By Faughn Economy • Education • Workforce 0 Comments

High-Speed Rail, High-Quality Jobs: Career Trek Shows Students Opportunities

California high-speed rail, a multibillion-dollar project designed to connect the Central Valley to Los Angeles and the Bay Area, promises swift transportation, the protection of agricultural land and contributions to a cleaner environment.

It’s also providing a lot of jobs – from design to construction to, eventually, operation.

UC Merced engineering students recently got the chance to see what opportunities might be available to them. Roughly 25 students took part in a Career Trek to visit the California High-Speed Rail Central Valley Regional Office in Fresno, as well as the Hanford and Cedar viaducts.

Career Treks are offered by the university’s Student Career Center. Students are taken on industry-specific recruiting trips to regions within California, hearing from employers about their professional journeys and the pathways they followed to career success.

Manny Machado, engineering career specialist in UC Merced’s Student Career Center, coordinated the March visit with help from two colleagues, employer services manager Magali Torres and internship and employer services coordinator Xue Lee.

“A Career Trek is when students have the chance to visit a nearby organization to hear more about their recruitment efforts, and to learn more about the work that they do,” Machado said. “During these trips, students get the opportunity to tour facilities, hear about job and internship opportunities they can get involved with, network with employees of that organization and hear more about professional pathways at said organization.

“These Career Treks are also a good way to expose scholars to different career industries while also giving them a chance to showcase their skillsets.”

Students met with engineering professionals at the rail project’s regional office.

“These professionals gave insight to their professional journeys, gave advice on how students can be proactive in their career development and talked about how the different engineering disciplines are needed on a large-scale project like this,” Machado said.

Final designs for the high-speed rail project call for about 500 miles of track stretching from Southern California to San Francisco. The first segment, in various stages of construction since 2015, is a 170-mile stretch from Merced to Bakersfield.

At the project’s Hanford Viaduct, students learned about environmental considerations for construction sites, toured the top of the structure, heard how the structure will become earthquake proof and learned more about the professional experiences of the construction site managers. Students learned more about these issues at the Cedar Viaduct; because it’s further along in construction, they could compare the sites’ development.

Students also learned about the different engineering disciplines required for this work. As the project continues to develop, there will be different roles needed at different times. For example, once construction is further developed, electrical engineers will be vital in incorporating components needed for the stations and tracks. Other opportunities soon to be available include internships with partner organizations such as Stantec and Caltrans. And once work begins on the rail’s Merced station, there likely will be more chances for UC Merced students to be involved.

For this particular Career Trek, participating students had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Once construction gets further along and trains start to run stations, the tours currently being hosted will no longer be offered to the public.

Students interested in learning more about Career Treks get can look at Instagram and view the events calendar through Handshake or go to the Career Center website.

The Student Career Center typically offers one or two Career Treks during the academic year. Previous destinations include Gallo and LinkedIn.

https://news.ucmerced.edu/news/2024/high-speed-rail-high-quality-jobs-career-trek-shows-students-opportunities

By Faughn Economy • New Developments • Quality of Life 0 Comments

Ribbon cutting for McKinley interchange June 12, groundbreaking for 120 Bypass/99 work is July 17

Manteca — when Mayor Gary Singh and fellow council members along with other dignitaries cut the ribbon to open the McKinley Avenue interchange next month — will  have done something no other California city of under 100,000 has done this century.

And that’s complete three major interchange projects, including two done with lion’s share of the cost being funded by the city.

It started with the replacement interchange at Lathrop Road and Highway 99 that was completed in 2012.

It included completing the transformation of the Union Road and 120 Bypass interchange in 2020 as the first diverging diamond interchange in California.

And it will be marked Wednesday, June 12, with the Mckinley ribbon cutting for what will be the fifth interchange along the 6-mile stretch of the 120 Bypass.

That’s three new or revamped interchanges opening within 12 years at a cost in excess of $85 million.

And the city is just getting started.

On Monday, July 17, the groundbreaking for the first of three phases involved in the $154 million Highway 99/120 Bypass/Austin Road interchanges will take place.

That will address two more interchanges, bringing the number to five.

Meanwhile, the city is in the process of funding preliminary work to repeat the diverging diamond redo at Union Road including the separate pedestrian crossing for the 120 Bypass at Airport Way and Main Street.

The first of the two projects to break ground is expected to be Airport Way.

Singh’s goal is to see the three additional projects completed within the next 10 years.

If that happens, the city will have had a role in seven major interchange projects in 22 years with an overall tab in excess of $300 million.

The first phase of the 120/99 work includes more than $8 million in city funding to allow the replacement overpass on Austin Road that would also bridge Moffat Boulevard and the railroad tracks to be widened to four lanes.

The balance of the first phase funding has already been lined up. Work includes adding a second transition lane from the eastbound 120 Bypass to southbound Highway 99.

When the first phase is completed in two years or so, the funding is expected to be in place to add a second transition lane from northbound Highway 99 to the westbound 120 Bypass.

The third phase will require Manteca to secure much of the funding.

It involves long expensive braided ramps to restore access to northbound Highway 99 from Austin and access to Austin Road from southbound Highway 99.

Because the Austin Road and 120 Bypass/Highway 99 interchanges are so close, access for traffic going to and from Austin Road from the 120 Bypass requires ramps to start for such movements far away from the interchange.

It is needed to avoid traffic slowdowns, congestion, and reduce the potential for accidents.

As an example, it will require the off-ramp for eastbound 120 Bypass traffic heading to Austin Road to start just past the Main Street on ramp.

The ramp will then need a separate bridge structure to cross Moffat and the railroad tracks. As it curves alongside the transition lanes to Highway 99, another ramp for northbound  Highway 99 traffic seeking to exit at Austin Road will start at a point between the Yosemite Avenue and 120 Bypass interchanges on the Highway 99 corridor.

Those two ramps will braid somewhere between the 120 Bypass and 99 interchanges to allow access to both northbound and southbound Austin Road.

Given the ramps will open up a large swath of southeast Manteca to development, the city is pursuing a benefit district to fund the city’s share of the project.

The third phase will also include the widening of the Bypass from Highway 99 to Airport Way to six lanes with the potential for transition lanes between interchanges such as the one on either side of the Union Road interchange.

https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/local-news/ribbon-cutting-mckinley-interchange-june-12-groundbreaking-120-bypass99-work-july-17/

By Faughn Economy • Energy 0 Comments

Feds Award $623 Million in Grants To Deploy Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

About $623 million in federal grants were awarded to 22 states and Puerto Rico to install electric vehicle charging stations as part of the Biden administration’s push to shift the United States away from gas-powered vehicles.

Cities, states and tribal groups nationwide were named recipients Thursday for funding to install chargers along heavily traveled highways and in underserved areas. The grants are part of a broader $7.5 billion program by the Biden administration to advance the adoption of electric vehicles. Additional grants are expected to be announced later.

Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai and other auto makers are spending billions of dollars to construct factories for electric vehicles and the lithium-ion batteries that power them. Federal and state governments are pushing for the transition to EVs to combat climate change.

The private sector has ramped up efforts to install EV charging stations at retailers, apartment developments, gas stations and other locations. But there remains a dearth of electric vehicle charging stations, causing consumers to worry about getting stranded if their electric vehicle runs out of power and they’re not close to a charging station.

The first EV charging stations funded through the federal program opened last month at a Pilot truck stop in London, Ohio, and in a Bank of America parking lot in Kingston, New York. The new round of grants is expected to accelerate the expansion, with some organizations saying they will immediately begin the process of doling out the funds for installation.

Representatives from winning areas issued statements on Thursday about their plans. The Atlanta Regional Commission said it expects installation backed by its $6.1 million award to take place over the next 12 to 18 months. The planning organization will prioritize groups that will use the funds to put chargers in underserved areas, CEO Anna Roach said in a news release.

The Atlanta Regional Commission did not disclose details of the types of chargers it will deploy, or the equipment manufacturers or charging networks. A spokesman for the organization said that specific locations will be announced later.

The city of Mesa, Arizona, received $12 million to install charging stations as well as charging docks for e-bicycles and e-scooters. “It’ll mean convenience for drivers, lower emissions and even more good-paying clean energy jobs,” U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, who represents Mesa, said in a news release.

The private sector has already stepped up its game on EV charger installations. Mercedes-Benz in November released images for its planned network of canopy-covered charging stations, which will carry the Mercedes brand and offer perks to Mercedes drivers.

Not all grants will be used specifically for charging equipment designed for vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. A group of local governments in Texas received $70 million to build five hydrogen fueling stations for trucks along highways in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

The next three largest awards announced Thursday were $64 million to New Mexico; $56 million for the Central Valley of California; and $51 million to Puerto Rico. Metropolitan areas that were awarded grants included New York City; Cleveland, Ohio; the San Francisco Bay area; Durham, North Carolina; and Boise, Idaho.

Other grant recipients announced Thursday include:

  • $56 million for truck-charging stations in Taft and Gustine, towns in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. The stations will also include chargers for light-duty vehicles.
  • $15 million to the state of Maryland to develop charging stations in urban, suburban and low and moderate-income neighborhoods. Coppin State University in Baltimore was named as a potential location in Maryland.
  • $12 million for an EV charging center for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles on Interstate 15 in Barstow, California, halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
  • $10 million to New Jersey for charging stations at multifamily developers in disadvantaged areas and near public transit stations.
  • $1.4 million to the Chilkoot Indian Association to build a charging station in Haines, Alaska.

https://www.costar.com/article/323873751/feds-award-623-million-in-grants-to-deploy-electric-vehicle-charging-stations

By Faughn Back Office • Economy 0 Comments

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $600,000 to Bolster Business Growth in Tulare, California

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $600,000 grant to the city of Tulare, California, to make building renovations to accommodate new business growth and startup expansion.

This grant will support the creation of a fabrication facility which will house 3D printers, laser cutters, and other equipment small businesses can access for prototyping and producing new products. This EDA investment will be matched with $210,000 in local funds and is expected to create 72 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in helping communities implement their plans to provide the vital infrastructure that businesses need to be successful,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will help provide a state-of-the-art space where entrepreneurs can grow their businesses, contributing to regional job creation and economic resilience.”

“California’s innovation and entrepreneurial spirit can be found in every region of our state, from San Francisco to the Central Valley. Right here in Tulare, an investment from the Economic Development Administration will foster economic growth and job creation,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Infrastructure that supports Tulare’s small business owners and entrepreneurs is critical to boosting the Central Valley’s economy,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “As we celebrate Small Business Month, this investment will spur innovation and create good-paying jobs by providing hardworking small business owners important tools to grow their enterprises.”

“I applaud the EDA for delivering this funding which will create jobs, grow businesses, and spur economic growth,” said Senator Laphonza Butler. “These federal dollars going to Tulare will create spaces that help ensure small businesses get the cutting-edge technology they need to keep our local economies strong.”

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.

https://www.eda.gov/news/press-release/2024/05/07/us-department-commerce-invests-600000-bolster-business-growth-tulare

By Faughn Economy • Tourism 0 Comments

Stockton Metro Airport Lands $26M For Upgrades

Stockton Metro Airport — just over 3 miles from Manteca’s northern most city limits — is undergoing $26 million in upgrades. The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved $26.2 million Tuesday to fund what county leaders called “transformative improvements” at the airport. The funds will support revitalization of key facilities, increase capacity for commercial airline service and attain future economic development goals.

Allegiant Airlines currently non-stop flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix. It is also a key airport in Amazon’s Prime network with a number of flights daily delivering cargo that is headed for one of 11 distribution facilities they operate in the region including in Stockton, Manteca, Tracy, Patterson, and Turlock. Amazon has more than 13,000 people working at its nearby fulfillment centers. The airport’s role in San Joaquin County’s future is two-fold. There are 1.2 million residents in San Joaquín and Stanislaus counties alone that could access airline service.

It also playing a role in snagging business park tenants due to its ability to serve both cargo and corporate travel. Stockton has business park projects — or are zoned for such use — on three sides of the airport. Manteca’ business park expansion in the northwest corner of the city is just three miles from the airport. In addition. Manteca’s the general plan calls for the development of hundreds of more acres north of Roth Road that would be even closer to the airport. Given Manteca’s proximity to the airport — downtown Manteca is 8.3 miles away while downtown Stockton is 6.8 miles away — what occurs there can have a big impact on the Family City.

“This funding is a huge step to help attract prospective airline carriers and cargo operators to our region and contribute to jobs, economic development, and overall quality of life,” said San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Chair, Miguel Villapudua.

“We foresee a time in the near future where we are transporting thousands of passengers each day on multiple airlines to destinations across the U.S. SCK already serves a market of over 1.2 million residents from San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties alone.  The addition of an updated terminal with a competitive scheduled airline service would greatly enhance the economic vitality of the County and Central Valley.”

The funding will be used for the following infrastructure projects:

*$8 million in terminal investments. Construct a new five gate, at-grade hold room designed to comfortably accommodate 400 peak hour passengers. Remodel parts of the existing baggage claim, Transportation Security Administration security area and ticket counter portions of the existing terminal. Add new baggage conveyors, provide space for rent-a-car counters and update restrooms.

*$7 million for west ramp restoration/redesign. Restore and redesign the west ramp to accommodate new hangar construction.

*$5.8 million in new hangars/awnings. Construct new aircraft storage hangars (38 units), aircraft sunshade awnings (10 units). Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) awning, and replacement commercial hangar.

*$4.5 million in commercial hangar acquisition. Acquire an existing commercial hangar to update and repurpose portions, or all, of the building and its site.

*$600,000: to construct a pilot center and self-serve fueling facility.

*$325,000 for an AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER STUDY. Complete a siting study for a new FAA-operated/County-owned air traffic control tower.

“These improvements are much needed and a long time coming,” said SCK’s Airport Director, Richard Sokol.

“SCK’s current air carrier terminal building is more than 60 years old. Over the years, some basic mechanical systems of the building have been repaired, but the layout and functionality of the building has gone essentially unchanged. In addition, aircraft size and passenger load has increased, and the way airlines use airport facilities has substantially changed since the 1960s. The existing building must be updated to successfully meet the needs of air carriers who wish to grow the airline market at SCK.”

Sokol noted that the building was originally designed for airplanes seating 50 passengers, while today’s operators feature aircraft seating 138 passengers or more.

He also said the existing passenger hold room was added in 2011, but its size cannot support concurrent operations of multiple aircraft used by today’s airlines.

In addition, security rules and procedures did not exist in 1965 and the way outbound bags are processed has also changed dramatically.

https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/local-news/stockton-metro-airport-lands-26m-upgrades/

By Faughn Back Office • Economy • Education 0 Comments

VOLT Institute

VOLT Institute Implements Changes for Enhanced Realism in Training

Enhancing Practical Skills and Safety: VOLT Institute is rolling out changes starting this March to make its training more reflective of real-world job experiences in production settings. Key updates include a stricter emphasis on attendance, punctuality, continuous safety practices, and lean manufacturing principles, notably 5S and TIMWOODS wastes, along with GEMBA, JIT, and Kaizen for continuous improvement. Shifts and Timeclock Integration: To mimic actual job settings, students will now use a timeclock for tracking attendance, refer to sessions as “shifts”, and participate in shift change meetings to discuss safety, key topics, and foster engagement in learning and skills development.

Expanding Access with VOLT On the Go (VOTG)

Reaching Underserved Communities: Funded by an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, VOTG aims to extend VOLT’s educational offerings to investors and underserved communities. The program provides practical knowledge in essential technical areas through a hands-on approach, enabling entry into the job market. Partnerships with Amatrol and SACA support equipment provision and micro-certification, ensuring significant skill development. Successful Launch and Future Plans: The VOTG Mechanical Drives course, initiated in partnership with Turlock Adult School, saw a promising start with 13 attendees learning vital mechanical skills. With more classes on the horizon, these courses, free to the public via an EDA grant, offer invaluable “hands-on” training within local communities.

VOLT On the Go Gains Momentum

Highlight at Economic Elevate: At the recent Turlock Economic Elevate, VOLT showcased the VOTG program’s potential to empower local communities and attract investor interest. Demonstrations of Amatrol’s portable training units underscored the program’s flexibility and efficiency in delivering technical skills training on the go.

New Scholarship Opportunities

Supporting Local Residents: New scholarships, thanks to contributions from several city councils and Aemetis Inc., are now available for residents interested in pursuing maintenance mechanic careers at VOLT Institute, demonstrating ongoing community support and commitment to workforce development.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:61a8e814-b867-4146-b614-87b5b3053f34

By Faughn Economy • New Location 0 Comments

Big Lots opening in Madera? What does Ross sign mean?

Madera residents have made it known that they’d like more shopping options in their own city. The appearance of a Ross Stores sign at the Madera Marketplace shopping center sparked an excited social media conversation among them about when a location might open on Cleveland Avenue, just west of Highway 99. It’s the latest indication that bigger retail might be looking at the city of Madera more than it has in the past. In fact, Big Lots, the discount retailer, said several years ago that it would be coming back to Madera. Locals have been wondering if it will ever happen. The 36,760 square-foot space the discount retailer was set to occupy in the Country Club Village shopping center, just east of Highway 99, has been empty for two years. Big Lots said it has not abandoned plans to open a store at 1143 Country Club Dr.

“The original opening dates were pushed back due to some construction delays, but we’re on track for a summer 2024 grand opening,” company spokesperson Joshua Chaney said in an email to The Bee. Big Lots stores typically employ around 25 to 30 full and part-time associates, Chaney said. Jobs available for the Madera store will be posted on the company’s careers web page a few months ahead of the summer opening. As Madera grows, residents increasingly crave more retail options and often complain on social media that they’re tired of driving to Fresno and other far off points to find the big retail options they want. The city of 68,000 people has been growing, seeing a population increase of nearly 11% since 2010. In the past few months, they’ve seen the opening of a Smart & Final store and an In-N-Out restaurant in the same corridor where Ross is set to open. Ross Stores would not provide details about when it will open the store planned for the tenant space next to the city’s Smart & Final store. Pearson Companies CEO Peter J. Orlando, a real estate broker who works with Ross Stores in the Central Valley, wrote in an email to The Bee that it could be a few months before a date is known.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article284692081.html

By Faughn Economy • New Developments 0 Comments

Ever-expanding Tesoro Viejo adds 1,000 lots in Madera. High school, athletic facilities planned

Tesoro Viejo — Madera’s mammoth planned community — took another step Tuesday toward greater expansion as the county’s planning commission approved more than a thousand new residential lots. The subdivision maps approved by the commission set the stage for development in four of the community’s nine planned neighborhoods: Arroyo Village, The Vistas, Oak Knoll Village and The Vineyard.

The growing community already has an onsite K-8 school, a town center, an amphitheater and ranch houses for residents to hang out in — all surrounded by the Rio Mesa’s hilly landscape and bordered to the southeast by the San Joaquin River. Still in the works are an on-site school that also serves high school students, and the Rio Mesa Education Complex, which will include athletic facilities.

Brent McCaffrey, president of McCaffrey Homes, Tesoro Viejo’s developer, told the county’s planning commission he expects the education complex to be completed in the next few years. An age-qualified senior development on the southern edge is also in planning. According to McCaffrey’s presentation, homes planned for construction in each neighborhood are: 307 in Arroyo Village, 259 in The Vistas, 317 in The Vineyards, and 175 in Oak Knoll Village

Tesoro Viejo broke ground in the county’s Rio Mesa area in 2017. It falls under the county’s Rio Mesa Area Plan, a nearly 15,000-acre space bordered by Highway 145 to the north, Millerton Lake to the east, the San Joaquin River to the southeast and Highway 41 to the west. The county hopes to see the full 30,000 homes in the next 30 years.

Jamie Bax, Madera County’s director of community and economic development, said Tesoro Viejo has 922 projects in different phases of construction. The community was recognized this year as the National Community of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders. The Bee spoke to several residents who said that the broader development was starting to feel like a real community.

Lisa Wells, 57, and Laura Rios, 33, neighbors in the Hillside community, said they immediately “hit it off” when they moved in about four years ago. “We immediately became family,” Rios said.

Neighbors said book and bicycling clubs have formed. Brian and Renee Curwick, a married couple who also live in Hillside, joined a local running club before they even moved into the development.

“It absolutely has become a community in a short time,” Brian Curwick said.

So far, Tesoro Viejo has homes in three neighborhoods: Hillside Village, Creekside Village and The Plaza. KB Homes and De Young Properties are also developing homes there. According to McCaffrey’s presentation to the county and conversation with the Bee: 804 homes are planned for Hillside Village, with about 705 homeowners already living there 544 homes are planned for Creekside Village, with a few dozen homeowners already living there About 1,560 homes are planned for The Plaza, with approximately 46 already sold.

Upcoming in this neighborhood are also about 540 apartments, 230 duplexes and 250 “Wildrose” homes In The Plaza, sales are set to begin for Tesoro Viejo’s “Boulevard” product – two-story homes ranging in size from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet. Already on the market are the “Poppy” homes, which McCaffrey said are designed to be affordable for first-time home buyers. Prices for Poppy homes start in the $300,000s. “Tesoro Viejo is not about high-end living,” McCaffrey said. “We have made a commitment to having products that are available for all walks of life or demographics.”

Homes in the highest price ranges start in the high $500,000s with the Oaks collection and in the high $600,000s with the Ivy Collection, which has homes of more than 4,000 square feet. Different price ranges will also be found in the new subdivisions. McCaffrey said construction on Rio Mesa Boulevard — a new north-south road that will begin about 2,200 feet east of the Avenue 12 and Highway 41 intersection and traverse a few miles north to Avenue 15 — is expected to begin in the second quarter of next year. Traffic on Highway 41 has increased from an average of 29,000 daily trips when the development first began to about 40,000 daily trips today, he said.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282767303.html

 

By Faughn Economy • New Developments • Quality of Life 0 Comments

New development planned in 2024

New year, new construction planned throughout the city of Turlock. From houses to hotels, recreational spots to restaurants, here is a list of some things to expect in 2024.

Housing

New homes and apartments are expected to come to Turlock, with several already having been built.

Northeast Turlock has seen the development of new residential neighborhoods, which are being tabbed as the Legends North III, a project spearheaded by JKB Living. The new community will have 65 building sites with there being six different floor plans. There will also be a centralized neighborhood park.

Perhaps the largest residential project expected to be completed in 2024 is the Monte Vista Apartments at 1525 W. Monte Vista Ave., a 348-unit multi-family residential project. It was approved in August of 2021 and construction began this past May. There will be 12 three-story buildings approximately 40 feet in height, with each unit including a patio or balcony area. An exact competition date has not been shared.

Over in west Turlock at the vacant lot on the corner of 1150 Angelus St. and 700 S. Soderquist Rd., an application was approved in August to develop three properties with a total of seven residential units. Each unit will have two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, and an outdoor patio area. The project was originally intended to be finished in 2022, but delays in the planning process pushed construction and opening to this year.

Hotels

Two new hotels have been approved and are expected to be finished in 2024.

The first is the Marriott Towneplace at 201 N. Tully Rd., which was approved in Sept. of 2022. It will stand at 61 feet and 6 inches from grade to highest point. With these measurements, it will be the highest hotel in Turlock by 1 foot and 6 inches.

The other is Staybridge Suites at 2931 Sun Valley Ct. The hotel was approved in May and will also receive a 35-foot height limit exception.

Gas stations

Despite the sales of electric vehicles estimated to surpass over 1 million in 2023, according to Wards Intelligence and Cox Automotive, gas stations and accommodating convenience stores will continue to pop up around town.

In October, a Valero gas station and Circle K store opened at 2500 Fulkerth Rd. Joining it will be new stations at 4201 N. Golden State Blvd. and 129 E. Linwood Ave., respectively, though the brand of gas at each site has not been revealed.

In addition, there has been another gas station proposed for 4555 N. Golden State Blvd. A hearing date for this proposal has not been settled on.

Food and drink

Soon to neighbor the Valero gas station and Circle K mart on 2500 Fulkerth Rd. will be a Rally’s fast-food restaurant. The national chain is known for their burgers and fries. The project was originally expected to finish this past summer, and it is unclear why there has been a delay in construction.

There is another nationally known brand breaking ground in Turlock, and it’s one that Turlockers have become all too familiar with — Starbucks. Starbucks opened their 10th overall location and sixth standalone establishment in the city in late 2023 at 3085 N. Tegner Rd. A seventh standalone site, this one at 1100 W. Monte Vista Ave., is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024.

Aside from national chains, a family-owned Mexican restaurant will be built downtown at 309 N. Center St. The name is Nivel, which is Spanish for “Level.” It’s pretty self explanatory as the approved building will be two stories. The applicants hope that the new restaurant can become a hub for live entertainment, such as mariachi bands.

Recreation

One of the most anticipated projects of the year will be the Columbia Pool on Columbia Avenue near Beech Street

The Columbia Pool was first constructed in 1957 and has undergone only minor repairs since 1990. The pool has been closed since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A ceremonial groundbreaking was held at the pool site in early November. The project will cost $9,076,087.28, which takes into account construction, demolition of the old pool, and the purchase of pre-built structures for a concession stand, restrooms and a facilities/storage hut.

Industrial

West Turlock will see two major industrial projects completed this year.

The first project expected to be finished is the 10,000 square-foot expansion of Valley Milk, LLC’s processing facility at 400 N Washington Rd. The expansion will allow the plant to start producing Anhydrous Milk Fat, which is a concentrated, lactose-free butter with a fat content of 99.8%. It is used for cooking and frying as well as a shortening for shortbread, praline fillings, chocolate, chocolate bars and ice cream. The project is expected to be done early this year.

Nearby at 4407 W. Main St., Massachusetts-based technology company Divert Inc. plans to build a new, 71,000 square-foot state-of-the-art food recovery facility. The facility, which is also expected to open in the first quarter of 2024, liquifies and purifies unsold food and processes it into a clean food slurry. The slurry is then pumped directly into an on-site anaerobic digester, where it is turned into biogas, a mixture of gasses, primarily consisting of methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The equipment then removes impurities from the biogas and upgrades it into pipeline quality Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to meet utility company standards.

Divert has come to an interconnection agreement with PG&E. When the project is completed and operational, the processed RNG will enter PG&E’s on-site transmission line, replacing fossil fuel gas with a carbon negative renewable fuel to supply homes and businesses.

Note: Expected completion dates for each project are subject to change.

https://www.turlockjournal.com/news/local/new-development-planned-2024/