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Crews started demolition work earlier this month at the site of the planned City Center Bishop Ranch, a retail project that developers, local officials and other supporters hope will give San Ramon a true downtown.
The design for the new complex calls for 300,000 square feet of retail space consisting of about 75 stores, several restaurants and a 10-screen movie theater around a one-acre piazza, replacing the office buildings that made up Bishop Ranch 2 at the central San Ramon business park.
“We’re thrilled to begin creating the long-anticipated City Center Bishop Ranch, starting with the demolition of BR2,” said Alexander Mehran, Jr., president and COO of Sunset Development Co., which owns Bishop Ranch.
“We look forward to creating a beautiful and vibrant live, work, play environment for the employees and residents of Bishop Ranch, San Ramon and the entire East Bay community,” he added in a statement.
Sunset officials said they estimate demolition work could last another couple weeks and they hope the City Center retail complex will be completed by May 2018.
They see the project’s design concept, by award-winning architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop, as “a reinvention of the American suburban shopping center,” according to a company statement.
Located toward the south end of the Bishop Ranch along Bollinger Canyon Road, the City Center project also includes a planned second phase consisting of 487 apartment units, a 169-room hotel and another 50,000 square feet of retail space, plus another piazza facing the first-phase complex. The latter project would follow 18 months later, according to Sunset officials.
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Demolition work last week at Bishop Ranch 2 in San Ramon ahead of the planned City Center project. (Photo courtesy of Sunset Development Co.) -
Design rendering of “Sunset Terrace” of the City Center Bishop Ranch. (Image by Renzo Piano Building Workshop) -
Rendering of City Center project. (Image by Renzo Piano Building Workshop) -
Design rendering shows the south side of the City Center Bishop Ranch project. (Image by Renzo Piano Building Workshop)
It’s exciting to see them finally starting to make progress on a long awaited “downtown”. I just wish they were not doing the movie theater. originally there was supposed to be 1 theater, (maybe a foreign or independent movie house), but now it’s a full blown 10 screen thing. Movie theaters historically bring more crime to an area. (check out the problems near the Dublin theaters). Also, it was supposed to be like Santana Row in San Jose. But from the drawings, it looks anything but that. I just hope it’s not too cheesy with crappy old navy type stores and strip mall type kiosks. But, I am afraid that’s all that can be supported in this area. The mayor said it will be more “user friendly” than Santana Row. Which to me means, cheaper and crappier. Oh well…..
Where will all these people park, and what will rush hour look like on Bollinger Cyn Rd? Where will the parking be fr events like the Wind Festival when all the vacant land is developed. It’s just more over-development to up a tax base and increase profits for Bishop Ranch, which pays little if any, taxes.
I think this project is a wonderful idea and that it will add a great deal to the community. I look forward to the movie theater along with the new shops and restaurants!
There is a brand new parking garage that is almost completed at the “old” Pac bell/AT&T building. Bishop Ranch bought the building a few years ago, and last year started building this huge parking structure. It is literally across the street from the new city center.
How is this going to create a downtown? I think it’s just going to be another shopping center, which we already have enough. What’s going to happen to the crow canyon theaters? Do we really need another movie theater? I would like to see restaurants, like Yard House or Cheesecake. I agree with SR Resident, this is going to be like Hacienda Crossing with tons of traffic and crowds.
DDMom is probably correct. Based on the media reports it will most definitely resemble a Hacienda Crossings 2.0 and all the congestion that brings. But then again San Ramon is very much like Dublin in so many ways so this will fit in nicely.
This is not a “downtown”, it is a three story parking garage with a ’60’s style strip mall on the ground floor. Why doesn’t city council call a spade a spade, oh, I know why, they represent the interests of the developer, who cares if San Ramon has a development that adds absolutely no character. And what if the crime rate goes up, none of the council lives close enough to this “edifice” to be personally affected by it, & being highly intellectual, they can always commission a study.
It would be nice to have more family friendly restaurants to dine at in San Ramon. It’s not fair to SR that most residents are eating/dining/ and shopping in Dublin. I am not pleased at all with the contemporary design and layout, which is nothing like the warmth of the mediterranean style Santana Row. At this point, let’s just wait and see how it all pans out.
I am considering moving to san ramon, and the lack of a “downtown” or “central village” is stopping me. I think it would be a shame if this became more of a dublin style vs a walnut creek or danville style. It’s all in the city planners and whether they rent to the cheapo retailers vs nice chic restauarants and classy retail and boutiques.
Ginger,
You should know that the city does NOT pick the tenants at any of the shopping centers. The landlord picks the tenants.
The new City Center shopping and entertainment center will open in March or April of 2018.
Thanks for the info, Steve, I wasn’t aware. Well i hope the landlords are paying attention and rent to some nice stores! I think this could be a very nice and needed addition to what is otherwise a gorgeous city with great weather, natural beauty, and beautiful homes. A classy downtown retail/restaurant district is the only thing missing, in my opinion. (Well that and a closer bart stop!)
Not liking the billboards on the outside with spotlights shining on them. Also hoping there will be views of the surrounding hills when you’re in the shopping center rather than having the view from the parking lot. All the shops seem to have the look of a Apple store. Think the shopping center needs to lure in a Apple store and nostrums at minus otherwise it will be a dud, but its doubtful since they already exist in Walnut Creek and Stoneridge
Instead of large chain stores I would like to see small cafes and similar stores. I hope it will not be like hasienda crossing in Dublin or even the marketplace in San Ramon. I want a piece of true Italy or Greece here not a shopping mall.
John,
You need to contact the people at Sunset Development. They own Bishop Ranch and the new city center and will ultimately decide which stores will be in the new shopping plaza.
San Ramon needs a downtown and a place for people to shop/eat and hang out. We do not need another Hacienda crossing with chain stores. We need a place for community to come together. Please make it a beautiful open area with a lot of places to sit and nice coffee shops and speciality stores.
The “city center” will block the view of Mt. Diablo from Bollinger. This is a 50’s style strip mall that adds zero character to San Ramon. Wait & see.
bring on a new movie theatre complex!!
Realist,
How much time do yo spend looking at Mt Diablo while on Bollinger?
When BR2 was there the trees blocked the view. They cut down the trees and people complained about that.
Do you really go to Bollinger to see Mt. Diablo?
An earlier comment spoke about the City Center being too much like Hacienda Crossing. Also asking if we need another theater.
Well, the Center will be nothing like Hacienda. Go to http://www.citycenterbishopranch.com/ and see for yourself. It will have a central plaza (nearly as large a football field) for weekend entertainment. The developer said that the non-revenue space is as important as the shopping.
Over 50% of the space will be for dining and entertainment. The goal is to get you there for the entertainment and dining and maybe you will stay for the shopping.
The theater and bowling alley will both be “luxury” venues. There will be dining at the theater.
This is not Crow Canyon Cinemas or Hacienda Crossing.
bring on the theater. Hacienda is nice, but farther away. Danville Century theater is old and smaallllllll w ooollldddd sound system.
Much prefer my sales tax $$ stay in San Ramon.
With new theater will be a question of parking; something Hacienda has in spades…..
There will be surface parking around the outside on the ground floor, structure parking on the second and third floor and for overflow during real busy time there is the parking structure across the street just north of the City Center. 4UXPR