VALLEJO, CALIF.—(October 29, 2009)—At its meeting on Wednesday October 28th the fifteen-member Solano County Fair Association Board of Directors enthusiastically and unanimously endorsed the SOLANO360 Vision Report for redevelopment of the 152 acre Solano County Fairgrounds. Following a presentation of the Vision Report and process by Scott Goldie of Brooks Street and Jason Keadjian of Keadjian Associates, the Fair Board added its support to that of the Solano County Board of Supervisors and the Vallejo City Council in May.

Fair Board President Joe Lopez commented following the Board’s endorsement that, “The Solano360 Vision Report represents an exciting opportunity for the Solano County Fair, the City of Vallejo and Solano County as a whole. We have participated in the visioning process from the beginning, and the Steering Committee and Brooks Street have incorporated our priorities and needs in a way that will provide an exciting place for us to continue and enhance the sixty year old tradition of the Solano County Fair, while expanding year round entertainment and recreational uses of the property for the enjoyment of residents and visitors of Vallejo and Solano County. It truly represents a major step toward a renaissance and revitalization of a valuable venue, which will produce many benefits to the area. We know this is just the beginning of a long process ahead, and we look forward to continuing our participation in the creation of what will surely be a world-class destination.”

Conceptual project vision reflects extensive community input and provides flexible framework for long-term revitalization of underutilized but highly visible site.

VALLEJO, CALIF.—(June 3, 2009)—A comprehensive vision report that integrates extensive community input for the revitalization of the Solano County Fairgrounds is now available online for public review at www.Solano360.org/gallery, it was announced today.

The Visioning Process integrated nine months of intensive community outreach, design and planning concepts, and site analysis. Input from the community was gathered via a web site, informal meetings with interested parties, and three public workshops, as well as from the Solano County Fair Board. The Visioning Process was made possible through project funding by Solano County and was conducted under the direction of the Solano360 Committee, a joint County-City group comprised of two members of the Solano County Board of Supervisors and three members of the Vallejo City Council.

The Vision Report closely adheres to the Guiding Principles approved by Solano County and City of Vallejo earlier this year. Chief among these is the creation of a unique place with an unmistakable identity, a mix of land uses, connectivity and synergy with other Vallejo features, and pedestrian-friendly, sustainable green design.

“The public process has resulted in an exciting community-focused Project Vision that offers flexible, sustainable options for a diverse and future-oriented program of uses to be developed over time,” said Jason Keadjian, spokesperson for Brooks Street, an experienced Vallejo-based master development company, hired by the County of Solano to help create the vision. “The Vision will help shape the County Fairgrounds into a revitalized, multi-use destination for all of northern California.”

The Project Vision has identified several defining features. They include the Public Entertainment Zone and the Fair of the Future Zone which are seamlessly integrated. The Public Entertainment Zone provides an active gathering place which will be home to an eight-acre water feature, a waterside pedestrian trail, restaurants, public art, main street shops, terraced seating, and water-related activities. The Fair Zone continues the 60-year tradition of the annual Solano County Fair and houses a world class Exhibition Hall, organic demonstration farm, children’s discovery island, and flexible sports fields and other multi-use facilities.

The Public Entertainment Zone

These distinct zones are anchored by existing and envisioned public attractors. A 100,000 square foot Exhibition Hall that will be the site of consumer shows, conventions and indoor sporting events. The entertainment retail site to the north will act as a regional public attractor and revenue generator. Existing Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is to the west across Fairgrounds Drive and enjoys over 1.5 million visitors a year. A potential multipurpose/special events Arena to the south is for special events and concerts. Sports fields, a transit center and a mix of hospitality, office and retail uses make up the balance of the Project Vision.

View from Public Entertainment Zone toward Six Flags

Another key Guiding Principle is long-term economic sustainability through the creation of local jobs and generation of revenues for Solano County and the City of Vallejo. Economists estimate the mix of uses included in the Project Vision could house approximately 2,500 permanent jobs, 5,700 construction jobs spread over the build-out period, and have an annual gross sales volume of over $400 million once build-out and stabilization is achieved. This could generate net new revenues to the City from taxes of approximately $8.5 million and new revenues to the County from ground lease rents. Full development and build-out of the site could represent in excess of $500 million in new investment in Solano County.

The Project Vision will be further refined as it is analyzed for both environmental impacts and financial feasibility.

The Vallejo City Council and Solano County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to receive the Solano 360 Vision Report at their separate meetings on June 9. Staffs from both agencies are expected to recommend the Report’s approval.

VALLEJO, CALIF.—(March 16, 2009)—The first in a series of community workshops aimed at soliciting public input for potential future uses of the Solano County Fairgrounds will be held on March 18, the County’s master development team announced today. The workshops are part of a broad community outreach program that includes community interviews, a website and online survey, and meetings with groups county-wide. Brooks Street, an experienced Vallejo-based master development company, has been hired by the County of Solano to help create a vision for the 152-acre property located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 37.

Community Workshop
The first workshop will be held Wednesday, March 18, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the County Building at the Solano County Fairgrounds, 900 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo. The session will include an introduction of the project team, overview of the visioning process and discussion of the Guiding Principles and potential future land uses.

Members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions and gather public input. In addition to Brooks Street, the project team includes the award-winning land planning firm of SWA Group and the economic/market consulting firm of ERA.

Guiding Principles
The County and the City of Vallejo recently voted to adopt the following principles to guide the planning process:

• Generate revenues for Solano County and the City of Vallejo, create jobs and ensure long-term economic sustainability.
• Establish a unique place with an unmistakable identity that serves as a destination for visitors as well as a pedestrian-friendly community gathering place.
• Explore a mix of complementary land uses, including retail, commercial, hospitality, recreational, residential, family- and youth-oriented, educational, and public.
• Provide pedestrian, bicycle, vehicular and transit facilities that foster easy access to, from and within the site.
• Explore increased physical connectivity and synergy with Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, downtown Vallejo, the waterfront and other existing commercial operations.
• Incorporate sustainable and green principles in all aspects of the development.

Solano360 Website
A new website (www.Solano360.org) has been launched to support the community outreach effort. It provides an overview of the planning process, gallery of images, calendar of events and an online survey.

Meet the Project Manager
The public is invited to meet with Brooks Street project manager Wanda Chihak from 9 a.m. to noon every Monday at the Community Outreach Office, 401 Amador Street, Vallejo. To schedule an appointment, please contact Ms. Chihak at 707-558-0222.

Background
Planning for the future of the Fairgrounds property has been a priority of both the County and City for nearly a decade. On July 25, 2000, the Solano County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution directing the development of a common vision for the redevelopment of the Fairgrounds property. The resolution cited the desire to support the continuation of the annual Fair as well as explore better utilization of the site. In 2001, the City of Vallejo adopted a resolution to “encourage and support development of the Fairgrounds to a higher and better use.”

On September 30, 2008, the Solano County Board of Supervisors voted to conduct a visioning process for the future of the Solano County Fairgrounds.

Recently, the County and the City approved a Memorandum of Understanding for the purpose of partnering to pursue the redevelopment of the Fairgrounds. This cooperative effort is underway and is exploring a range of potential land uses and economic development opportunities that can benefit the entire community.

For more information about creating a new vision of the Solano County Fairgrounds for the benefit of the community, please visit www.Solano360.org. ]]> http://solano360.org/community-invited-to-participate-in-fairgrounds-vision/feed/ 0 http://solano360.org/workshop-to-bring-fairgrounds-future-into-focus/ http://solano360.org/workshop-to-bring-fairgrounds-future-into-focus/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:45:17 +0000 wpi http://solano360.org/?p=604

By Barry Eberling | Daily Republic | March 16, 2009

VALLEJO, CALIF.—Solano County wants help from the public in figuring out ways to make its 152-acre fairgrounds in Vallejo a bustling place year-round.

The site has the type of location that real estate agents so often rave about, with easy access from Interstate 80 and Highway 37. But it also has decades-old buildings and hosts few big events outside of the annual county fair.

Vallejo-based Brooks Street consultants on Wednesday will lead a community workshop to develop a vision for the future of the fairgrounds. The workshop will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds, 900 Fairgrounds Drive.

County supervisors on Feb. 24 adopted guiding principles for the fairgrounds as a starting point. The principles call for exploring retail, commercial, hospitality, recreational, residential, family and youth-oriented, educational and civic uses that can co-exist with the annual fair.

“The effort to redevelop the Solano County Fairgrounds has been a priority for a decade or more and it’s finally time to make positive progress,” Vallejo City Councilman Tom Bartee told the supervisors.

Wednesday’s meeting is the first of a series of public workshops, Brooks Street spokesman Jason Keadjian said. There will be one in Fairfield.

“We want to have unconstrained discussions,” Keadjian said. “We want to start with a blank slate. We want to really think outside the box about the potential opportunities for the fairgrounds.”

The last fairgrounds redevelopment effort ended in controversy in 2006. The county asked the Mills Corp. to create a vision and Mills proposed a layout depicting where it would develop shops, businesses and homes.

Critics said the Mills plan suited the company’s interests more than the community’s. The local Sierra Club said the plan would create a ‘mega-mall’ with too little public space and wetlands protection.

At the Feb. 24 Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Jim Spering said all that has changed this time. Brooks Street is developing Solano County’s vision instead of its owns, he added.

A county agreement with Vallejo calls for the newly formed Solano 360 Committee to oversee the fairgrounds vision development. The members are Spering, Supervisor John Vasquez, Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis and Vallejo City Council members Bartee and Stephanie Gomes.

Information about the redevelopment is available at www.solano360.org. Brooks Street project manager Wanda Chihak is available from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays at the outreach office, 401 Amador St. in Vallejo. To schedule an appointment, call 558-0222.

Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646 Ext. 232 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

At a glance
Who: Solano 360 Committee and Brooks Street consultants
What: Workshop to get community input on fairgrounds redevelopment
When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Solano County Fairgrounds, 900 Fairgrounds Dr., Vallejo

Info: www.solano360.org or Jennifer Hayes at 647-1600 ]]> http://solano360.org/workshop-to-bring-fairgrounds-future-into-focus/feed/ 0 http://solano360.org/community-outreach-office-open/ http://solano360.org/community-outreach-office-open/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:22:24 +0000 wpi http://substation01.com/examples/karlis/solano/?p=149 401 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590

9am–noon