[Monterey County] Pacific Grove’s American Tin Cannery has another suitor

Blog note: this article references a grand jury report.

PACIFIC GROVE — A hotel might take the place of the beleaguered American Tin Cannery Outlets in Pacific Grove after all.

Comstock, a residential and commercial development company with properties in both Southern and Northern California, has expressed potential plans to build a hotel on the site at 125 Ocean View Blvd.

While the developer has not officially submitted project plans to the city yet, it is taking steps forward with a hotel project in mind, according to Pacific Grove City Manager Ben Harvey.

“The city has been meeting with a potential applicant for the site,” said Harvey, noting the applicant’s name was Comstock Development and that any deal was very preliminary at this point. “They have been doing their due diligence to make sure that this is worth pursuing.”

Harvey continued, “At this point we don’t have an application for a project yet.”

That’s while Mike Zimmerman, president of Cannery Row Company, the owner of the property, said at this point a long-term lease with the company had not been signed.

“Until they clear the due diligence period, there isn’t anything,” said Zimmerman. “At this point, it’s kind of like kicking tires.”

David Stoldt, general manager of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District confirmed meeting with Comstock when the development company was seeking verification of the Tin Cannery’s water allocation.

“We affirmed that we would review the project under special circumstances, which means the approach to design and building would incorporate water-saving features that would allow us to approve the project based on the onsite credits we have,” said Stoldt, who also noted that the District would review the proposal if it shows the quantity of water is less than or equal to the available onsite credit.

“Then later, we would review the actual result once the project is complete to ensure compliance,” he added.

In February 2017  the permit for the previously proposed Project Bella expired.

Then in September of this year, a Monterey County civil grand jury report investigating why the 160-room hotel development failed to become a reality and found the project cost the city $100,000 in unpaid reimbursement fees.

Now, Harvey said he’s hopeful that this developer might have the right project in mind.

“While we’re very excited about the prospect we don’t have an application in process yet,” said Harvey. “We’re hopeful that an application will come forward. We’re impressed with what we’ve leaned about Comstock and their potential vision for the site as a hotel but it’s very preliminary at this point.”

December 3, 2018

Monterey County Herald

By Carly Mayberry