Abode [ Transformations ] Things Are Getting Better All Over! February 2007

by Cindy Ehling
Images by Russell Byrne

The pace of change continues unabated in our East County Communities. Here are a few things that are coming to Brentwood, Discovery Bay, and Byron.

Coming to Brentwood
I spoke with Courtland, the Economic Development Project Engineer for the City of Brentwood. He told me that the Streets of Brentwood Project is coming along. They presented their design for review in December. If all goes well then construction might begin by Spring. Some leases have been signed and others are coming along nicely but he would not divulge who’s on board just yet.

Kids (of all ages) will be delighted to learn that a new Chuck E. Cheese’s will open soon. This is on the southeast corner of Jeffery Way and Lone Tree Way near the Shell Station and Wendy’s.

Young people (and their fathers) will be delighted to learn that a new Best Buy is under construction on the northeast corner of Empire and Lone Tree. It is due to open sometime next year. A new Walgreens is being built on the same site and will be completed in the same timeframe.

New furniture, tire, and auto stores will be built near Lone Tree Plaza, by WinCo.

Best of all to some of us, Vic Stewart’s Famous For Steaks is still on its way, though some of us are getting impatient about the delay. It will be located on the southwest corner of Balfour and Concord, near the John Muir Medical Center.

They are still pushing their application through design review. Construction will hopefully begin sometime next year.

Coming to Oakley
I confirmed with Karen Majors, the assistant city manager, that preliminary plans for two future commercial hubs were unveiled at a city economic development workshop held December 11th.

The Dupont redevelopment team presented an update of their progress to members of the Oakley City Council and the Planning Commission.

These projects are expected to bring more than two million square feet of new development to Oakley including:

• 90 acres for research and development offices and laboratories
• 30 acres of light industrial or warehouse space
• 9 acres of marina commercial
• 8 acres of retail and mixed use housing near the water

Dupont will get proposals from three potential master developers and will present a final draft of their specific plan to the city in mid-January, following which the city will begin the process of finding a firm to carry out the environmental impact report for the project that is required to be presented together with the plan.

Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay residents are relieved to finally have an attractive entrance to their very unique and thriving town. The site is beginning to look great especially with the presence of 17 palm trees that have been planted at the location.

Bob Doran, President of the Community Services District, told me that this improvement has been a long time in coming and that the old landscaping had been deteriorating! In the future you can look for some beautiful flowers to adorn the area.

The current improvements are only Phase 1 of the project to renovate the entrance. Phase 2 will eventually include a computerized sprinkler system, plus similar landscaping improvements on the south side of Clipper Drive. As funds become available, Discovery Bay Boulevard will be transformed from Highway 4 to Willow Lake.

Byron
St. Anne Catholic Church is coming along nicely. I have a beautiful view of this growing parish from my very own front window! I love the fact that the congregation moved the original building about 600 feet from the corner of McCabe and Camino Diablo in order to maintain continuity with the parish’s rich history.

Twelve local farming families in the community built this church in 1917. The renovated building was rededicated on December 2. It seats 100 people and will serve as a chapel and will be used for daily 9 a.m. masses, small weddings, funerals, and prayer meetings.

The larger new Community Life Center will seat 900 and should be completed by April 2007 in time for Easter!°