Distribution is expected to emerge as Manteca’s economic driving force in the coming years.

At least that’s what developers anticipate who deal with investors that secure sites to build and lease distribution centers ranging from small affairs to those in excess of a million square feet for private sector concerns.

The expected strong market for distribution uses is prompting a rethinking of Yosemite Square, a 217-acre project proposed for the northeast corner of Highway 99 and the 120 Bypass.

Originally it was envisioned for five multi-story office buildings with 314,000 square feet, some 1,089 housing units, and 158,200 square foot of retail. The retail was proposed for the southwest corner of Austin Road and East Highway 120.

Now the project has about 30 percent less housing, no retail, and has replaced the multiple story office proposals with 475,675 square feet of business industrial park uses. It also covers 63 less acres. The new version has 761 housing units.

AKF Development rolled out the initial Yosemite Square proposal in mid-2007. That’s when Oak Valley Community Bank announced they had secured land on the southwest corner of the 120 Bypass and Highway 99 interchange to build a six-story bank operations building. Poag & McEwen shortly thereafter rolled out a proposal to build a 5-story hotel and a 10-story office building immediately east of Bass Pro Shops along the 120 Bypass.

Then the economy hit the wall. Poag & McEwen dropped plans for their second project while Oak Valley Community Bank put there’s on hold until the economy regains enough strengthen to justify the expenditure.

AKF is also part of the consortium of developers that have gotten the 1,047-acre Austin Road Business Park with its 3.5 million acre feet of general commercial, 8 million square feet of industrial, business, and office park uses, and 3,400 homes through the entitlement process and annexed to the city.

Partner Mike Atherton indicated last month the group is now working to secure a “seed deal” for Austin Business Park such as they did with ADPS Packaging that got the ball rolling in Spreckels Park.

Austin Road Business Park is located generally southwest of the Austin Road and Highway 99 interchange.

The Yosemite Square project can be served by existing streets that simply need to be widened. It also is easier to connect to existing water and sewer lines than Austin Road Business Park.

The 273-acre Center Point Business Park in the northwest portion of Manteca just east of the Union Pacific Railroad intermodal facility is expected to be the first business park in the planning process to break ground. It will have 4 million square feet for distribution.

A traffic study for Yosemite Square has been completed while the environmental review is underway. Hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council are expected to be scheduled this fall.