March 15, 2005 > Centerville Market Place clears Fremont Planning Commission

Peter Stackpole of Loving and Campos Architects, Inc. presented the latest version of plans for the mixed-use development, Centerville Market Place, to the Fremont Planning Commission on Thursday, March 10. He explained that the plans have remained very close to those shown previously with the exception of changes to a mixture of one and two bedroom townhouse designs and the shift of some units from the western podium deck to the eastern deck.

Board members present (Commissioner Richard King absent) unanimously approved a Preliminary and Precise Planned District and Preliminary Grading Plan for the vertical mixed-use development on the 6.6 acre site bounded by Fremont Boulevard, Thornton Avenue, Post Street, and Bonde Way. Commissioners were complimentary and lauded the Centerville Market Place design.

Centerville Market Place will include 58,000 gross square feet of pedestrian-oriented retail space, a new private street (Market Street) and approximately 110 for-sale townhome-style - one and two bedroom - residential units (17 below market rate). The residential units, ranging from 990 square foot single story units to 1480 square foot two story units, will be built on a podium deck covering most of the retail shops, restaurants and ground level parking.

The road to construction is in the final stretch of a long process that began October 2003 when the Fremont Redevelopment Agency Board selected Charter Properties as its "Preferred Developer" and authorized the execution of an Exclusive Right to Negotiate Agreement (ERNA) with them. On Sept. 28, the business terms and a Conceptual Development Program (CDP) were approved by the Redevelopment Agency Board after extensive pubic input, including comments from HARB and the Planning Commission.

Letters of intent for a total of 26,200 gross square feet have been received by the developer from four restaurants including Milano Ristorante, Tamarine, Hong Kong Flower Lounge and Ray's Sushi.

The Redevelopment Agency Board/City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on March 22, to consider and take action on a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) between the Agency and Charter Properties. The DDA will provide for the sale of the Site from the Agency to Charter Properties based upon the approved business terms and CDP together with related agreements.