 | | | Bella Oaks site Photos Sore O'Doherty | | | | | | Last June Paul Ugenti, developer of the Bella Oaks project at 25 Orinda Way, was disappointed when the city council refused to grant a waiver that would let him lease a large ground floor space to Chase Bank. But now Ugenti has done a turnaround and come up with what might be an exciting project for the city, more in line with the concept of downtown development: he wants to turn the space into a gourmet market hall, much like the Oxbow public market in Napa - a sprawling marketplace that features a riverside deck, food vendors, local produce and more.
Ugenti says that he has two new tenants as anchors, and is aiming to put together the best of the East Bay under one roof. "We continue to focus on creating a casual gourmet food destination for Lamorinda residents and beyond," he added. He plans to put the building permit to the planning commission soon, and hopes to break ground on the project in May. His aim is to deliver the space in the first quarter of next year.
|
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA