One of the biggest remaining pieces of undeveloped land in pre-1985 Manteca is being weighed by the City Council for acquisition.
The land in question consists of two parcels northeast of the Union Road and Louise Avenue intersection:
*2.7 acres at 1156 Union Road where a Christmas tree lot typically sets up shop.
*4.29 acres at 1044 Louise Avenue east of the Chervon station and convenience store.
The agenda for Tuesday’s special 4:30 p.m. City Council meeting notes the property is under negotiation for price, discussion, and/or terms of potential sale.
All of those considerations are allowed under state law to take place behind closed door. If specific action is taken to move forward with a purchase, that must occur in open session.
The area was zoned commercial more than 40 years ago with the intent to develop a neighborhood shopping center anchored by a supermarket.
A supermarket in that location is likely not in the cards given there are preliminary inquiries underway with potential grocers on other nearby properties more in alignment with the path of future growth including on the southwest corner of Louise and Airport Way across from the Manteca Unified district office complex and along Daniels Steret off of Airport Way.
The City of Manteca in the past five years has been using its economic development reserves to purchase problematic property in high profile locations in a bid to move development forward to benefit the community.
Those other purchases include buying:
*A 3.85 acre triangle shaped parcel on Atherton Drive west of Living Spaces for $2.2 million in 2024. A deal is now pending to sell 3.7 acres of that land for $4 million for the building of a Tesla dealership and service center. There is a deal in the works to lease the remaining 0.15 acres for an LED billboard with OutFront Media that would generate a minimum of $300,000 annually for the city.
*The IOOF Hall and adjoining parking lot on the northwest corner of Yosemite and Main in downtown. The city is in the process of seeking private sector proposals to renovate the historic 2-story hall into a gathering place — likely a restaurant — as well as convert the parking lot into other uses aimed at bringing people to the central district.
*Two parcels on the northwest corner of Sycamore Avenue and Yosemite Avenue in 2021 in downtown for $80,000. There is a pending proposal for funding for a non-profit to build a five-story low income senior housing project with retail on the ground floor. In the meantime, the city has created Mural Alley for small scale events and gatherings and made the parking lot available for public use.
*124 Sycamore Avenue in 2021 for $390,000. The building formerly housed the San Joaquin County Public Health clinic. It is now the city’s Public Safety Annex.
The city also owns other commercially zoned property including:
*100 acres of former wastewater treatment plant property along Daniels Drive that is anchored by Great Wolf resort and the Big League Dreams sports complex. The city is working toward a private sector partner to develop the land as a family entertainment zone.
*13.74 acres on the northeast corner of Daniels Street and Milo Candini Drive to the east of the Loma Brewing Company.
*A 10-acre parcel on Daniels Street that backs up to the 120 Bypass by the Staybridge Suites and Sizzler.
To contract Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@Mantecabulletin.com
