By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Council approves $94 million Los Banos Downtown Master Plan

During their meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, the Los Banos City Council unanimously adopted the Downtown Master Plan for a total estimated cost of $94,200,000 in phases.

Downtown Master Plan

Paul Martin of engineering, design, planning and consulting firm Mark Thomas provided the presentation on the Downtown Master Plan. He said the plan is to “position to get money…grants. Our firm…does a lot of work with agencies pursuing grants”

According to the City staff report for the item, #12, the goals of the Plan include enhancing walking and biking facilities, enhanced streetscapes and new community gathering spaces, implementing green street concepts and high-quality landscaping, upgrading underground utilities, and improving signage and wayfinding.

The plan provides a phased approach to implementation that improves infrastructure needs such as undergrounding utilities, repaving roadways and shortening crosswalks as well as the urban design and placemaking elements such as paving, lighting and public assembly areas.

The Downtown Master Plan outlines strategic phases to enhance access to key destinations, improve roadway safety and foster economic growth in the City’s downtown area. The content provided in the comprehensive plan positions the City to pursue grant funding for implementation of priority corridors such as Sixth Street and I Street.

Cost estimates have been developed for recommended plan improvements per representative block face and ranges between $3,300,000 and $19,200,000. The estimated cost for implementation for all the streets within the Downtown is $94,200,000.

A comprehensive analysis of funding programs administered by regional, state and federal agencies was compiled to support implementation of the Plan’s priority projects.

Questions from Council

Following the presentation, District 3 Councilman Brett Jones asked about the alleys to be used for dining and closed off to traffic saying, “Is that what the public decided on and wanted?”

Community and Economic Development Department Director Stacy Souza Elms responded, “The steering committee was more of a stakeholders committee…they were able to help us further identify…an issue…parking, outdoor dining was one of the priorities we heard from the community…workshop. That was their desire. That’s what helped us develop the conceptual plan.”

“The data is great. It helps us make decisions, up here,” Jones stated.

“The focus of this Master Plan…and the scope that Mark Thomas…was tasked to do, was really to focus on the street scape and the infrastructure,” Souza Elms shared. “It was really to be able to create the foundation for grants. How the furniture…the landscaping…and how people are able to walk through the downtown…and bicyclists.”

Jones asked about undergrounding utilities.

“Yes. 100%. The goal is to underground. We’ve looked at various sources,” Souza Elms responded. “That is the goal to be able to underground all of the utilities. It’s really walkable is the goal we’re trying to achieve. There’s activity on the street. That’s what really makes a viable downtown.”

Jones asked about the work of the former redevelopment agency and if the new plan starts with a “clean slate” concerned there would be a “hodge-podge” look.

“That would be our desire,” Souza Elms said that would be a decision.

“The downtown taking back our shopping hub from Walmart, would bring back our smalltown feel,” Jones added.

Llanez asked about handicapped parking.

“It does include redesigning for accessibility. We do no need to address our curbs…before looking at any parking,”Jones moved to adopt the Downtown Master Plan, Lambert seconded the motion, and it passed on a 5-0 vote.

https://losbanosenterprise.com/uncategorized/2024/council-approves-94-million-los-banos-downtown-master-plan/

By Faughn Food Processing • New Developments 0 Comments

Lactalis USA Announces $55 Million Expansion to Increase Président® Feta Cheese Production in Tulare, California to Meet Growing Demand

Lactalis USA announces a major investment in its Tulare, California facility that will allow it to significantly increase the volume of Président Feta cheese produced in the United States. This comes as feta cheese continues to grow in popularity with American consumers. The $55 million investment creates Lactalis’ largest feta production line in the United States. Lactalis USA is a subsidiary of Lactalis, the world’s largest dairy company.

This new, 38,000 square foot manufacturing line will bring additional capacity for Lactalis USA feta production in the United States at its facilities in Tulare and Belmont, Wisconsin. The project creates 20 full-time positions in Tulare along with 100 temporary or contract positions during construction. The construction timeline spans from 2023-2027, with the line becoming partially operational in May of this year. When completed in 2027, Lactalis USA will have increased its U.S. feta production capacity to address current and future customer and consumer demand.

“We are expanding to increase our cheese production capacity at our facility,” said Esteve Torrens, chief executive officer, Lactalis USA. “This investment into new jobs and expanding operations supports our local communities and demonstrates Lactalis’ long-term view for business success in the United States. This expansion helps us meet the growing demand for Président Feta cheese in the United States, which is good news for our retail customers and consumers who continue to choose Président Feta for cooking at home and creating new occasions to enjoy feta.”

The Tulare manufacturing facility is one of the most advanced of Lactalis’ 11 manufacturing facilities across the United States, incorporating the latest technologies from Lactalis Group. This new production line is outfitted based on a complete 3D ergonomic analysis to support worker well-being and safety, in addition to automated air flow control and in-line production. Lactalis USA produces a variety of products at its Tulare facility including Kraft® Parmesan, Knudsen® Cottage Cheese and Sour Cream, and Kraft sweet whey powder.

About Lactalis USA in California

Lactalis has a significant footprint in California with three locations and approximately 500 employees. The company has manufacturing facilities in Tulare and Turlock along with a corporate office in San Fernando. Lactalis manufacturers Kraft® Parmesan, Président® Feta, Knudsen® Cottage Cheese and Sour Cream, and Kraft sweet whey powder in Tulare, and specialty ethnic food and beverage products, including cheeses, yogurts, spreads and dips in Turlock under the Karoun®, Parmalat®, Gopi®, Arz®, Queso Del Valle®, Damavand® and Yanni® brands.

About Lactalis USA

Lactalis USA is committed to enriching lives by producing nutritious and great tasting dairy products. The company offers an unrivaled house of beloved dairy brands in the United States including Galbani® Italian cheeses, Président® specialty cheeses and gourmet butters, Kraft® brands in natural and grated cheeses, Breakstones® cottage cheese, ricotta and sour cream, Cracker Barrel® cheese, Black Diamond® cheddar cheese, Parmalat® milk, siggi’s® and Stonyfield Organic® yogurt brands. In the United States the company has approximately 4,000 employees, is present in eight states with 11 manufacturing facilities and corporate offices located in New York City and Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., Bedford, N.H., and San Fernando, Calif. Lactalis USA is part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, a French family business founded in 1933 in Laval, France.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/10/29/2970995/0/en/Lactalis-USA-Announces-55-Million-Expansion-to-Increase-Pr%C3%A9sident-Feta-Cheese-Production-in-Tulare-California-to-Meet-Growing-Demand.html

By Faughn Health/Medical • New Developments 0 Comments

Valley Children’s Unveils Plans for “The Hill”

Valley Children’s Healthcare is excited to announce plans for “The Hill,” a 220-acre vibrant development comprised of a mixed-use community, world class medical facilities and outdoor spaces, located on our 443-acre main campus, all designed to enrich the lives of patients, families, staff and the broader community. This new development will bring together healthcare, housing, retail, recreation, office space and hospitality, all located on Valley Children’s main campus.

When complete, The Hill will integrate five districts – including retail, hospitality, recreation and residential – that surround the Healthcare District, which includes Valley Children’s Hospital and River Vista Behavioral Health, along with clinical, research and administrative facilities.

“Our patients and families need more than a hospital and we need to ensure there is a sustainable financial future for Valley Children’s,” said Valley Children’s President and CEO Todd Suntrapak. “The Hill is the perfect expansion of our main campus, designed to meet the needs of our patients and families, support our dedicated team and ensure a sustainable future for Valley Children’s.”

This new, multi-faceted community will provide the resources required to sustain and grow Valley Children’s world-class pediatric healthcare network far beyond what the hospital will receive in reimbursement from state/federal programs and commercial insurance payouts. According to a report published by The Advisory Board, 117 acute care hospitals closed across the United States between 2018 and 2023, with many occurring during the pandemic, and just last week, Becker’s Hospital Review reported

19 hospitals and emergency departments have closed nationwide so far this year. In California, rural communities have been particularly hit hard, with several hospitals closing – including Madera Community Hospital – or facing closure.

This trend underscores the importance of initiatives like The Hill, whose revenues will support hospital operations and patient care. This development will also contribute to Madera County’s economy, bringing new spending, tax revenue and additional tourism.

“I believe it is a brilliant idea to enhance revenue at Valley Children’s for those services necessary to take care of kids, and Madera County is excited about the opportunity to help Valley Children’s move forward with this development,” said Madera County Board of Supervisors Chair Rob Poythress. “It is always about the care – that is number one. But it is also about supporting employees and residents in the area.”

The Hill’s residential district will include 400 plus studios, and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in a wellness-centric natural environment. The retail district will incorporate more than 30 shops in a village-style environment, including a grocery store, lofts above retail spaces and other retail essentials. The Hill will also feature a series of planned scenic walking paths connected to larger areas and venues for different activities.

“We have spent the last decade creating a solid financial foundation for Valley Children’s, one that’s absolutely vital in an era when so many hospitals in the Valley have had to sell, reduce services or close,” Suntrapak said. “The Hill is a community that supports healthy living, the health of Valley Children’s and the care we provide to kids and the entire community.”

https://www.valleychildrens.org/news/news-story?news=1399

By Faughn Health/Medical • New Developments 0 Comments

New law directs UC to build Kern medical school branch

A new law directs the University of California to set up a new medical school branch in Kern County, thanks to a bill authored by Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains, D-Delano.

Assembly Bill 2357, also known as the “Grow Our Own” bill, was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday, creating a new endowment fund to finance the future school and its operations.

“This is dream that’s been a long time coming for Kern County,” Bains told The Californian. “This is an opportunity for our kids to uplift themselves and truly be the leaders in the medical world that the community needs them to be.”

The law establishes the University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund within the State Treasury to “support annual operating costs for the development, operation and maintenance of a branch campus of an existing University of California School of Medicine Kern County.”

Money in the fund — which can also accept public and private donations — will be invested with the goal of achieving a sufficient balance to support the school.

A family doctor, Bains said access to medical services in the Central Valley were lacking even before the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated the problem.

“The real reality that we witnessed is our health-care workforce is suffering,” Bains said. “This is the first foundation of the something that would change the landscape.”

In 2021, the California Health Care Foundation reported the San Joaquin Valley had 47 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, short of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ recommended supply ratio of 60 to 80 per 100,000 and the state average of 60 per 100,000 residents.

While Bains declined to name an amount, she said messages of support and financial commitments started arriving shortly after the bill was introduced.

The fund will also be used to finance a feasibility study for the school, which according to the University of California has an unknown cost but could be in the “low millions.”

“The UC estimates one-time General Fund costs of about $300 million for a new medical education building and ongoing operational General Fund costs of between $40 million and $45 million each year,” a Senate summary of the bill said. “These costs could be lower to the extent that donations or other non-state funds are provided.”

Bains said her next step is raising fundraising; the sooner the endowment is sufficiently funded, the sooner the study can begin.

“This is where the momentum starts,” Bains said.

The bill passed with overwhelming support in both chambers, and one of the few organizations in opposition to the bill was the UC itself, which stated there were already a number of programs aimed at increasing medical access in the San Joaquin Valley.

“Launching a medical school and obtaining accreditation from the Licensing Committee on Medical Education requires a substantial investment of time, financial support, faculty development, and a strong foundation of clinical partnerships to support student rotations,” the UC said in an “oppose unless amended” letter.

The UC did not immediately respond to request for comment, but Bains said the feasibility study was added at the request of the university.

It’s not yet clear where the school will be, when it will open, or which UC it will be affiliated with. There is a regional campus of the UC San Francisco School of Medicine in Fresno, and UC Merced is developing an undergraduate program to serve as a feeder to UCSF-Fresno.

The university also has UC PRIME, or Programs in Medical Education, which supplements standard medical training with additional curriculum tailored to meet the needs of underserved populations. PRIME programs are affiliated with different UCs depending on their locations in the state; the San Joaquin Valley’s program is housed at UCSF-Fresno.

In a statement, Emily Duran, chief executive officer of Kern Health Systems, said the school — which she referred to as “the UC Kern Medical School” — is needed to alleviate the current provider shortage that impacts the overall health outcomes of residents.

“Today marks the first step in creating a UC Medical School in Kern County to empower the next generation of doctors that reflect the demographics of our community,” Duran said. “(The bill) is a step in the right direction to build on the current infrastructure to train, recruit, and retain health professionals to address the medical needs of Kern County.”

Bains said the bill received skepticism from its very beginning but that the law now requires that a medical school branch be built in Kern County once funds are available — and she is determined to see the project done.

“This is the time where people do really believe that this is possible,” Bains said. “This is the time where we get together, roll up our sleeves and believe that this is possible.”

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/new-law-directs-uc-to-build-kern-medical-school-branch/article_73b5cd52-7f69-11ef-a5be-63dab12bb3fa.html

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Warehouse construction begins for first phase of long-awaited Bakersfield Commons project

A Corona-based company has begun construction of a large warehouse project southeast of Rosedale Highway and Coffee Road that is planned to be the first phase of the long-delayed Bakersfield Commons multiuse development.

Grading work is underway and several earth movers are in place for a speculative project that a local broker involved with the project said has attracted preliminary interest from Fortune 500 companies.

“It’s in a submarket with a lot of pent-up demand that hasn’t had any new product, especially class A projects, in the submarket for a long time,” said Senior Vice President Wesley McDonald with ASU Commercial.

Rexco Development is calling the project Bakersfield Central Logistics Park. Signs nearby say it will include a 91,000-square-foot building on the northern portion of a vacant lot south of the Lowe’s Home Improvement store, and a 209,000-square-foot structure to the south.

Online materials describe a distribution and last-mile logistics project with 62 dock-high doors, more than 80 trailer stalls and 340 parking spaces. Located on 20.7 acres at 2152 Coffee Road, it would be made of concrete tilt-up construction with ceilings up to 36 feet high.

The project description says the buildings would measure a single story and that the larger of the two could be divisible into spaces as small as 45,000 square feet.

The plan is to finish the warehouse project by the middle of next year.

City officials did not respond to a request for information about the project’s approval and design.

The property is located directly north of a property owned by Adventist Health. Three years ago the Roseville-based hospital chain announced its intentions to develop a roughly $10 million ambulatory care and medical office building at the site.

Those plans have not been finalized, and on Thursday, Adventist’s Central California Network president, Jason Wells, said the company is probably 18 months away from a decision on how to proceed with the health-care facility.

Bakersfield Commons, proposed to cover 255 acres, has gone through many iterations since the mid-2000s — at one point it was to include a baseball stadium, and later, a Topgolf entertainment center — but a series of deadlines has come and gone.

As of 2021, the plan was to put more than 300 units of multifamily rental housing on the property by the end of 2022. Commercial space was also contemplated, as was 150,000 square feet of retail space including a movie theater, at least one gym, a grocery store and restaurants. They were supposed to have opened early this year.

Strong demand for logistics centers has made industrial property the hottest segment of Kern County’s real estate market. Major retailers including Amazon, Walmart and Target have filled spaces measuring 1 million or more square feet in areas such as Shafter, the Mettler area and Oildale.

Most of those warehouses are located away from busy neighborhoods, making the Rexco project one of few in Kern to be largely surrounded by existing homes, though it won’t be directly adjacent to them.

With the exception of the Adventist property, land for Bakersfield Commons is owned by South Gate-based World Oil Corp., whose president and CFO said in a news release Thursday afternoon that Rexco was a natural choice because of the companies’ shared comment to high quality, state-of-the-art development.

“We’re very pleased to be working in partnership with Rexco Development to deliver this much-needed logistical resource for the Bakersfield region,” Matthew Pakkala stated.

Rexco President Larry Haupert added in the release that his company was thrilled to be working with World Oil on the first development of the Bakersfield Commons site.

“The demand for modern, advanced logistical facilities in the Bakersfield area continues to grow,” he stated.

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Proposed hydrogen fuel facility in Tracy highlighted at Valley Link luncheon

Tracy’s place in the Valley Link rail project was highlighted during a luncheon last week at the Tracy Community Center.

The Sept. 18 event was hosted by the Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group and the Tracy Chamber of Commerce, Tracy Earth Project, the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority and the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA).

A series of speakers addressed the Valley Link/LAVTA Advancing Hydrogen Electrification and Deployment (AHEAD) project, which will bring a proposed hydrogen fuel production facility to Tracy. That facility is planned for a piece of city-owned land along Schulte Road, a site once known as the “antenna farm,” between the Owens Brockway Glass Container plant and the Prologis International Park of Commerce. That site is already slated as an operations and maintenance facility for Valley Link.

The hydrogen fuel production facility will be a central aspect of the Valley Link project, which is designed to relieve traffic congestion on Interstate 580 and the Altamont Pass, while also serving as the nation’s first rail system to be powered by hydrogen fuel.

“Today there is no clean, reliable, high frequency transit alternative to vehicular congestion on Interstates 205 and 580 for the more than 105,000 Bay Area workers now commuting daily from their homes in communities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley,” said Melissa Hernandez, BART Director and Chair of the Valley Link Board of Directors.

“Valley Link seeks to connect the Northern California megaregion with the first passenger rail system in California running on self-produced, green hydrogen and a hydrogen fuel production facility able to support the clean energy goals of other transit and heavy truck operators.”

Over the course of the 2-hour event speakers discussed the plans for the 42-mile commuter rail system, which could begin construction next year and provide service along the first 22-mile phase between Mountain House and Dublin/Pleasanton by 2027-28.

“Even before Valley Link begins operations, the hydrogen production facility will support clean energy for Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority and other transit operators within the next 2 to 3 years, providing a near-immediate benefit to the community,” said Katie Marcel, CEO of Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group.

Speakers commented that Tracy and other communities on both sides of the Altamont Pass will benefit from job creation and economic growth related to the project.

Kevin Sheridan, Valley Link Executive Director, described the 42-mile alignment of the Valley Link route and its connections with the Altamont Corridor Express and BART’s Dublin/Pleasanton station, including the first 22-mile phase between Mountain House and Dublin/Pleasanton.

He noted that $800 million already available in local and state funding will help leverage federal grants to close the funding gap on the project, expected to total up to $1.9 billion. Also giving the rail authority an advantage in the quest for matching funds are the mandates to seek alternatives to widening freeways.

Sheridan recalled how widening Interstate 205 from four to six lanes in 2007-08 cut commute times by 20 minutes, but after new home construction ramped up again in the San Joaquin Valley about 10 years ago those gains are long forgotten.

“All of a sudden 205 looks exactly like it does at six lanes as when we were working on it at four lanes,” he said. “We can’t widen 205 anymore. It’s just not feasible to do it.”

Sheridan went on to explain that new state rules for widening freeways also call for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from car exhaust.

“In order to widen a freeway you have to show how you are going to mitigate for greenhouse gases, and the only way to really do that is by having a rail or bus system. In this corridor a rail system makes the most sense.”

Sheridan added that efforts are under way to nail down the costs and funding sources for the hydrogen facility in Tracy.

“It really is a unique opportunity for the region to be first in this area, to be able to produce hydrogen and supply it for the buses and the businesses in trying to achieve zero emission goals for the state.”

Christy Wegener, Executive Director of Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA), noted that her agency already provides feeder bus service to three ACE stations, two BART stations and will go to three Valley Link stations in the Livermore-Dublin-Pleasanton area.

She explained how the Accelerating Hydrogen Electrification and Deployment (AHEAD) project will be a key component of Valley Link and will support her agency as well. To that end, LAVTA is joining Valley Link in a $70 million grant application to the state’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), another funding source that prioritizes green energy.

Wegener noted that because of their zero-emission goals, LAVTA and Valley Link are well-positioned to get that grant money to help build the hydrogen production facility in Tracy.

She noted that the state requires transit agencies to be zero-emission by 2040, beginning with every bus purchase in 2029, and the LAVTA board adopted a plan to be zero-emission by 2034, beating the state mandate by six years

“We cannot do that if we do not have more infrastructure, affordable hydrogen and a skilled workforce,” she said.

“The current type of hydrogen is 2½ times the price of diesel, and is not produced anywhere local. Agencies are trucking it in from Reno, Vegas and Irvine, and that adds more GHGs (greenhouse gases) into the environment, which does defeat the purpose of a zero emissions future,” Wegener said.

“Without a local affordable hydrogen supply, our zero emissions future could be limited to a few bus lines, which will not help in accomplishing the state’s aggressive climate goals.”

Other speakers at last week’s event included Momoko Tamaoki, Deputy Director of Planning and Programming at San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission; and Beth McCormick, Employer Engagement Specialist with Las Positas College.

Tamaoki discussed the advancement of the hydrogen rail vehicle deployment on other passenger rail systems connecting the San Joaquin Valley and Bay Area; and McCormick discussed partnerships with Los Positas College and workforce development as transportation agencies make the transition to hydrogen-fueled transportation.

District 13 Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua provided closing comments, noting that Senate Bill 125 provided funding to the San Joaquin Council of Governments to support the transition of public transit fleets in San Joaquin County to zero emission vehicles.

“Our region’s success depends on the collaboration of everyone at every level of government. Thankfully, we have solutions to bring this opportunity to fruition. An investment in the hydrogen facility will lift all boats by improving the lives of our constituents and our environment.”

https://www.ttownmedia.com/tracy_press/proposed-hydrogen-fuel-facility-in-tracy-highlighted-at-valley-link-luncheon/article_f306488e-7c2b-11ef-a8e0-6b07b161e760.html

By Faughn New Developments • Tourism • Workforce 0 Comments

New casino project to break ground in Madera County

A new casino is closer than ever to being built in the Madera County. After nearly 20 years, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians plan to break ground on Saturday. A large, vacant lot off of Avenue 18 and Road 23 will soon be transformed into the North Fork Mono Casino & Resort. The plans say it will include 2,000 slot machines, 40 table games, a 200-room hotel, restaurants, a food court, meeting rooms. and more. The controversial mega casino had to clear several hurdles to get to this point. The project has faced numerous lawsuits, environmental reviews, even other tribes claiming they do not have tribal rights to the land.

“They have overcome those legal disputes. They’ve actually won their case in court and we’re beyond that now and now we’re in the groundbreaking phase,” said Madera Mayor Santos Garcia.

Earlier this year, the tribe received approval to work with a Las Vegas-based developer. Local leaders say they’ve also entered into an agreement with the tribe to ensure money will be infused into the community of Madera, including dollars to support first responders.

“They’re also going to provide money to help us with our Parks and Recreation and our infrastructure. They’re committed to help us with sidewalks and water and sewer and so we look at this as a long-term benefit. It’s not going to happen overnight, but we look at it as a long-term benefit and partnership,” said Garcia.

Silvia Belin lives in Madera and says she plans to apply to work at the casino once it’s built.

“I think it’ll bring more jobs in the area you said that you would like to get a job yeah I would like to get a job there,” said Belin.

Many are concerned the project will create more traffic on roads already in need of repair, but Garcia says plans to upgrade are already in the works.

“It has to be incremental. It’s not going to be all in one shot. They have to start just by the fact that they’re going to start. It’s going to be very important,” Garcia explained.

“In 10 years, you’re not going to recognize Madera, I guarantee you.”

By Faughn New Developments • New Location • Tourism 0 Comments

New $36 million hotel coming to Merced

The next addition to one of Merced’s newest shopping centers is about halfway complete and set to open next year. Those who have driven by Campus Parkway Plaza have seen the large project under construction.

The Hilton Garden Inn is scheduled to open in August or September of 2025, according to Daniel Moradzadeh, director of the Merced-based Shemoil’s Investment Development which owns the hotel and Campus Parkway Plaza property. The five-story hotel, which will consist of 133 rooms, is a $36 million project. “It’s taken three generations of investing in our local community by my family to get to this point,” Moradzadeh said. “It’s been a massive undertaking.”

The Hilton Garden Inn will become a new addition to the Campus Parkway Plaza, which already houses a Starbucks, Tractor Supply Co., Chipotle, McDonald’s, and two gas stations. The 44,224-square-foot hotel will sit on an 8.3 acre lot that sits on the southwest corner of Campus Parkway and Coffee Street. The hotel include a parking lot with landscaping components. The hotel will also have two kitchens, one dedicated to the hotel and the other to a banquet facility that will sit approximately 350 people. There will also be a full-service bar in the hotel. There will also be an outside sitting area with a fire pit. There are plans to have a projection TV near the outside bar area as well.

“The main reason why we decided to construct this hotel is because the City of Merced needs marquee development,” Moradzadeh said. “This will be something that’s not only elegant, but has the class to go with it.”

As a local investment and development company, Moradzadeh says they’ve hired local contractors, including Merced-based Marvulli Construction. “You want to keep as much money as possible with our local community,” Moradzadeh said. Moradzadeh felt the location for the new hotel is ideal with the freeway access at Campus Parkway, the proximity to UC Merced and the building of a nearby regional sports complex on the 40-acre Community Park 42, which will eventually host large sports tournaments.

Moradzadeh says the company was approached by many hotel and motel companies, but chose to go with Hilton Garden Inn because they allowed them to tailor the hotel to fit what they wanted to build in Merced. “We decided to secure our franchise with Hilton because they gave us the highest-rated brand we could bring to Merced,” Moradzadeh said. Moradzadeh says construction of the hotel has remained on schedule. “As far as our scope of construction goes, we’re approximately 50% done,” Moradzadeh said. “The structure is completed, it’s fully framed. We’re one year out from our our test runs.”

https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/article290481614.html

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

Construction to begin on improving Highway 99 and 120 junction

Construction will begin in August on upgrades to the junction of Highways 99 and 120 in Manteca. The $48.2 million project seeks to ease traffic between eastbound 120 and southbound 99. Many of the drivers are from Stanislaus County and points south, including commuters to the Bay Area. The work includes adding a second lane to the current connector ramp and a fourth lane on southbound 99 to about Austin Road. Austin will get a new bridge across the freeway and a new link to Atherton Drive and Woodward Avenue, key routes in south Manteca.

The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. It will be built by Teichert Inc. of Pleasanton on a contract with the San Joaquin Council of Governments. Construction will begin in August 2024 on a new connection between eastbound Highway 120 and southbound Highway 99 in Manteca, California. The project also involves replacing the Austin Road bridge over 99 and a new link between Austin and Moffat Boulevard. San Joaquin Council of Governments

OFFICIALS GATHER FOR GROUND-BREAKING SJCOG

oversees transportation funding for the county and its incorporated cities. It hosted a ground-breaking Wednesday, July 17, with local, state and federal leaders. SJCOG “recognized these improvements were essential to move people and goods within the region and across county borders,” Executive Director Diane Nguyen said. The new Austin Road bridge also will cross the freight tracks along 99, eliminating a safety hazard for drivers. By 2026, the tracks will be part of the expanded Altamont Corridor Express, which now takes passengers between Stockton and San Jose. The project is the first phase of an effort that eventually could involve other parts of the 99-120 junction, if funding is secured.

The second phase could cost about $28 million and open by 2033, according to the California Department of Transportation. It projects a $62 million cost and 2042 opening for the third phase. These phases would widen both 99 and 120 and improve connector ramps at the junction.

LOCAL SALES TAX HELPS FUND PROJECT

Local funding for the first phase includes the Measure K sales tax and fees on property developers. SJCOG also tapped state and federal transportation programs and federal payments to local governments amid COVID-19. The ground-breaking featured Lathrop Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal, who chairs SJCOG. “We’re bringing together our member agencies and public and private partners to build this highway-to-highway connector to serve the transportation needs of everyone who lives, works and travels in San Joaquin County,” he said.

https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article290199884.html

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Lathrop Groundbreaking Ceremony Kicks Off Construction Phase for Valley Rail Program

STOCKTON, CA – June 20, 2024 – This week representatives of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA), and South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) officially broke ground on the Lathrop Wye Box Culvert (Box Culvert) project, marking the first major step in the construction phase of the Valley Rail program. Valley Rail is a transformative program that will enhance rail connectivity and service between the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento, and the Bay Area, significantly improving regional mobility and sustainability for Valley travelers, visitors, and residents.

Transforming Regional Rail Connectivity: Lathrop Wye and Track Extension Project

Sited near the Manteca Unified School District office complex, the Box Culvert project is the first component of the two-part Lathrop Wye and Track Extension Project which will construct a concrete structural box culvert that provides a platform for the future track associated with the Lathrop Wye.  The second phase will construct the Lathrop Wye Track and will provide the necessary track infrastructure to allow direct ACE train service between Ceres/Merced and San Jose. The second phase is scheduled to begin construction in late 2025 or early 2026.

The 384-foot-long Box Culvert will function to allow the current irrigation drainage ditch to continue to provide irrigation for farms receiving water from the South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) and as storm drain conveyance for approximately 10,210 acres of land in south Manteca and several regional municipalities. The culvert will consist of a double-barrel reinforced cast-in-place concrete culverts and is needed to support the new wye connection tracks, which will curve over a portion of the SSJID canal. The box culvert is expected to be completed by early 2025.

The project demonstrates how the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission is working in partnership with agencies, districts, and cities along the corridor as it moves forward with the infrastructure improvements necessary to upgrade tracks, build stations, and create new connections.

Nancy Young, Tracy Mayor and SJRRC Chair, said: 

“This project is significant as it is the first step in delivering the infrastructure necessary to connect Stanislaus and Merced counties directly to the Tri-Valley and San Jose. The Valley Rail Program will significantly enhance regional mobility and sustainability, benefiting travelers, visitors, and residents of the San Joaquin Valley and California as a whole.” Mayor Young continued, “I want to say a special Thank You to the South San Joaquin Irrigation District. Your partnership is invaluable. It is incredibly important to the Valley Rail Program as well as all the communities that we serve.”

Vito Chiesa, Stanislaus County Supervisor and SJJPA Board Member, said: 

“The exciting part of this project today, specifically, is that it supports the expansion of ACE service down to Stanislaus County with stops in Modesto, Ceres, and Turlock,” Chiesa continued. “This opens up all of Northern California for Stanislaus County residents to ride rail just about anywhere. Regarding air quality, we’re in an impacted basin in the San Joaquin Valley and programs like Valley Rail will be an important way to improve air quality for all of our residents.”

Stacey Mortensen, Executive Director (SJRRC), said:

“The Valley Rail Program is one of the most transformational things happening in the Valley for probably 100 years. Passenger service disappeared in the Valley for many years on this particular line. Valley Rail brings that passenger rail service back with a vengeance.” Regarding the Lathrop Wye Box Culvert Project, Mortensen said “Where we are right here [in Lathrop] is a connection in the Central Valley that has never existed. Trains today cannot come from the Modesto area and seamlessly travel over the Altamont Pass. They all have to either go north to Sacramento or they have to perform a long series of moves to travel toward the Tri-Valley and South Bay Area. This project, today, helps us make that connection so that trains can make a “through move” with passengers over to the Bay Area and Back.”

Forrest Killingsworth, Engineering Department Manager, South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID), said:

“The significance of the project is to provide irrigation tail water and stormwater runoff capacity for the French Camp Outlet Canal, which is an SSJID tail water infrastructure canal. …What it will do is allow for the Lathrop Wye track construction to be constructed in an arched or a curved fashion over the top of the channel.”

Peter Rietkerk, General Manager (SSJID), said:

“The project is meant to serve as a foundational piece or initial piece for the larger Lathrop Wye Project, which is going to provide a huge benefit, especially in mobility, for our local residents, [and] people that visit the area and want to travel regionally.”

Mike Weststeyn, Board President (SSJID), said:

“It’s great to be a part of this transformational project that’s just getting started today. And, for [the] South San Joaquin Irrigation District, and as the President of the board, it’s great to be involved in a project like this that’s going to change our community.” 

Valley Rail: Enhancing Connectivity and Sustainability in Northern California

Valley Rail is a joint program that includes improvements and expansions of both ACE and Amtrak San Joaquins that is focused on improvements between Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley. Valley Rail implements two new daily round-trips for the Amtrak San Joaquins service to better connect San Joaquin Valley travelers with the Sacramento Area, and extends Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) service between Sacramento and Merced. In addition, Valley Rail will convert the entire fleet including the thruway bus network to renewable diesel fuel, providing greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits across the entire existing (449 track miles) and proposed expanded (119 track miles) San Joaquins and ACE services.

The Valley Rail Program consists of several project segments that together improve rail service on ACE and the San Joaquins for the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento, and the Bay Area. The project segments include: Lathrop to Ceres Extension, Sacramento Extension, Ceres-Merced Extension, Stockton Diamond Grade Separation, Madera Station Relocation, and the Oakley Station Project.

https://www.sjrrc.com/lathrop-groundbreaking-ceremony/