It’s a concept — for now.

But if all goes well Poag Development could tear up a sizeable clunk of its 1,572-space parking lot — and knock down in-line store space that has never been occupied — and create what could arguably be the most livable neighborhood in Manteca.

The developer and city are working in tandem to see if under utilized commercial space can be morphed into a highly desirable rental community where people can walk to a grocery store, health club, the movies, restaurants, shops or take a spin on bicycle or take a stroll/jog along tree-lined corridors.

The Manteca Planning Commission Thursday received an update on efforts to create development standards and municipal code changes needed to make adding housing to existing commercial development work.

Poag is leaning toward a plan that would add 450 housing units.

It would place three to four story apartment buildings in the heart of the 72-acre development.

All of the existing inline structures between JC Penney and Grove Avenue — the entrance from the traffic signal on Atherton Drive that leads to the roundabout with the water feature — would be razed except for the 30,000-square-foot health club.

That is where the apartment buildings would go as well as immediately west of the health club.

There would be a small  park in the center. The street that curves through the area would remain but would be tree-lined after the buildings are removed.

Roughly 70 townhouses would be built along Atherton Drive. They would have an “alley” to access parking for residents.

Several new retail budlings would be added including restaurant space.

The northeast corner of Union Road and Atherton Drive would be set aside to secure a specialty grocery store. A second hotel would be added east of the Hampton Inn and south of Bass Pro Shops.

More green areas would be added to reduce the heat and add to the livability. The plans would tie in the existing lake and make uses of the adjoining plaza for community events such as those that have now occurring.

Planning Commissioner Celeste Fiore described the effort as “building a village.”

Her colleague, Judith Blumhorst,  said “it’s sort of a new downtown in a village configuration.”

And commissioner Leonard Smith added it reminded him of Santana Row in San Jose that is considered one of the most successful marriages of housing, restaurants, stores, services and planned community events in the Bay Area.

Done right, the housing could enhance the value and appeal of what started out in 2007 as a lifestyle center before brick and mortar retail went through a major transformation due to the explosion of online shopping.

The units, based on apartment yields, could easily add 1,000 residents as a built-in customer base for restaurants stores, and theater.

Having a core consumer base of 1,000 people plus the effort to make the entire 72 acres more appealing would also draw from 750 apartments either bult or under construction that are near Orchard valley as well as the growing single family neighborhoods to the south west and east would create critical synergy to lure more business.

The presentation Thursday was a progress report and the first indication that Poag favors a plan that would add somewhere around 450 housing units as opposed to 250 to 650.

The 760,000-square-foot center in anchored by Bass Pro Shops.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com