Just last week, peeps were rejoicing about the likely departure of Forest City. Thus, Freeing Downtown business owners to once again think about what they can do with their spaces, without the specter of a developer looking over their shoulders. Well, dammit all to development hell, but it looks like F-City isn't going anywhere, no matter how unwelcome they are.
From the Fresno Bee:
Forest City has a $232 million plan to build 700 new homes, as well as stores and commercial buildings, in a six-block zone -- the first phase of the long-range South Stadium redevelopment project that eventually would transform 85 acres south of Chukchansi Park baseball stadium.
A draft environmental impact report for portions of the project should be released for public review in the next few weeks, said senior vice president Susan Smartt.
More attention can be focused on the Fresno project now that Forest City has finished an ambitious mixed-use development called Uptown Oakland that made over four blocks. The team that led that project is now hard at work on the Fresno plan.
Smartt said large-scale projects take time and urged people to be patient. "Oakland took eight years. When you are trying to change an area and revitalize an area, it is very challenging," she said.
