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A 16-acre site at the southeast corner of Bernal Avenue and Stanley Boulevard where Home Depot once proposed to build a second Pleasanton store is now likely to be developed with 345 high-end apartment units and a 39,000-square-foot retail center.
E&S Ring Management presented its plans earlier this month to the Pleasanton Planning Commission in an informal review and won plaudits from the five commissioners. The proposal will go back for a vote by the commission next month and then will be considered by the City Council in February or early March.
If approved by both, Construction could start in late 2013 for completion the following year.
The property, owned by Frank Auf der Maur and Konrad Rickenbach, is across Bernal from the McDonald’s restaurant and between Stanley and Congregation Beth Emek. PG&E’s large electric distribution center is on the north border of the property.
The site is also one of nine sites the city rezoned last January for high-density, multifamily development in order to meet Pleasanton’s share of the regional housing need as part of a settlement with both the state housing authority and the Alameda County Superior Court.
Although the development, to be called Vintage at Bernal Gateway, will feature mostly upscale two- and three-bedroom apartments, at least 15% of them must be made available at rents affordable for low-to-medium income tenants.
The buildings will range in height from two stories fronting on Bernal to as high as four stories at the far end of the site. The main entrance into the development will be off Bernal although another driveway will be allowed on Stanley.
The high-density apartment buildings will occupy 11-1/2 acres on the site with another 4-1/2 acres for a retail center. Although the businesses at that site have not yet been chosen, John Pringle, who represents the development firm, said it’s likely they will include a small grocery store, drug store, coffee shop and service-type retailers.
Particularly appealing to city planners were the large areas of open space that Pringle’s group will include with some areas spacious enough to accommodate football and soccer games as well as outdoor barbecue and dining areas. Since many of the apartments will be large enough to accommodate families, the developer also is planning playgrounds and other children’s parks in the development.
The proposed plan called for three clusters of apartment buildings with 21 “junior” one-bedroom units with roughly 650 square feet, 135 one-bedroom units with 755 square feet and another 20 one-bedroom units with separate den areas at 880 square feet.
The two bedroom units planned for the development include 53 with 1,075 square feet; 44with split master units of roughly 1,115 square feet; 15 with dens at 1,230 square feet; eight carriage units at 1,205 square feet and 26 “town home” units with up to 1,390 square feet.
The development will also include 19 three-bedroom units with up to 1,510 square feet and four three bedroom apartments with dens at approximately 1,440 square feet.
A total of 612 parking spaces will be provided for tenants, including some with carports and in private garages.
“I’m thrilled with these plans that include open space for kids to play ball and a tot lot,” Planning Commissioner Kathy Narum said.
Commissioner Arne Olson agreed.
“This project has a lot of variety and that’s terrific,” he said.
E&S Ring Management is a privately-held Los Angeles-based real estate investment company with three other apartment communities in Pleasanton.
Two years ago, a commercial development firm, representing Home Depot, proposed building a second and more upscale home Depot store on the Auf der Maur site. Although the City Council never voted on the proposal, it was clear in informal discussions that Home Depot lacked both the council’s and the neighborhood’s support, and never pursued the plan with a formal proposal.
Wondering how the impact of this influx of housing/people will be dealt with in our already struggling schools…
Who’s going to want to pay ‘upscale’ prices to live somewhere that has15% Section 8 units? Just askin’.
All is good…if the the “Vintage” displays a statue of cholo with a flyrod in one hand and a hawk extending itself from the other. Scale model would be nice as to represent…sorry, anyone against the project…is against Pleasanton. Where are the activists? Their interpretive park paid for…sealed and delivered. “21 “junior” one-bedroom units with roughly 650 square feet,” does that mean units for pets…3ft.wd. roughly 220 ft. lg. to a private potty area? Please allow the facilities gym to release to the Southeast side,of property,for complementry running and cycling to Ruby Hills…sounds like a good plan.
Kim, according to the city’s housing guidelines, a family of five with an income between $60,600. to $80,800. in Pleasanton is labeled as “low” income.
http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/community/housing/below-market-rental.html
Kim,
People are already doing that in plenty of neighborhoods in Pleasanton. I’m more worried about the influx of new students in the already crowded PUSD classrooms.
This is an excellent problem to have. Open land on a very busy roadway and someone wanting to build a tax generating entity on that open land. Things always change, most places would love to have Pleasantons “problems” with change. I will miss the beauty of the open field but it is a small price for good development.
Yuck. If I wanted to live around High density projects, I’d move to Dublin.
The constant need to push for new development is, at least in part, due to the constant need of Pleasanton City Government to find new sources of revenue to support & fund the rapidly increasing costs associated with public employee payroll, pensions, and lifetime medical benefits.
If only the city were willing to live within our means we wouldn’t be so desperate for revenue that we’re forced to continue the practice of selling the rarified commodity of open space to every developer with a plan.
“Yuck. If I wanted to live around High density projects, I’d move to Dublin.”
The only difference between Dublin & Pleasanton is a downtown and the fact Dublin is currently looking like Pleasantons not to distant future (don’t smirk).
What’s wrong with looking like Dublin? I think Dublin looks nice.
Very funny, John. Dublin looks nice if you like lots of car lots being the first thing most people see while passing your city on the freeway.
Also, if you’re fond of big condo complexes near BART that cram 3rd worlders into little boxes, then I guess Dublin must look good to you.
Don’t forget my least favorite street next to Bart in Dublin, De Marcus Blvd.
I dont mind nice apartments. Young adults and singles could benefit, as well as seniors wanting less maintenance. Fifteen percent or close to 50 affordable rentals mixed in to the complex especially when there is on-site management and rental rules does seem OK too. That complies with the City and State requirements, like it or not.
What does cause me to ponder is the 40,000 sq.ft commercial plus the apartments and the constrained traffic routes of Valley Avenue and Stanley which is currently busting at the seams. And Santa Rita leading to that area is busier than Hopyard or any street inside Hacienda Business Park.
Everyone protested the Home Depot at that location but at least Home Depot would have its traffic spread out throughout the day and would would not concentrate as much peak commuter traffic as the new development would contribute to the surrounding streets.
Can anyone explain this to me? I have been stuck in gridlock from Santa Rita to Stanley for years now and just dont understand how things might get better?
I wish Pleasantonians would stop trashing Dublin, Livermore, or other communities. It is mean to those residents and is a negative way to voice concerns about our town. I suppose those of you who disagree NEVER ever, ever shops at any store or eats at any restaurant in those terrible places, right?
I wasn’t joking. I think Dublin looks nice.
Those luxury apartments will have a great view of the congested traffic at Bernal and Stanley as well as the PG&E power substation right next to it. I question whether they could put apartments there because of all the power line concerns.
I guess they have to build those apartments there so there is somebody to use the new benches they installed on Stanley Road with the great views of the gravel quarry operations.
I agree that the location could have been better. I thought the location near the Hopyard office parked was the better choice.
John, parts of dublin are looking better since they tore down that section 8 housing near Camp Parks. But, then that takes us right back to the subject here, doesn’t it? Moving a problem from one city to another.