Old Town anchor project gets green light

From Daily Republic
By Ian Thompson

SUISUN CITY - The Old Town building project Mayor Jim Spering called "a landmark for Suisun City" was given the green light by both the Suisun City Council and the Planning Commission Tuesday.

The council and commission approved the first three buildings of a plan that city leaders hope will fill in the vacant lots in Old Town with businesses which will increase Suisun City's sales tax income.

Earlier this month, the city council approved selling 13 agency-owned parcels in Old Town totaling 8.4 acres for $3.7 million to the Suisun City-based developer Main Street West.

Main Street West proposed starting off by putting three commercial and retail buildings on the two vacant lots that flank Solano Street just east of Main Street.

The plans propose a two-story building on the southeast corner with 17,500 square feet for businesses on the first floor and 16,500 square feet for offices on the second.

It will include a public courtyard in the center, featuring an outdoor fireplace.

A second proposed two-story building on the southwest corner will cover 5,400 square feet with businesses on the ground floor and offices or apartments on the second floor.

The only concerns that planners, councilmembers and some residents had was whether the buildings' design allow them to fit in with the already existing Old Town structures.

The city council gave Main Street West a two-year deadline to put retail and commercial development along Main Street as well as build homes and possibly a hotel on vacant land near Civic Center Boulevard on the opposite side of the Suisun Slough.

Suisun City's leaders are pinning their hopes on these developments to bring in more businesses to generate badly needed sales tax revenue for the city's coffers.

City leaders are also hoping that this construction will spur private building owners on Main Street's west side to take a more active interest in renovating and putting viable businesses in them.

Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.