More fast food, retail on the way – The Turlock Journal

While the coronavirus pandemic has put manythings on hold in Turlock, construction crews remain busy with plenty of newdevelopments in the works around town.

Following a successful 2019 that broughtplenty of commercial, retail and residential development to Turlock, even morewas planned for the city in 2020 prior to the spread of COVID-19. Luckily,construction sites across town are abuzz with activity and plans remain intactfor new restaurants, stores and one highly-anticipated coffee shop despite coronavirusshutdowns.

Construction companies and the worksites wherethey operate have been deemed essential by Gov. Gavin Newsom during thestatewide stay at home orders, which are meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.The decision has given the states economy at least one leg to stand on duringthese trying times, Turlocks Assistant to the City Manager for Housing andEconomic Development Maryn Pitt said.

The construction trades are exempt, so yousee the build outs and some other things around town continue to move forward,Pitt said. The construction industry is one of the lifebloods of Californiaseconomic development.

One restaurant in the early stages of movinginto the Turlock Town Center is Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which will moveforward with interior improvements to the existing building at 775 N. GoldenState Blvd. as soon as a conditional use permit for the drive throughrestaurant is approved by the Planning Commission. Plans for the drive throughhave already been submitted to the City. A new McDonalds is also planned inthe center at 693 N. Golden State Blvd.

One restaurant in the early stages of moving into the Turlock Town Center is Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which will move forward with interior improvements to the existing building at 775 N. Golden State Blvd. (FRANKIE TOVAR/The Journal).

According to Tim Moody, a real estate agentrepresenting the Turlock Town Center, some projects in the shopping center arein flux as future and current tenants work on plans.

In addition to the fast food restaurants, aBBQ-style buffet called Kaitlyn and Ashlees Kitchen is planning to open inJune, and aproject that began last year will come to fruition in the coming months withthe opening of Smart & Final Extra.

Across the street, API Architecture has submitted plans tothe City to demolish the former home of Souzas Furniture at 199 W. Canal Driveand build two drive-through restaurants one of which will be a Starbucks. Ifapproved, the submitted plans say construction on the Starbucks will begin inJuly 2020 and be completed by May 2021. Plans for the second building will besubmitted at a future date.

Across town, construction on another coffee shop, DutchBros Coffee, is underway next to Stanislaus State on the corner of Crowell Roadand Monte Vista Avenue. Work has also begun on an accompanying dual retail pad,which has already secured Dominos Pizza as a tenant and will fill the otherspace in the months to come. Pitt anticipates the project to be completesometime before the end of the year.

I thought they would be a littlefurther along than they are, Pitt said. I know everyone is patiently waiting,so Im hoping they're open by Christmas...maybe even before school startsagain.

Housing projects also continue, with thesecond phase of the Avena Bella affordable housing project well underway, anapartment complex on Pedras Road in the works and the construction of homes onTuolumne Road near Denair moving along.

Construction on Harbor Freight, a homeimprovement store near Pedretti Park, will be complete soon, and Ross Dress forLess will open a second location in Geer Gardens North this year, taking overthe 27,000 square foot space at 2405 Geer Road which formerly housed FallasDiscount Store.

Ross, and countless other retail storesthroughout Turlock, recently laid off its staff due to the pandemic, Pitt said,but the stores future second location shows that businesses believe theeconomy will rebound quickly. The spaces proximity to the university made it atop choice for the retail chain, she added.

Theyve been poking around, looking foranother location...not a lot of retailers are looking for that size of space,so I was a little surprised that happened, Pitt said. Theyve made it clearthat their layoffs are temporary.

Read the original:
More fast food, retail on the way - The Turlock Journal