wings and Karma Fusion Lounge nicely. In addition to these restaurants, Grafton Station is also home to Lowe’s.
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by John M. Zukoski on July 19, 2010 | 9 Comments | Topics: City Hall · Development
Economic Development Director Linda Maurer is confident that Dublin is making its way out of the recent downturn. Auto sales in the First Quarter of 2010 compared to First Quarter of 2009 show a significant increase. Commercial space vacancy rates, currently 17-18%, appear to be on a steady decline. The Dublin Corporate Center, off the corner of Tassajara Road and Dublin Boulevard, is continuing to land new tenants like Perquest and Tria Beauty. Maurer indicated that many restaurateurs have expressed interest in the site formerly occupied by Stacey’s at Waterford, but the current owner has been reluctant to share any detail other than that the plaza is looking to attract a high-end restaurant to complement the other shops.
Thanks to the reduced water and sewer hookup fee, Charter Properties is very close to signing another lease with an upscale restaurant at Grafton Station. If a deal can be struck, the restaurant owner would likely need to appear before the Dublin Planning Commission to request a conditional use permit for outdoor seating and other exceptions.
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by John M. Zukoski on July 15, 2010 | 7 Comments | Topics: City Hall · Development
The City of Dublin now has another incentive with which to attract new businesses – a 25% water and sewer hookup fee credit. Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) has often been criticized for charging new businesses outrageously high hookup fees. Restaurants moving into new buildings routinely pay from $200K to $400K in fees just to get water and sewer service. Many have pointed to the exorbitant hookup fee as a primary deterrent that has prevented many restaurants of distinction from moving into Dublin.
In response to this criticism, the City of Dublin and the DSRSD have created a program that offers new restaurants with a credit of up to 25% of their standard hookup fee. Under this program, the City of Dublin will make available 66 previously unused Dwelling Unit Equivalent (DUE) credits that were acquired as part of the Civic Center and Dublin Senior Center site purchases. A DUE is equivalent to the water and sewage needs of an average single family home.
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by John M. Zukoski on June 24, 2010 | 9 Comments | Topics: Development
Jordan Ranch is 189 acres of mostly residential development that will be located in Fallon Village next to the Positano community in Dublin, CA. Jordan Ranch will include 780 residential units spread over six neighborhoods with parks, an elementary school, and some retail space. The developer and the City Council expressed their reservations about the proposed location of the retail component. The currently proposed retail site may be relocated closer to Fallon Road to ensure the viability of the businesses.
The Jordan Ranch homes will reflect an earlier time when simple farmhouses, cottages, and barns dotted the countryside. Some of the architectural styles will include Farmhouse, Cottage, Folk Victorian, and Rural Contemporary. Of the 780 total residential units, 457 will be single-family detached homes in Neighborhoods 1-3 with private yards of around 400 square feet. These neighborhoods will feature traditional, cluster, and small lot/alley loaded home designs. The other 323 units in Neighborhoods 4-6 will be a mix of townhomes and lofts. The lofts will be built above the retail units in the mixed-use area. The homes located directly off Positano Parkway in Neighborhood 1 will most likely be built first, because much of the necessary traffic infrastructure is already in place.
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