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The nonprofit behind Pleasanton Gardens, an affordable senior housing complex near downtown, has formally transferred ownership of the property to the city, paving the way for the start of Phase 2 of the new Kottinger Gardens project.
The transaction was complete as of Dec. 1 for the property with single-story senior housing cottages located at 251 Kottinger Drive, across the street from the recently completed Kottinger Gardens first phase.
“Providing more affordable housing for seniors has been a City Council priority for some time, so this is a very proud moment for all of us here in Pleasanton,” City Manager Nelson Fialho said in a statement. “This milestone brings us one step closer to completing the second phase of Kottinger Gardens, which will double the affordable senior housing in our community.”
The redevelopment of Pleasanton Gardens marks the final phase of the Kottinger Gardens project, which is a collaboration between the city and nonprofit developer MidPen Housing Corp. The first phase consisted of the redevelopment of the former Kottinger Place site at 240 Kottinger Drive.
As part of the project agreement, the city retained ownership of the former Kottinger Place property while MidPen committed to redeveloping and managing it.
Meanwhile Pleasanton Gardens Inc., the nonprofit owner of the 40-unit Pleasanton Gardens senior housing complex, agreed to donate the property and its assets to the city for redevelopment. The organization also gave the city $286,000 toward the project.
The city will also retain ownership of that site and lease the property to MidPen, which will build and manage the new housing.
Upon completion, the project will have more than doubled the number of affordable housing units for seniors between the two sites.
The first phase of redevelopment began in March 2016 and was completed in October. The 50 units that made up the former Kottinger Place complex were torn down and replaced with 131 new ones split between 51 single-story one-bedroom cottages and a multi-story apartment building. Former Kottinger Place residents were moved to temporary housing or stayed with relatives for a year until construction on the cottages was completed in March.
The second phase of the Kottinger Gardens project will see the existing 40 units at the Pleasanton Gardens site demolished and replaced with 54 split between 24 one-bedroom cottages and a multi-story building.
Construction for the $30 million second phase officially started Monday, according to city of Pleasanton housing manager Steve Hernandez. The buildings that currently occupy the site will be leveled over the next couple months.
“Wet weather can certainly throw a wrench into the process, but if all goes well they’ll be done by April 2019,” Hernandez said.
Pleasanton Gardens tenants have moved to the Kottinger Gardens Phase 1 property across the street while construction takes place. They will be given the opportunity to move back once the project is completed, according to city officials.
Fialho said the project would not have been possible were it not for a group of dedicated individuals.
“Bruce Fiedler, Brad Hirst, Dave Stark, Tim Hunt, the entire board of directors of Pleasanton Gardens, Inc., along with Abby Goldware and MidPen Housing, deserve our special thanks for helping us help senior citizens who want to age in place,” he said.
In the end, this has been a great example of Pleasanton cooperation. And the final result north of Kottinger looks outstanding.
Walking our dogs past this project over the past few years we’re simply awestruck by the general layout & location for this property, attention to details and the amenities they’ll be offering to our seniors. I’d move here in a heartbeat!
Frisco and Jen – you’d move there in a heartbeat? Believe me your heart will stop beating long before you’d get off the waiting list to move in there, or any other senior facility that is affordable and not a tenement in Pleasanton and/or Livermore. I moved here from another state and I am shocked and saddened and extremely disappointed to see the small number of affordable housing options for lower income seniors. This place houses, what, 140 people? There are probably 100 times that many lower income seniors who need housing and are on waiting lists that are 4 to 6 years long. I’m wondering when the liberals out here turn 55 or so if they will be as appalled, concerned and puzzled over the lack of assistance for seniors in this area. The culture out here simply does not value seniors. Talk is cheap, but the cost of living isn’t. I’m not talking about free lunches, bingo parties or health care/medicare lectures, I’m talking about real assistance with affordable housing which is a lower priority out here than the dog parks. A lot of people would move to a lower cost area but simply cannot do so. Help them Pleasanton and get your mind of Costco and the latest Starbucks location.
I love close to the senior center and I’m overwhelmed at how many Asians are in there that just came over from Asia.. They have never worked here or paid one penny toward taxes or social security. It full of them and seniors that have worked here all their life can’t get in. How does this happen?????
Lin,
You’re misinformed. Please stop spreading xenophobic lies about the residents. The vast majority of the residents were Pleasanton residents prior to moving to Kottinger. Further, there is a preference in place on the property for Pleasanton residents.
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@Dissappointed. How is it a city’s responsibility to build affordable age-restricted housing for every senior citizen?
I am pretty close to that threshold to qualify, however I have been responsible enough to plan long ago for retirement through 401K, investments, etc.
Not that there are folks who were unable to plan or experienced financial reversals, but I honestly struggle with those who failed to plan when they had the time and means to do so. Our taxes are high enough, we don’t need more burden.
“Disappointed’s” comment describing the reality of senior housing in this state and northern California is right on. Even with frugal planning most retirees cannot afford the rents and home ownership. I lived in a nonprofit senior housing in San Mateo for one year in an affluent neighborhood. The majority residents in this project were Asians and Eastern Europe that NEVER worked a day in this country. The halls and common area was polluted with both cigarette and cannabis odor on a daily basis despite a City Ordinance prohibiting smoking in multi-family residence. It was a deplorable nightmare managed by HIP Housing and a Muslim onsite manager! I’ve written to HUD about the conditions in this vile place. Hopefully they will look into this.
BobB, why “Disappointed” moved to this area is none of your business. Did it ever occur to you that many seniors are forced to moved to be near family who can help them now that they are unable to do as many things for themselves as they used to? You didn’t seem to get the point that “Disappointed” was making. They were not saying that Costco and Starbucks are responsible for the lack of senior housing in this area; they were saying that people care more about the Costco and where the latest Starbucks location will be than they do about their own grandparents and other seniors who are priced out of this town. And I too believe that. And for Buc Lau, many seniors saved what they could, but trying to put children thru college and provide for their health, safety and welfare consumed their entire salaries and savings were not always possible. But you’re right – who cares?? It’s their own fault that they don’t have the money you have – that’s their problem, right? I wish you’d visit the senior center and tell these poor souls that to their faces. I’m sure they’d have a few words for you. Compassionless much?
@Disappointed,
Why would a low income senior citizen from somewhere else move to an expensive place like Pleasanton? I’m in my mid fifties and may move to a cheaper place when I retire. I’ve lived in the Bay Area for decades, and that’s been the reality of it for a long time. I’m not sure why you think Costco or Starbucks have anything to do with it.
@Lin,
You are making unsubstantiated claims. How would you know any of that is true?
I agree with Jen, you sound xenophobic.
@Christine,
Your comments are xenophobic and racist. You are the problem.
@”YJDGI”,
I do get it, and it is my business to ask why “Disappointed” moved to Pleasanton. “Disappointed” is asking Pleasanton residents to divert tax dollars from schools, infrastructure, and other purposes to build subsidized housing for him. Then he complains about “liberals” while at the same time asking for a handout. Doesn’t sound quite right to me. You say he may have been “forced” to live here to be near relatives, but they can’t take him in themselves? The taxpayers have to subsidize housing for him?
I’ve been paying social security and medicare taxes for over 35 years now, and I don’t mind subsidizing the elderly, but there are limits.
We are appallingly short of building a range of senior housing—both market homes and rentals. I attended a community event at Kottinger Gardens and was surprised to learn that the facilty is primarily low-income Asian residents who immigrated as an extended family members of workers on VISAs. I also learned that many live with their families and also still maintain their subsidized apartments. Before the xenophobic comments start to be hurled at me, lets get a report from the City Housing Department to make it clear how tax monies are being used to subsidize units along with a resident profile (unanimous) of the facilty and use of assistance money. It would disturb me as well if my 85 year old mother who has lived and worked here all her life had to wait 2 + years or longer and had no priority over recent immigrants. Fair is fair when public tax dollars are used regardless.
@Winston,
If you don’t want to be called xenophobic, then don’t say “Asian”. Get it? What difference does your perceived continent of origin matter unless you are xenophobic or racist?
You are the problem.
OK BobB, make that recent immigrants and make it PC and neutral.
A little late for that Winston…
BobB, a majority of the residents ARE Asian immigrants. So what’s the problem?. Am i incorrect? Please correct me if Iam. It is a publically subsidized housing development so its fair to ask why any single ethnicity resides there since fiversity is required. So leave your overly PC at the door.
Lin very well be racist/xenophobic buy you BobB and Jen have provided no more evidence for your claims than Lin has.
By the way, using Asian as an adjective does not make someone racist.
Look at the tgread on math course reduction, the adjective was used there in numerous posts in the same describing manner, but because its viewed as a positive stereotype you accept it, when in reality its no better/worse than used here.
Too much political correctness.