Here’s a glimpse at Rohnert Park’s proposed new downtown as project reaches milestone

Rohnert Park is gearing up to put out a call to developers who could turn the city’s long-held vision for a walkable and vibrant city center with a mix of high-density housing and retail to life.

The city plans to issue a request for qualifications Nov. 1, setting off what’s expected to be a monthslong process to select a builder.

This latest step marks a milestone in the city’s efforts to develop the downtown since purchasing the property at Rohnert Park Expressway and State Farm Drive in April 2022 for $12.5 million, city administrators and elected officials said.

“We’re all very excited,” City Manager Marcela Piedra said. “This really is going to kick off this project and get us closer to working with a developer to build our downtown.”

Piedra, who provided an update to the City Council on Tuesday, said the city has already received a lot of interest from developers.

The city will give preference to a developer or team whose project includes housing, unique shops and restaurants, a hotel, a community square that can host events and pocket parks, and other green space.

Piedra anticipates selecting a developer by June 2024 and said the city has taken measures to streamline construction once a developer is chosen.

The successful developer must show they have the financial means to build and operate the project, as well as have experience in mixed-use development. The city is looking for a partner who they may collaborate with on the project, Piedra said.

Incorporated in 1962, Rohnert Park was laid out as a planned community with neighborhoods built around schools, parks and commercial strips, but no civic center to serve as the city’s core.

The project has been a top priority for residents — and the council reaffirmed its commitment to moving it forward during a goal setting session earlier this year.

Council member Gerard Giudice, who was mayor when the former property owner listed the 30-acre site for sale, said the city knows the community is eager to see a project built after decades of discussion and about 10 years since plans were first proposed for the site.

He said the city is seeking someone who is committed to seeing the project through and will help the city make good on its promise to residents to create a downtown.

“We want somebody who will build this, not just build the housing first and then maybe the retail if it ever happens, but someone who will take a holistic approach and ensure that it’s built out,” he said. “This has been a key priority for the residents and the city and will help uplift the community.”

What is the city looking for

The city seeks a project that includes a mix of developments. Proposals should include:

• 300 to 500 residential units. At least 25% of all housing built must be affordable to people earning up to 80% of the area median income, per state requirements.

• A commercial corridor with at least 65,000-square-feet of retail space to accommodate about 30 new businesses. No drive-thru restaurants will be allowed in the downtown, which the city said takes up space and increases traffic.

• A community plaza that is the focal point of the project with room for social and cultural events, that prioritizes public art and has passive and active recreation opportunities.

• A 120- to 160-room upscale hotel.

The project should feature walkable, connected streets, green space and prioritize sustainable building practices, such as limiting natural gas on site, electric vehicle charging stations, encourage alternative modes of transportation, among other efforts.

Residents responding to the city’s 2023 community survey said they want a walkable downtown with both casual restaurants and fine dining, entertainment venues, brewpubs, gift and clothing shops, and outdoor space where they can sit and socialize.

About 1 1/2 acres will be set aside to expand the city’s 2-acre Public Works corporation yard on the southeast corner of the site.

The city manager and her team have spent the last few months meeting with real estate brokers, developers, labor groups, the business community and residents to gather input to help craft the request for qualifications.

Piedra said the project will help create temporary and permanent jobs, boost sales tax revenue and tourism, and provide a new hub for residents.

“We want to create a community center we can all enjoy,” Piedra said. “It’s beyond the buildings, beyond the square, it’s the experiences we will be able to create there.”

Next steps

Proposals are due to the city by Jan. 18, 2024, according to a staff report.

Interviews with select developers are expected to take place in March and April 2024 and the City Council is expected to consider recommendations for a preferred developer or team by June 2024.

The successful respondent must show it has the ability to secure capital funds to finance the project, have experience developing mixed-use projects and affordable housing and should show it can meet a proposed development schedule.

The developer must hire a percent of the workforce locally, establish standardized work rules and hours, pay prevailing wages, provide health care and meet other workforce requirements for any project components that receive public financing.

Once a developer is selected, the city will enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the developers for a term of about one year. The developer is expected to conduct site evaluations, apply for land use approvals and negotiate the sale price and other terms and conditions during that time.

Those terms will be outlined in a disposition and development agreement that will go before the council for a vote at a future meeting.

City officials expect construction could start soon after that.

The city in 2018 approved a form-based code, an urban planning measure that guides development and design of an area by establishing certain requirements, and conducted an environmental review.

Plans submitted to the city that adhere to both should face a streamlined approval process, Piedra said.

The city has about $9 million available for site improvements, such as streets, sidewalks and construction of the plaza, and the city recently applied for a regional grant to help provide other assistance during the development process. That should also help cut development costs and speed up construction.

Lisa Orloff, executive director of the Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce, said chamber members hope it brings to the area more visitors and shoppers who will also spend money at existing businesses and restaurants, helping generate more tax revenue for the city.

Orloff, who used to work at State Farm, said it’s fortuitous that a property in such a prime location, centrally located and within proximity to Highway 101 and the rail line, would be available for the project.

With this latest step, she said, the downtown project is less of a pipe dream, and businesses and residents are excited.

“We’re ready for it,” she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Paulina Pineda at 707-521-5268 or paulina.pineda@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @paulinapineda22.