The City of Manteca has yet to complete various tasks needed to issue a request for proposals, but already the idea of transforming the historic IOOF Hall building in downtown Manteca has captured the attention of potential development partners.
One interested party from the Bay Area has scheduled a tour and early concept conservations with the city’s economic development staff regarding the future of the historic landmark.
The city earlier this year bought the two-story, 12,600 square-foot building and adjacent parking lot on the northwest corner of Yosemite Avenue and Main Street for $1.2 million.
Not only is at the gateway to downtown, but the city’s major north-south corridor crosses one of Manteca’s four east-west arterials cross at the intersection.
The city is seeking a development partner to help re-envision the property into a restaurant, retail or mixed-use destination “that creates a vibrant community hub and brings new energy and foot traffic to downtown.”
The pitch Manteca is using notes:
*There are currently 3.4 million annual visits to downtown.
*Manteca has 14,500 plus housing units in the development pipeline.
*Manteca is the second fastest growing city in the Northern San Joaquin Valley that is the second fastest growing region in California.
*There are 1,486,345 people within a 45-minute drive.
*The average household income of those within a 45-minute drive of downtown Manteca is $126,859.
The city isn’t waiting until landing a partner to use the purchase to draw more people downtown.
Plans are for an ice skating ring to open during the upcoming holidays in the parking lot.
The purchase upped the city’s ante — and provides a major building block — when it comes to the $980,000 endeavor moving forward to have the consulting firm Ascend help mold a holistic plan for downtown’s future.
That process now underway and will also include an overall environmental document to help fast track the approval and building process.
The city’s goal is recreating the original drawing power the IOOF building had when Manteca was still basically a wide spot in the road to help spur private sector investment in downtown.
Manteca leaders intend to do so by partnering with a private sector developer to create a vision for the structure built in 1911 and execute it.
It is likely to transform what has been retail from the beginning on the ground floor and was a community hall of sorts on the second floor until 25 to 30 years ago, into some type of dining and entertainment venue.
The goal is for the city not to own or operate businesses at the location.
There is no adopted timeline on when physical work would start.
Initially, the city needs to put out feelers for a potential partner.
It has been noted if that is unsuccessful, one scenario could see the city jumpstart it a concept and design and then move forward while seeking a partner that would either lease or possible buyer.
The city has indicated they want to preserve as much of the distinctive architecture of the IOOF Hall as possible.
Other potential issues could involve seismic retrofitting, ADA issues especially with access to the second floor, and working with the series of murals honoring veterans that dominate the wall facing the 100 block of South Main Street.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
