New Masonite plans to be unveiled

<p>UKIAH -- Developers tonight will unveil revised plans for a $120 million shopping complex at the old Masonite mill site.</p><p>The first of three public hearings will begin at 6 p.m. at the Hampton Inn. Others are set for 1 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.</p><p>A standing-room-only crowd is expected for tonight's session, which has limited seating.</p><p>"If we need to hold more meetings, we will," said architect Jeff Adams of Developers Diversified Realty.</p><p>The Ohio-based company is seeking rezoning of the 85-acre Masonite site so it can build Mendocino Crossings, a retail complex that would be nearly as large as Santa Rosa Plaza, the enclosed downtown shopping mall.</p><p>Developers say the new center on the northern edge of Ukiah may be anchored by Costco, Target and possibly a Kohl's department store.</p><p>Supporters see the center as a means to generate much needed sales tax revenue for the county, while cementing Ukiah's future as a regional trading hub for Mendocino, western Lake, southern Humboldt and northern Sonoma counties. The complex could pump $2 million a year into county coffers, and provide several hundred new retail jobs.</p><p>Critics, however, fear the project would alter the rural nature of the Ukiah Valley and create a suburban shopping environment in place of a small-town lifestyle.</p><p>Adams said Wednesday that the revised plans to be presented publicly for the first time tonight reflect the concerns that have been expressed.</p><p>"People will see flexible designs. We envision making even more changes as the result of the community meetings," said Adams.</p><p>Adams declined to discuss specifics of what will be presented tonight, but said, "We've taken a very large site and broken it down into neighborhoods with multiple options."</p><p>Among the "neighborhoods" is a live-work area and a limited number of residential units, said Adams.</p><p>Adams also said the project will feature the latest in "green" building technologies.</p><p>The technical team that developed the plans, along with representatives of the local design firm of Ruff &amp; Associates will be present tonight.</p><p>"We want to answer as many questions as there may be," said Adams.</p><p>Developers Diversified must wait for the county's completion of draft environmental studies for a proposed Ukiah Valley specific plan before it can submit rezoning applications. The draft studies could be completed as early as this month, according to planners.</p><p>Once the company has filed for rezoning of the Masonite property from industrial to commercial/retail/residential, it will have to prepare environmental studies specifically for the site.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Mike Geniella at 462-6470 or mgeniella@pressdemocrat.com.</p>