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Central CaliforniaPress Room
By Faughn New Developments • Tourism • Workforce 0 Comments

Merced developer envisions thriving shopping plaza off of Highway 99

A local developer envisions Campus Parkway in the southeast side of Merced becoming the best exit off Highway 99 in the Central Valley. The goal is to create a new standard for Merced, attracting out-of-town revenue and enhancing the local economy by developing a shopping plaza eventually anchored by an entertainment venue, a hotel and surrounding retail shops, restaurants and offices…..

https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/article304451956.html

 

By Faughn New Location • Tourism 0 Comments

Merced burger shop owners are smashing their way to Turlock to open second location

It’s not typical you get to try menu items from a restaurant before it’s even begun construction, but since a family-owned burger spot opening in Turlock has a location established a bit farther down the freeway, eager patrons are in luck. The first location of Smash Bros Burgers opened in Merced in June 2024. A second restaurant bearing the name will open by the time the owners celebrate their one-year anniversary…..

https://www.modbee.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/biz-beat/article302446424.html

 

 

By Faughn New Location • Workforce 0 Comments

New beginnings for Reedley plant: Local business takes over Prima Wawona site

The Reedley facility previously operated by Prima Wawona — once the largest producer of stone fruit in North America — has been acquired by a local, family-owned business.

G2 Commercial Complex, LLC, has been named as the buyer of the former Gerawan Farming Plant 2 at 1467 E. Dinuba Ave. in Reedley. The transaction will ultimately create up to 100 jobs, said Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba.

The cold storage facility — 360,000 square feet on nearly 29 acres — was previously owned by private equity firm Paine Schwartz and historically leased by Prima Wawona. Prima Wawona filed for bankruptcy protection in October 2023, also selling off more than 13,000 acres of farmland.

The cold storage sale was facilitated by Schuil Ag Real Estate and Colliers.

The acquisition marks a significant milestone for G2, according to a news release from Schuil Ag Real Estate, with aims to enhance its operational capabilities and further its commitment to providing quality storage capacity and improve its service offerings.

The principals of G2 Commercial Complex, LLC, were not revealed in the release.

Lorin Reed, owner and president of Kingsburg’s Packline Technologies Inc., and Vice President Josh Lee are involved with G2 Commercial Complex.

Packline manufactures processing and packing equipment for the produce industry.

“We are excited to announce this acquisition, which not only represents a strategic growth opportunity for our company but also underscores our commitment to the community and the agricultural sector,” said the CEO of G2 Commercial Complex, LLC, in a statement. “For us, Gerawan Plant 2 has always been a mainstay in the industry with a rich history, and we look forward to revitalizing it and continuing to build on its legacy.”

The former Gerawan facility will be revitalized under G2’s stewardship, according to the release.  The company plans to invest in upgrades and improvements to ensure the facility meets the highest standards of efficiency and quality.

Agent Stephen Schuil represented the buyers, and agent Rick Schuil along with Colliers represented the sellers.

“We are proud to have played a role in facilitating this important transaction,” Rick Schuil said. “G2 Commercial Complex, LLC is a respected name in the industry, and we are confident that they will bring new life to the Reedley Wawona facility.”

Zieba said that “having life” back in the facility is a positive move for the city.

“Its on one of our busier thoroughfares and to have life back in that big building on an important corridor represents new beginnings,” she said.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/new-beginnings-for-reedley-plant-local-business-takes-over-prima-wawona-site/

By Faughn Economy • Tourism 0 Comments

City of Hanford receives $15.5M grant from DOT

The City of Hanford has announced that it is a recipient of a $15.5 million grant thanks to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The grant award is part of the competitive Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program through the DOT.

The City’s Fast Track Hanford project was chosen as one of 109 projects to receive a 2025 RAISE Round 1 award. The funding will be used to improve the downtown area between the Amtrak Station and 10th Avenue. The project also includes China Alley and Civic Center Park, with construction estimated to begin in March 2028.“The project will include roadway and intersection safety improvements, ADA upgrades, two bus stop improvements, wayfinding signage, micro-mobility amenities, lighting, stormwater improvements, electric vehicle charging stations, and electronic informational displays,” said the City.

The City aims to use the RAISE program funding to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in the downtown corridors by narrowing and reducing vehicular lanes, changing street parking from parallel to angled, and enhancing street lighting, among several other improvements.

“This is a transformational project that will provide easier and safer access to transportation options in the City, create a more walkable and bikeable downtown through various infrastructure improvements, and in combination with other efforts laid out in our five-year strategic plan, will lead to a more vibrant downtown atmosphere for residents, businesses and visitors,” said the City.

Three of the Hottest New Hotels to Book for Food. The project consists of more than 30 improvements beginning at the Amtrak Station, spanning to 10th Avenue, and branching out to encompass three sides of Civic Center Park.

The City has identified several measures to meet its goal of improving safety including a pedestrian-only section between Douty Street and Harris Street, noting that all upgrades will match other sections of the China Alley corridor except all vehicular access will be restricted.

Through the Fast Track Hanford project, the City learned that China Alley technically spans the block between Green and White Streets and is not the entire alleyway, as shown on Google Maps.

The project also ties in with the East Lacey Improvement Project and the Kings-Tulare High-Speed Rail Station Transit Oriented Development Project, which according to the city’s website “is a planning effort to identify recommendations for connecting transit services from downtown Hanford to the Kings-Tulare High-Speed Rail (HSR) Station… and will result in a planning document enabling the City of Hanford to promote transit-oriented and economic development and encourage context-appropriate development in areas surrounding the Kings-Tulare HSR Station…and is an early step in the longer-term shaping of Hanford to integrate HSR development for a positive and equitable outcome.”

On Jan. 10, the DOT announced it had awarded over a billion dollars in RAISE funds to 109 projects across the country, but received 195 qualified applications requesting a total of nearly $2.4 billion. The department reported that a large percentage of the grants selected in the first round of funding support areas defined as historically disadvantaged or of persistent poverty. The DOT’s RAISE grants are also awarded to invest in transportation infrastructure projects that would otherwise not receive the funding needed.

The project consists of more than 30 improvements beginning at the Amtrak Station, spanning to 10th Avenue, and branching out to encompass three sides of Civic Center Park.

The City has identified several measures to meet its goal of improving safety including a pedestrian-only section between Douty Street and Harris Street, noting that all upgrades will match other sections of the China Alley corridor except all vehicular access will be restricted.

Through the Fast Track Hanford project, the City learned that China Alley technically spans the block between Green and White Streets and is not the entire alleyway, as shown on Google Maps.

The project also ties in with the East Lacey Improvement Project and the Kings-Tulare High-Speed Rail Station Transit Oriented Development Project, which according to the city’s website “is a planning effort to identify recommendations for connecting transit services from downtown Hanford to the Kings-Tulare High-Speed Rail (HSR) Station… and will result in a planning document enabling the City of Hanford to promote transit-oriented and economic development and encourage context-appropriate development in areas surrounding the Kings-Tulare HSR Station…and is an early step in the longer-term shaping of Hanford to integrate HSR development for a positive and equitable outcome.”

On Jan. 10, the DOT announced it had awarded over a billion dollars in RAISE funds to 109 projects across the country, but received 195 qualified applications requesting a total of nearly $2.4 billion. The department reported that a large percentage of the grants selected in the first round of funding support areas defined as historically disadvantaged or of persistent poverty. The DOT’s RAISE grants are also awarded to invest in transportation infrastructure projects that would otherwise not receive the funding needed.

https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/city-of-hanford-receives-15-5m-grant-from-dot/article_1d82d572-d772-11ef-80e7-8f3e3ef51fbe.html

By Faughn New Location • Renewable Energy 0 Comments

Cyclum to Unveil NextGen Travel Center at Tulare Ceremony

February 24th, 2025 – Cyclum is proud to announce the Site Dedication Ceremony of its first next generation Traditional, Transitional and Renewable “TTR” fuel travel center at Mefford Airfield in Tulare, California, on March 13, 2025, at 1:00 PM. This state-of-the-art facility marks a pivotal step in Cyclum’s ambitious plan to develop approximately 400 next-generation travel centers nationwide over the next ten years, blending traditional fueling options with cutting-edge zero-carbon solutions, renewable diesel, hydrogen, renewable compressed natural gas (CNG), and electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The Tulare facility is designed to provide a new standard of convenience and sustainability for fleets and travelers, featuring premium fresh food offerings, modern amenities, and innovative fueling solutions. This site reflects Cyclum’s mission to revolutionize the travel center experience while supporting a cleaner, more sustainable transportation future.

“This dedication ceremony is a testament to Cyclum’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the travel center industry,” said Brian Profitt, CEO of Cyclum. “Tulare is just the beginning as we pave the way for a greener and more efficient future for fleets and travelers.”

The event is part of the 2025 Trucking with Clean Fuels Conference at the International Agri-Center in Tulare from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM earlier in the day. The conference provides fleet operators and industry leaders the opportunity to explore advancements in clean fuel technologies, including a Ride & Drive experience, an exhibitor expo, and expert-led sessions.

“We are honored to partner with Cyclum to bring this groundbreaking facility to Tulare,” added JV Partner Ben Khatirine. “Collaborating with the city has been a rewarding process, and we are excited to continue working with the local community to make this site a success. This facility will serve as a critical fueling hub and a model for modern, sustainable travel centers.”

About Cyclum

Cyclum is redefining the travel center experience with its visionary plan to develop 400 innovative facilities across the United States. By integrating traditional fuels with next-generation zero-carbon solutions, Cyclum is committed to leading the charge in sustainable transportation while delivering superior convenience, comfort, and service to travelers nationwide.

https://cyclum.com/f/cyclum-to-unveil-nextgen-travel-center-at-tulare-ceremony

By Faughn Economy • Quality of Life 0 Comments

Tiny homes for the homeless now open in Madera

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday for the Madera Rescue Missions’s Triage Center. The Triage Center consists of six pre-manufactured tiny homes located on the Mission’s 7,600-square-foot lot. The county plans to build more in the future to accommodate those experiencing homelessness like resident David Campos. Campos said it was around 2020 when times became really tough for him.

“During Covid, we had trouble paying our bills,” Campos said.  “So, I went to several places, you know, trying to find a place.”

Campos moved around from different places in Fresno and eventually landed at the Madera Rescue Mission. On Monday, city and county officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the tiny homes and how they will be benefiting those in the county, like Campos. The project was funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Development Block Grants, as well as ARPA funding.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/tiny-homes-for-the-homeless-now-open-in-madera/?mc_cid=39a7626c23&mc_eid=c4726fd3b7

By Faughn Education • Workforce 0 Comments

BC partners with Amazon, Wonderful on industrial workforce training

Bakersfield College will become just the fifth institution in the United States, and the only one near the West Coast, to offer a certification program teaching apprentices at Amazon to become electromechanical technicians. The program is a three-organization partnership in that the e-commerce giant will contract with BC to train the company’s employees and employees of The Wonderful Co. will be hired by the college for the purpose of supporting the training. The training itself is planned to take place at The Wonderful Career Center in Shafter.

The company’s Reliability and Maintenance Engineering program is being funded by a $1.37 million contribution from the Bakersfield College Foundation’s donor-funded Innovation Fund, which will pay for the initiative’s training equipment. Companies that develop and operate local distribution centers have prioritized workforce development in recent years as they try to keep up with increased demand for people who can not only handle products in warehouses but also maintain and repair machinery, some of it automated, inside the buildings.

BC President Jerry E. Fliger said in a news release the partnership is an example of what career technical education should be — “effective and directly connected to industry needs.”

“Working together with industry leaders like Amazon and Wonderful bridges education and workforce development,” he added. “Because of this collaboration, BC will provide individuals with real skills that lead to high-paying, in-demand jobs.”

Added Cheryl Scott, executive director of the BC Foundation, “This partnership with Amazon is a perfect example of how strategic investments in education can transform lives and industries.”

A BC spokeswoman said by email Monday apprentices who advance through the program can get eight certifications showing their knowledge of industrial electricity, mechanical components, fluid power and programmable logic controllers. When they finish, they will receive a certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor recognizing them as an electromechanical technician. The in-person, classroom-learning portion of the program is expected to run for 12 weeks. The apprenticeship aspect comprises 2,000 work hours.

“By working alongside Amazon and The Wonderful Company, we’re ensuring students gain the skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce,” Rozanne Hernandez, BC’s dean of career technical education, said in the news release.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/bc-partners-amazon-wonderful-industrial-035900838.html

By Faughn Hi-Tech 0 Comments

Stockton’s Applied Aerospace acquires firm that worked on Webb Telescope

A Stockton-based aerospace company is reaching for the stars with the acquisition of a firm that, among other things, was part of the team that created the deployable sunshield on the James Webb Space Telescope. Applied Aerospace, which makes various aerospace components, said earlier this month it has completed the acquisition of NeXolve, a Huntsville, Alabama, company with expertise in advanced polymers, films and resins used in space applications.

NeXolve helped create a five-layer sunshield for the Webb Telescope that’s the size of a tennis court. Because the telescope’s scientific breakthroughs are made by detecting infrared radiation, it needs to be kept extremely cold. The sunshield protects the spacecraft from the intense heat of the sun. NeXolve has made other membrane-based products for space as well. These include deployable solar sails that gather radiation from the sun to propel a satellite. And the company crafted an atmospheric drag sail that can brake a failing or antiquated satellite to force it reenter the atmosphere where it harmlessly burns up instead of becoming another piece of space junk.

In acquiring NeXolve, Applied Aerospace also picks up its modern facilities. Those include a spacecraft assembly bay and a characterization laboratory.

“The complementary engineering capabilities that NeXolve brings to the Applied Aerospace family is incredible,” Applied Aerospace CEO Kevin Bidlack said in the statement. “By combining our capabilities, we look forward to developing a new generation of deployable sub-systems that will help our customers improve the mission effectiveness and extend the service life of their spacecraft.”

NeXolve’s work in developing, making and testing the sunshield on the Webb Space Telescope, billed by NASA as the largest and most complex instrument of its kind ever put into space, earned the company NASA’s Collier Trophy for achievement in astronautics.

Applied Aerospace also makes a variety of aeronautical products. They range from fairings, rudders and elevators on the refueling boom of the Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus air tanker, a derivation of the Boeing 767, to the composite reflector and strut assembly on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Due to launch in two years, the Roman Space Telescope is designed for research into dark energy and dark matter.

Applied Aerospace’s business has been soaring. It announced in February that it closed its fiscal year with a backlog of $450 million in work, a company record high. The company said it landed 37 new contract awards and saw expansions in its existing programs.

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Visalia builds toward more industrial space

The city of Visalia plans to open up more land for industrial development following a recent report. At its Feb. 3 meeting, the Visalia City Council heard a presentation by 4- Creeks consultants suggesting expansion of industrial park zoning south of Highway 198 adjacent to the airport as well as west of Highway 99 around the city wastewater treatment plant. Currently the industrial park is east of Highway 99 concentrated in the northwest corner of the city. The council voted 5-0 to take the next step to move the project forward that will require a full environmental impact report. Mayor Brett Taylor said he was generally in favor of expansion of industrial lands but not so much west of Highway 99 where the city has the sewer farm surrounded by farmland. The report suggested the city allow for a 248-acre solar farm to provide more renewable power to the community. The site would be near the wastewater treatment plant where the consultant also suggested the city consider new industrial zoning. City-owned land west of the 99 adds up to 1,475 acres that can be potentially developed, the study said. Again, that idea may not move forward.

There does seem to be support for setting up a so-called “reserve” industrial area adjacent to the airport and south of Caldwell stretching down to Highway 99. The report points to the major overhaul of the Caldwell interchange underway over the next 3-4 years.

The reserve area could be around 405 acres. Staff will have to suggest a trigger for opening this land. It will be years before new zoning is in place. The study makes the case that the city needs more available industrial land to meet demand, suggesting there is a low inventory of available space and empty land. The report calculates Visalia has 389 parcels totaling 3,543 acres of industrial space with just 945 acres remaining vacant in its sphere of infuence.

“Visalia could see a demand for up to 6.4 million square feet of industrial space by 2033,” 4-Creeks stated in its report. But the study does not seem to acknowledge that there are active industrial projects lined up to build at least that much right now. That includes the vacant CapRock building, a 1.2 million square foot spec “building 3” on Plaza Drive that has sat empty since completion last July. There is also a new 3.7 million square feet industrial park project north of Riggin and west of Shirk going through a final EIR now.

At the same time industrial building activity in the past year has slowed to a crawl in Visalia and across California. Now the city may lose the 635,000 square foot JoAnn fabrics distribution center, according to a recent letter the company sent to Mayor Taylor.

Consider that Visalia added 1.1 million square feet of industrial space in 2019, 2.4 million in 2020, 1.5 million in 2021, 1.6 million in 2022 and 1.9 mil in 2023 but just 330,000 square feet of industrial space was added in 2024. Things have slowed down. Nevertheless, councilmember Brian Poochigian said the city needs to plan ahead and adding more space in the future could attract new business to town – smaller entrepreneurial industrial projects that could find the area near the airport attractive.

By Faughn Economy • New Developments 0 Comments

Massive Visalia Industrial Park project ahead of schedule, no deal with Amazon

CapRock Partners, a Los Angeles based industrial real estate investor, announced this month that their Central Point III complex in Visalia at 1.27 million square-feet is ahead of schedule for construction.

Building 1, the first phase of a 2.7-million-square-foot, four-building industrial complex, has completed the tilting of the building’s concrete panel walls. Moving ahead of its original development timeline, Building 1 is now slated for completion in summer 2024, probably July. The building sits on 75 acres within CapRock Central Point III, part of CapRock’s larger 5-million-square-foot Central Point master plan in Visalia.

Bob O’Neill, senior vice president at CapRock Partners says the building is “designed to serve Fortune 100 corporations seeking a state-of-the-art industrial complex accessible to a large percentage of the West Coast’s population, CapRock Central Point III is drawing interest from leaders in logistics as well as food processing and manufacturing.”

Despite  rumors to the contrary, O’Neill says there is no lease in place with Amazon – the company that leased CapRocks other two large buildings constructed in the industrial park in the past few years.But O’Neill is optimistic the building will be spoken for soon with California’s strong economy, busy ports and the trend to re-shore companies manufacturing back to the US.

Visalia’s increasingly essential role in California’s industrial warehouse market and the broader U.S. logistics supply chain is drawing prominent corporations looking to benefit from the city’s unmatched connectivity, abundant land at relatively lower real estate costs, and robust supply of educated workers. UPS, Amazon, Ace Hardware, Smuckers, VF Corporation, FedEx, and International Paper, and others, have already established locations within Visalia’s industrial area.

“Visalia is grateful for the investment that CapRock has made in our community,” said Visalia Mayor Brian Poochigian. “CapRock has done big projects and Building 1 at Central Point III is another success in the making. Our city’s location gives us a logistical advantage when it comes to connectivity. That, coupled with our business-friendly environment and growing industrial park, makes Visalia ideal for projects like this.”

Building 1, located at 4001 N. Plaza Drive, is easily accessible to major Central Valley transportation including air, rail and highways, including State Route 99, which runs through the Central Valley and connects to major interstates I-5 and I-80. CapRock Central Point III’s position will allow its future tenants to reach over 50 million customers with one-day ground shipping, making it one of the only locations in the U.S. capable of reaching as large of a population base within the short timeframe.

At completion, Building 1 will feature 40-foot clear height, 274 dock-high doors and two ground-level doors. The cross-dock building will include approximately 6,600 square feet of office space, ample power, ESFR sprinklers and 890 auto parking stalls.

With a fully secured fenced yard, the property will provide drive-around access, a truck court depth of 185 feet, dedicated truck circulation and 542 excess trailer parking stalls.

“CapRock Partners is an experienced developer and builder of large-scale industrial warehouse facilities,” said Mike Fowler, executive managing director at JLL.

“The firm’s talented team is bringing its capabilities and expertise to deliver a world-class complex that will improve the overall efficiency of the U.S. supply chain, serve leading corporations and provide local employment and economic opportunities for Visalia and the Central Valley.”

https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2024/01/24/visalia-industrial-park-project-ahead-of-schedule-no-deal-with-amazon/72323793007/