NORTH BAY DESTINATIONS | ROHNERT PARK
“You want to make sure you are creating a community space. Not only a retail hub, but also restaurants and entertainment—so you are bringing people in." —Marcela Piedra, city manager
downtown serving as a “focal point” for the entire community—a space to build upon such popular community events as the annual Party on the Plaza and the Fourth of July Jubilee. “Economically, a vibrant downtown will attract businesses, tourism and investments, with the SMART train right next door it will provide access and traffic to the heart of the city,” says Rodriguez in an email. “[Located] right between our neighbors at Sonoma State University, Green Music Center and Graton casino, making it a more attractive destination for both residents and visitors from the larger North Bay Area.” Location, location, location Orloff, Callinan and the council members all agree that the downtown has been a long time—too long a time—coming. The first developer to work on Rohnert Park’s downtown was SunCal, one of the largest U.S. real estate development companies specializing in large-scale, mixed-use, master-planned communities. SunCal acquired the property in 2014 with plans for a project called Rohnert Crossing. The project was never realized, and SunCal sold to Laulima Development. Laulima was set to build the new downtown until unexpected setbacks cropped up, caused by the 2017 North Bay wildfires and the pandemic, Orloff says. Laulima backed out of the deal and sold the site to the city in 2022. While this might have seemed like a setback, it actually worked out well for the city, Orloff says. “When Laulima was the developer, the plan was to open the downtown in 2020,” Orloff says. Given the advent of the pandemic, the timing would have been disastrous. Then the city was able to buy the land, “which gave us control over our own destiny,” she says. Another piece of luck was being able to build the downtown in this location, she says. “It’s not in a residential area, so it won’t route traffic through neighborhoods,” she says. “It’s right near the SMART train; someone in San Francisco could jump on the ferry to Larkspur, jump on SMART and visit our downtown. We really got lucky to have a piece of property in a prime location.” Councilmember Elward describes having a centralized community hub near public transportation as “essential.” “Having the SMART station within walking distance will naturally attract more outsiders who will come here to spend money, which will be huge for our local businesses and city revenue,” Elward says. “It will also create jobs for our constituents, students and those in the area.” While a significant milestone has been reached, there’s still a lot of work to be done—and decisions to be made. The project’s concept became even more concrete in October after the city and developer signed an exclusive negotiation agreement. The agreement requires the two parties to work out significant terms, including whether the city will sell or lease the land to CenterCal Properties. Asked via e-mail about the potential sale of the property, Sanborn said, “Whether the land will be sold to the developer is to be determined during the negotiation phase happening over the next couple months.” Another area of concern came up during the August meeting when representatives from labor groups asked both the city council and CenterCal Properties to ensure that local residents in the building trades
have a fair chance to work on the job. Scott Bohrer, vice president of development for CenterCal Properties, represented the company at the meeting. Bohrer encouraged labor groups to connect with his company. “It’s exciting to see the engagement with all of the local unions and trades,” Bohrer told the city council. He added, “Our door is open,” and he said labor groups will “have the opportunity to bid the project.” Ultimately, city leaders and residents are hopeful the downtown project will provide the crucial component Rohnert Park has been missing all these years. “Rohnert Park has always had a heart,” says Councilmember Gerard Giudice. “When our downtown is a thriving center of Sonoma County commerce, we will have a physical manifestation of that heart.” As Orloff puts it, with all the amenities Rohnert Park already boasts, the downtown will be the icing on the cake: “When you add in Sonoma State University, the Green Music Center, plans for a pickleball arena, Spreckels Performing Arts Center and gaming at nearby Graton Resort and Casino—we have a lot to offer!” g
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