Work on a new residential development will soon undergo construction in the City of Brentwood.
Preliminary grading and preparation work has commenced on the private development of a planned 48 single-family lot subdivision on eight acres of land located off of Empire Avenue in Brentwood, situated just west of the WinCo grocery store.
“They have already started the grading of the site and will install public improvements afterward,” said Brentwood Public Works Director Jagtar Dhaliwal. “There is no cost to the City; all improvements will be installed at the developer’s cost.”
Dubbed, “The 2700 Empire Avenue Project”, the former orchard site was approved by the Brentwood Planning Commission in September 2016 for residential development, and is currently being prepped in anticipation of construction. The project also entails the widening of Empire Avenue from one to two northbound lanes north of Lone Tree Way, along with the addition of a bicycle lane and a landscaped median from the approximate location of Walgreen’s to the northern boundary of the project, along with additional landscaping and beautification of the surrounding areas.
“The segment between this project and Walgreens will have a temporary sidewalk,” said Dhaliwal, who added that a permanent sidewalk and accompanying masonry wall will also be constructed along the project’s frontage. “The landscaping will be installed when the other properties develop.”
As part of the project, the existing traffic signal on Empire Avenue leading west into the Empire Shopping Center (near Office Depot) will be modified to accommodate the development and adjoining roadway improvements. Additionally, while the new development is adjacent to the WinCo grocery store, there will not be any regular access to and from WinCo property, although emergency access may be created as part of the project.
“The project is dedicating right of way along their frontage, but no other right of way is necessary for the proposed roadway improvements,” added Dhaliwal, who added that no structures will be demolished for this project. “However, when the properties on the south develop, dedication of additional right of way will be required for landscaping and other improvements.”
While work on the new residential development is set to begin imminently, an additional, pre-approved residential development located in close proximity to this development has been earmarked for eventual construction in the not-too-distant future.
“There is a 160 single-family lot subdivision located just to the north of this project (2800 Empire Avenue) that was approved by the City Council in March 2017,” added Dhaliwal. “However, due to plans for development not yet being submitted to the City, construction on that subdivision has yet to be determined.”
No official timetable has been set for start and completion of the 2700 Empire Avenue Project, but according to Dhaliwal, the timeline of construction will be dependent on the builder’s schedule and market. Furthermore, construction on widening Empire Avenue may not begin for at least another year, due to the need for PG&E to relocate power poles.
“My guess is that they will start on-site construction work late this year or early next year,” said Dhaliwal. “The construction could take six to nine months for on-site work, depending upon the weather.”
More information on this project can be found at the following link: https://www.brentwoodca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=35186
Sean Tongson, writer, is a resident of East Contra Costa County, a proud husband and father, and enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, road tripping, and traveling.
An avid bay area sports fan, Sean’s favorite teams include the 49ers, Giants, Sharks, and Warriors.
