Main Street Project concept gets council approval




Main Street Project concept gets council approval

Main Street Project concept gets council approval

Pleasanton City Council gave approval on a concept for a major project that would tie in Main Street and the city’s River Park with mixed use, retail, office space and multi-family living.

The project, which is led by DreamOn Group from San Antonio, offered its final rendering of the plan that would cover an area from Adams Street across to Main Street, using the former elementary school as its space.

“We know this is a big project, but by using this company, we will be able to control the growth and rely on outside partners to help fund out the project,” Mayor Clinton Powell said.

As reported in May 2021, the city selected the DreamOn Group of San Antonio to serve as the city’s private investment partner that will help in the development of a Business Center within this project.

The Pleasanton Business Center will be a part of the city’s first “P3” or Public Private Partnership, where resources are combined between private and public investment to minimize local tax dollars for a capital improvement project in support of economic development.

 

 

The center will also house the city’s first business incubator at the former elementary school. The Business Incubator will house up to six business start-ups for 12-24 months. The incubator will provide support services and technical assistance aimed at business growth and sustainability. Once the businesses grow out of the incubator, they will have the option to transition into the business center or other available commercial real estate properties throughout the city.

In May, Congressman Henry Cuellar presented a $1 million EDA grant for the Business Center and a $70,000 USDA Rural Development Grant for the Business Incubator.

The new proposed rendering that council approved includes a multifamily apartment complex for residents to be on-site all of the time. DreamOn representatives told council that their idea was to bring more activities to the property with the historical Main Street look to remain a main part of the design.

DreamOn suggested to the council that strong commitments would be needed in March 2023 to start the design development of the project. The group also discussed a potential timeline that closing of the project would come in the third quarter of 2023 with a target opening in the third quarter of 2024. Its main focus would be to develop the existing buildings along Main Street first and work in phases.

As a part of the design concept, DreamOn created a series of pocket spaces across the entire plan. A part of the concept is to convert the old gym into a live music center. The concrete bleachers would remain with an added shade structure on top. Representatives also said the multi-family apartments would have their own garage for parking.

DreamOn said they will use existing fronts, however, their plan is to treat them as a new building by redesigning the facade. The plan also includes many multi-use open areas of lawn.

The group’s only concern is that the back half of the old elementary is not in good shape. It would be leveled and rebuilt with a second story.

Councilmember J.R. Gallegos informed the DreamOn Group that the project looks much bigger than anticipated from the beginning, and he raised concerns of a flood plain that would threaten the multi-family residence. DreamOn reiterated that this plan for residence can be phased out.

After approval of the concept design, the project will now move towards design development in March.

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