Around the Creek: Walnut Creek's Housing Boom

New construction slowed to a halt during the recession, but developers are back, proposing new projects, most of them apartments and condos in downtown. If these projects get approved, Walnut Creek could gain more than 1,000 new units of housing in the next few years. 

On Wednesday evening, the Design Review Commission was to look over preliminary plans for 300-unit complex on the five-acre site that formerly housed Longs Drugs.

The applicant, Palo Alto-based Urban Housing Group, would like to demolish the two-story 80,000-square-foot office building on North Civic Drive, near Ygnacio Valley Road. CVS Caremark Corp. purchased Longs Drugs Stores Corp. in August 2008 for $2.9 billion and closed the headquarters. 

In place of the former office building would rise a four-level, U-shaped structure that would feature one- and two-bedroom units, central courtyards, and a rooftop terrace with Mt. Diablo views.

A four-level, 455-stall parking structure would allow residents to park near their units, the staff report said. The structure would be built in the rear of the complex. 

One benefit the developer is proposing to add is a staircase leading from the east side of North Civic Drive down to the Iron Horse Trail. This staircase would primarily benefit students at Walnut Creek Intermediate who get dropped off and picked up on North Civic Drive but otherwise have to climb up and down a dirt slope to get to the rear entrance of the school. 

On its website, the Urban Housing Group describes itself as a leader in providing quality, smart-growth, multi-family rental housing. 

The other proposed downtown housing projects also follow this smart growth idea--that is, creating housing within walking distance to shopping and to a major transit center, which in Walnut Creek's case is the BART station. 

As Mayor Cindy Silva said in her state of the city speech last week, the idea of these projects is to get people closer to downtown, where they work and shop, and closer to public transit. Some would say that these projects will bring more urban-style housing to Walnut Creek, and that the city is fast losing its small-town suburban charm.

But others argue that these projects are necessary for creating housing, some of it more affordable, for the range of people who want to live here. Walnut Creek also is largely built out. The days of the city finding space to build new single-family subdivisions is long gone. 

With regard to BART, plans are still in the works for 600 apartment units in a new BART station transit village. Minutes of a Nov. 16 study session are attached to this article. Also in the works is an  on the one-acre site that houses the now shuttered mid-20th century Walnut Creek Motor Lodge.

The developer wants to erect a 116,000-square-foot complex of studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments at the corner of North Main Street and Ygnacio Valley Road. The architect for the Motor Lodge site is Sacramento-based LSAS Architects, which won an award in 2008 for "Best New Infill" from the Sacramento Business Journal.

Planners have previously said that market conditions currently value multi-family residential housing projects more highly than retail construction. That's why a developer hasn't come forward wanting to transform the former Longs site into a retail complex. Redevelopment of this site would enhance downtown's economic vitality, planners said. 

A fourth project has been proposed for downtown, but there seem to be no plans for moving forward. The Village mixed-used project, with 49 condomiun units, was to replace the eight-story white tower at the corner of Newell Avenue and South Main Street. City planning manager Victoria Walker says the applicants have kept their approvals up-to-date, but they have "not submitted a building permit application, which would be the first step."

Two other housing projects, located just outside downtown, are targeted for low-income families who would qualify for affordable housing. The Third Avenue Apartments would bring 48 affordable multifamily apartments to a .36-site on Baldwin Lane. And, Habitat for Humanity wants to build its first project in Walnut Creek, a 10-unit, two- and three-bedroom building on Barkley Avenue, on the other side of Interstate 680 from the BART station. 

Urban Housing Group has not submitted detailed architectural plans on the project, though it has provided renderings that can give commissioners a general concept of the project. The developer is asking for feedback on the overall concept and building design components before submitting a formal application. 

The design review commission meeting takes place in City Council Chambers at 7 p.m., 1666 N. Main St.