Petaluma projects to look out for in 2022

While recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the California drought have highlighted discussions and concerns over the current housing crisis, Petalumans should prepare for a busy year on the development front, as workers aim to complete both residential and commercial projects.

Here are some projects that could be completed in the coming year, and beyond.

Midpen Affordable Housing

Located at 414 Petaluma Blvd. North, this new affordable housing project includes 44 housing units within a 44,432 square foot, four-story building on a 0.68 acre parcel. On-site management offices and resident community space will be located on the ground floor. It also includes 21 on-site vehicular parking spaces with 14 off-site parallel parking spaces along Petaluma Boulevard North and Oak Street.

The units will be targeted as rentals to families earning about 60% or less of the area median income at the time of the project’s completion. Alicia Gaylord, director of housing development at Midpen Housing, said there will also be 13 units reserved for formerly homeless residents, and another 18 units dedicated to local farm workers.

The project has been fully approved and is expected to break ground in April, with completion and move-in expected for September 2023. Rents will range from $494 to $1,550 per month, depending on unit size and the number of people living in each unit.

Midpen Housing is a development company that has built properties in more than 35 cities throughout Northern California.

PEP Housing

This project, also called the River City Senior Apartments, was approved in 2019 by the City Council and construction is now underway at the site, located at 951 Petaluma Blvd. South. It entails 53 one-bedroom apartments for low-income senior residents, 25 of those units to be designated for veterans.

The community is expected to open in June, according to city housing manager Karen Shimizu.

Pre-applications for this community are now open and can be found at https://www.pephousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Pre-Application-River-City.pdf.

Residents will be selected to move in based on a lottery selection. Pre-applications must be submitted or postmarked on or before Feb. 28 to be included in the selection process.

Applications received after the lottery deadline will be waitlisted on a first come, first serve basis. Residents must be at least 62 years old, and the income limit for a single resident must not exceed $40,750 to be considered.

PEP Housing is a nonprofit dedicated to providing seniors with access to affordable housing, and currently manages about a dozen of Petaluma’s senior housing communities.

Riverfront Mixed-Use site

This project, located at 500 Hopper Street, is a 35.7-acre site expected to host a combination of residential and commercial uses. Initially approved by the City Council in July 2014, it will consist of 134 single-family units, 39 townhomes and 100 apartments. The project also includes 60,000 square feet of office space and a central recreational space, as well as a 120-room hotel that’s already been built. It also entails new roads throughout the parcel, including the potential extension of Caulfield Lane that would eventually span the river and connect to Petaluma Boulevard South at the Crystal Lane roundabout.

So far, 42 homes are complete and 24 are currently under construction.

Quarry Heights

This project on Petaluma Boulevard South entails 272 total single-family dwellings and town homes. According to interim community development director Heather Hines, about 181 of those homes are complete, with 45 still under construction and 46 still have yet to complete permitting.

BioMarin facility

This project includes two buildings measuring 32,000 and 40,000 square feet on the nearly six-acre site at 1700 South McDowell Blvd. The buildings will contain 20,000 square-feet of research and development space, 16,000 square feet of office space, and 36,000 square feet of warehouse space for the San Rafael-based pharmaceutical company BioMarin.

Construction of the buildings is near its finish line, and officials are looking to begin moving workers in by mid-March, said senior planner Greg Powell in a Tuesday email.

Established in 1997, BioMarin is a world leader in developing innovative biopharmaceuticals for rare diseases.

Adobe Road Winery

This two-story 15,848 square foot building containing a winery, tasting room and private event space is being built at C and First streets. So far, a building permit has been submitted and initial grading and foundation work was completed. Officials have not yet determined a completion date.

Amelia Parreira is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at amelia.parreira@arguscourier.com or 707-521-5208.