Six-Block Redo

Stockton neighborhood is focus of major redevelopment

By Robert Carlsen

It has been a 10-year journey, but the city of Stockton is finally seeing the beginning of a metamorphosis of one of the city's most blighted neighborhoods.

Work is nearly complete on the first phase of a six-block redevelopment in southeastern Stockton. Edna Gleason Park and the surrounding blocks were rife with crime and drug abuse in 1994 when the city washed its hands of the property, demolishing the restrooms and irrigation system.

Crime at the site continued to be so prevalent that the city put a chain-link fence around the entire block in 2001.

The city's Housing and Redevelopment Department went to work on a 1996 Gleason Park neighborhood needs assessment report that described the park as a gathering place for drug and alcohol abuse and recommended a "deconstruction."

Lorraine Islas, program manager for the HRD, said the park site was seen as the future social center of a redeveloped neighborhood, which would eventually be surrounded by a number of new residential developments and a school.

Callander Associates Landscape Architecture of Rancho Cordova designed the master plan for the Gleason neighborhood redevelopment. Callander's Daniel Miller, who came onboard two years ago, said the company's involvement began four to five years ago.

"The goal was to redefine the neighborhood, to make it more community friendly," Miller said.

Goodland Landscape of Tracy won the city's construction bid and started construction on the park in February, said Dina Wortham, the company's president. The city council approved a budget of $1.3 million.

The new Gleason Park consists of a large open play area, small softball field, hard courts, extensive children's play lot with an interactive water play fountain, an arched shade arbor, new trees, concrete pathways with low-level lighting, and public art to convey the ethnic history of the site and the neighborhood.

Wortham said vandalism has been a problem during this initial phase of the redevelopment. She added that thieves were even stealing the copper fittings on irrigation pipe.

Construction of the Edna Gleason Park is scheduled for completion this month.

At the same time of the park construction, Wortham said Goodland was working across Sonora Street, north of the park, on site prep for a housing project development by Asociacion Campesina Lazaro Cardenas, a local affordable housing nonprofit organization. This project is called Vintage Plaza, and it will offer 16 homes built by Affordable Luxury Homes of Stockton, said ACLA management consultant Wes Kulm.

The block just south of Gleason Park bordered by Hazelton and California streets is the site for a future K-8 school. Demolition of the parcel was scheduled to be underway this month.

Steve Breakfield, facility planner for Stockton Unified School District, said the city has proceeded with a contamination removal project and that completion of the campus is expected by August 2008.

Breakfield and Islas said that the school will also use spaces at Gleason Park, including the ball field.

Breakfield said 17 homes were demolished at the school site.

Steve Pinkerton, director of the city's redevelopment department, said the six-block redevelopment area included dozens of homes, some vacant, that the city acquired. The last home was sold to the city in late August.

Pinkerton said the city is continuing demolition and infrastructure work on the remaining parcels. "We're cruising right along," he said.

Besides ACLA, Mercy Housing is also planning a development at Sonora and Stanislaus streets. The project will feature 94 units of town homes and flats, ranging from one to four bedrooms, said Stephan Daues, Mercy project manager.

Daues said Mercy will build multiple buildings of two to three stories, all wood framed. The architect on the project is Arthur Tam & Associates of Oakland.

"We're still in the early stages of concept design," Daues said. "We hope to start construction in about eight months."

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