[San Joaquin County] Council to consider south Stockton retail proposals

Blog note: this article references a 2015-16 grand jury report on south Stockton. STOCKTON — The City Council is considering whether or not to approve six-month negotiating windows with two entities proposing to build retail developments on city-owned vacant lots in south Stockton. A vote on the proposal is scheduled for Tuesday night’s council meeting at City Hall. The proposals, if they come to fruition, could be a sign of progress in long-struggling south Stockton, which was identified in a civil grand jury report last year as a victim of years of neglect by city government. STAND Affordable Housing is proposing a mixed-use retail center at 2222 Airport Way and 2224 Airport Way, next to each other on Eighth Street. A group calling itself 1501 S. Airport Way, LLC wants to develop a retail center on adjacent lots at the namesake address and at 1670 South Union Street. The lots are immediately south of the Rancho San Miguel market, which is owned by the 1501 S. Airport Way Group. The STAND site is just north of the former New Grand Save Market at Airport Way and Ninth Street. The city shut down New Grand Save earlier this year, calling it a “cesspool” of illegal activity. A court-appointed receiver most recently has said he is working to bring medical facilities to the former New Grand Save site. According to a staff report by the city, STAND is proposing a project at 2222-2224 Airport Way that could include commercial/retail space and affordable housing. The report says the project would include a “community anchor” called the “South Stockton Public Market.” It would feature indoor and outdoor kiosks to be used by local merchants. At the site near Rancho San Miguel, developers are proposing a 20,000 to 40,000 square foot commercial/retail shopping center. The city’s former redevelopment agency, dissolved in 2012, owns the lots. The city wants to provide exclusive 180-day windows for STAND and 1501 S. Airport Way to negotiate purchase agreements for the properties.

October 15, 2016

Stockton Record

By Roger Phillips