Manteca is going shopping for restaurants next month.

City leaders are doing so by attending the International Council of Shopping Centers gathering May 19-21 in Las Vegas.

And while they are marketing Manteca to potential restaurant chains, they are also trying to lure  more retail.

The ICSC gathering is the premier event in the USA for bringing retailers, restaurants, hotels, shopping center owners, commercial developers, and cities together.

The commercial landscape is constantly shifting. And while many concerns are closing underperforming locations, they are also seeking opportunities to expand their stores and restaurants in a targeted fashion.

Manteca has been on the radar of ICSC attendees for the past few years.

That’s because the city has consistently been in the upper tier of California municipalities when it comes to growth.

And with developers reacting to greater Bay Area housing market demand have upwards of 12,000 units in the home approval/building queue in Manteca, the growth is highly likely to continue for a number of years.

That means Manteca will start hitting more and more coveted rooftop benchmarks — the number of households in a market — that vary depending upon the sector whether it is a sit down restaurant or a specialty grocery store.

In the past, Manteca developers working with city leaders have piqued the interest of various concerns to the point they ultimately ended up locating here.

This time around the city’s hand is strengthened with data that shows new homebuyers south of the 120 Bypass have an average household income in excess of $106,000 compared to the overall Manteca average of $83,380.

They are also holding three aces.

The city actually owns land in three high-profile commercial areas that are enjoying robust sales and have more retail committed to build.

Not only is the city ready to deal, but they are committed to selling at the fair market value and not trying to squeeze more than that as unmotivated land sellers often are as they hold out for bigger paydays.

All three areas have major infrastructure in place as well.

The sites are:

*A triangular-shaped 3.85-acre parcel on Atherton Drive with 120 Bypass exposure west of Living Spaces the city recently purchased for $2.2 million.

*8 acres on Daniels Street with 120 Bypass exposure bordered by Sizzler’s, the Staybridge Suites opening next month, and the Kevin O’Neal Park. It originally was acquired by the city for a San Joaquin County complex but the county backed out.

*Roughly 100 acres in the family entertainment zone (FEZ) bordered by Great Wolf Resort, the Big League Dreams sports complex, and Costco. The land was originally obtained in 1965 for land disposal of treated wastewater but technology changed reduce the need for the LMD.

The FEZ’s appeal is enhanced by the pending opening of the McKinley Avenue interchange next month. That gives the FEZ two freeway access points along the 120 Bypass that are a mile apart. The other is Airport Way.

The Loma Brewery is expected to break ground later this year as part of the FEZ.

The Daniels Street location was once in the process of being developed by Lowe’s for a home improvement center. But just as the environmental review process was completed, the mortgage meltdown triggered the Great Recession prompting Lowe’s to drop the project.

The Atherton Drive parcel is almost contiguous with three commercial endeavors moving forward involving two hotels, a bowling alley/family fun center, a car dealership, banquet hall/wedding center,  a supermarket, two gas station/convenience stores, various restaurants, car wash, and retail space.

Just down the street to the east across from Living Spaces a 300-unit apartment complex has been approved.

Like the FEZ it is midway from two freeway interchanges a mile apart on the 120 Bypass —Union Road and Airport Way.

It is all within half mile of Orchard Valley anchored by Bass Pro Shops and the adjoining 428-unit The Atherton apartment complex.

As city leaders have noted before, the type of commercial concerns that end up locating in Manteca are at the will of the private sector.

That said, in the past several years with the adding of an economic development specialist to the in-house municipal staff, the council has committed to various courses of action to lure additional commercial endeavors.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com