David Benda
Redding Record Searchlight
Published 10:00 AM EDT Jul 6, 2019
This summer is shaping up to be a defining moment in Costco’s decades-long saga to relocate in Redding.
The big-box warehouse’s plans for a 152,000-square-foot store with a gas station on freeway frontage property at the northeast corner of South Bonnyview Road and Bechelli Lane could return to the Planning Commission later this month — though it’s more likely that won’t happen until August.
To review, last November, commissioners, motivated by a letter from the attorney representing a group of neighbors against the project, voted to re-circulate the draft environmental impact report. The neighbors asserted the report needed more information on health and traffic impacts.
The review period for the recirculated draft EIR ended May 30, and the city’s planning department has been working on responding to the comments ever since.
Kent Manuel, the planner overseeing the Costco project for the city, told me Costco could land on the Planning Commission’s July 23 agenda, which, for what it’s worth, happens to be the one-year anniversary of the start of the Carr Fire.
If not this month, then August.
“I can’t imagine, given progress we have made on responses so far, this would go into September,” Manuel said.
Bonnyview Bechelli Coalition member Tom Mancuso told me via email that his group is surprised the project could come back to the Planning Commission later this month, or even in August, “since the city has not corrected nor responded to the numerous defects” in the recirculated draft environmental impact report.
“Our letter dated May 30, 2019 questioned portions of the (recirculated draft EIR) dealing with health risk assessment and the traffic analysis. We are patiently waiting to see the responses the city provides,” Mancuso said.
After the Planning Commission, the project goes to the City Council for the final decision. That could come in September.
Costco has been looking to relocate its Dana Drive store, which opened in 1990, for some 20 years and was close to moving to Oasis Road. But in 2016, the big-box warehouse abandoned those plans, telling city leaders it couldn’t reach a land development deal with the property owner.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Interstate 5 of the proposed new Costco, crews are moving dirt, and construction should start soon on the new Save Mart grocery store. The supermarket will anchor Churn Creek MarketPlace, where work also has started on a second In-N-Out Burger, and Arco and Panda Express opened late last year.
The center also will include Ross Dress For Less and Les Schwab Tire Center.
Retailers find home in old Red Bluff Walmart
While work continues on repurposing the old Sears building at the Mt. Shasta Mall in Redding, the old Walmart in Red Bluff has sprung to new life.
Ross Dress For Less opened about two months ago at Luther Road and Mills Street, where Walmart for years did business. The 103,000-square-foot building was split into five spaces after Walmart left to build a Supercenter that opened in March 2016 across the street.
Also opening in the new strip mall will be a Marshalls department store, said Red Bluff-Tehama County Chamber of Commerce CEO Dave Gowan, noting a Marshalls banner hangs at the site.
Gowan said another national retailer is close to finalizing a lease in the former Walmart building. He declined to name the store.
“That is three out of five slots within a year of it … being subdivided,” Gowan said.
Marshalls is owned by TJX Companies Inc., which also operates T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods, the former has a location in Redding and the latter is one of the new stores coming to the repurposed Sears space at the Mt. Shasta Mall. Sprouts Farmers Market also will open in the old Sears building.
Hmmmm, beer
Work started on Cedar Crest’s new home this spring. The brewery and winery, based in Manton, will open on the Placer Street side of Cascade Square, between Enjoy the Store and Amarte Logistics.
“We are aiming for the end of the month, fingers crossed that everything stays on track,” Cedar Crest co-owner Kate Grissom told me via email this week.
Kate, her husband, Brandon, and Jim and Corey Livingston own Cedar Crest. The Livingstons opened the winery about 10 years ago, and the Grissoms became partners in 2016.
Cedar Crest has a wine and beer bar inside Enjoy the Store in downtown Red Bluff, which will stay open.
In other beer news, Dunsmuir Brewery Works is expanding its operation in Siskiyou County.
“It’s happening! New floors getting poured for our 2,000 square foot brewery expansion! More space equals more beer,” the brewery posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
Dunsmuir Brewery Works is coming up on its 10th anniversary and is one of four craft breweries in Siskiyou County. Mt. Shasta Brewing Co. in Weed, Etna Brewing in Etna and Siskiyou Brew Works in McCloud are the others.
Cheers.
‘Buzz’ off
‘The Buzz’ will be on vacation the next two weeks.
My column will return the weekend of July 27.
Stay cool.
READ MORE FROM THE BUZZ:
- Artist collective opens downtown; outdoor dining at Mary’s
- Home2 Suites, La Quinta to join north Redding’s growing hotel corridor
- Redding is one of the ‘most dynamic’ metro areas, study says
- The Buzz: Will fees finally doom Stillwater Business Park? It depends who you ask.
- ‘The good against the bad’: Redding economy sees strong growth since 2010
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-225-8219. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
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