While still in the study session (i.e. very preliminary) stages, a plan to demolish most of the 81,000 square feet of professional and medical offices in the 3400 block of Mt. Diablo Boulevard in favor of condos and low-income housing has already started local war drums beating.
Owners Miramar Mount Diablo Boulevard, LLC would like to develop the cluster of buildings known to many locals for its assortment of medical officers and build 124 condos and 44 “below market rate” rental units affordable for low and very-low income households. Their name for the project at this stage is Mt. Diablo Terrace – not to be confused with Terraces of Lafayette – a contentious effort originally designed to bring 315 moderate-income apartments on a 22-acre parcel located at the southwest corner of Deer Hill Road and Pleasant Hill Road.
Dipping their toe into tempestuous local development waters, the firm is meeting with city planners and officials to discuss possibilities and potential impacts – including the 3.88 acre project’s suggested 45′ roof line – this week. Some locals are already promising to oppose their plan for the site.
As currently proposed, Miramar’s plans for the site include the aforementioned condo units, a two-story, 10,000 square foot medical office building, and a 1,400 childcare facility at 3470 and 3462 Mt. Diablo Boulevard.
Located “in the heart” of Lafayette’s downtown and adjacent to several of the area’s busiest roadways, the childcare facility is presumably meant to keep the project’s kiddies from bouncing out into the street while providing adult residents access to local restaurants and transportation.
The session is intended to provide an informal review of Miramar’s development application while giving City Council and commission members an opportunity to give their feedback. No formal action is expected.
With parking for another 196 glorious cars and 50 plus? for people trying to use the medical offices. Perfect.
Great opportunity for Lafayette to provide housing for low income families within walking distance of BART, shopping and restaurants.
Why should Lafayette and other suburbs have to carry the weight on the failed social experiment of subsidized low income housing? Look how well that’s turned out for Antioch and other suburbs in our region with lots of low income housing.. High crime, bad schools
Does Diablo Foods even take Food Stamps?
Continuing the game of how many people can we cram into one small town, I see. smdh
As a 42 year resident, I oppose more housing in our little town. We have crammed lots of new building over the last decade, and our schools and roads were not built big enough to accomodate what we have. Let’s take care of what we have, not develop into something else!!!
Agree. Our local roads, along with Hwy 24 and BART, are already spilling over their banks during commute/school hours
Forty-two years. Bet you’ve seen some changes around town, Leah!
JMLT Painted Rock donation deadline is May 31!!! Help us cross the finish line and keep that land out of development. Think of Annie’s Lover by Taj Majal. Buy a piece of country for the grandkids.
Annie’s lover was a big ol’ man, he was a farming man
Never spent much time worrying ?bout the people
In the big big city
‘Cause all he did know ’bout was the cows and the chickens
And the pigs and the horses and the sheep and the goats
And the ducks, they fly
Sat on the hill side, playing his guitar
Watching the whole thing come down in a harmony
Annie’s lover was a big ol’ man, he was an African man
He walked a lot and looked around and saw everything
That his eyes could see
‘Cause all he did know ’bout was the cows and the chickens
And the pigs and the horses and the sheep and the goats
And the trees and the waters and the fields and the mountains
And the blue sky and the big clouds
And the dogs they fly
Sat on the hill side, playing his guitar
Watching the whole thing come down in a harmony
Wow, another musical reference. First it was the CHP… now David slinging the lyrics!
Is there a plan to seal off Mount Diablo Boulevard to traffic? Ever? The only way I can see these residences working is if the downtown were converted to pedestrian only with locals making use of BART and hopefully other transit options. But it’s nearly impossible to get from one end of the boulevard to the other in a timely fashion right now and it is for this reason that I frankly avoid the area entirely.
Lafayette definitely does not need any more traffic. It’s awful!!! I currently live downtown and work on one side of Lafayette and go to the gym on the other side of Lafayette. I would walk to work but my dog can’t really walk and he comes to work with me everyday. I drive Deer Hill and Mt. Diablo every day and the amount of time it takes me from 2-3 years ago is baffling. During the morning and evening commutes, turning left onto Deer Hill or left onto Oak Hill (not at the stop light) is horrible and can be dangerous. I can’t image how long it will take to get any where with new construction up and down Mt. Diablo for housing.
If you live anywhere near BART, you cay say goodbye to your “semirural” existence. Changes in state law will make it easier to build projects like this, and there’s very little Lafayette can do to stop it. Check out “SB50” to see what is going on. The easy access to BART also means that cities with transit centers will be under pressure to cluster housing near BART. I think for a lot of communities like Lafayette and Orinda, big changes are ahead, and most of the residents here will not like it.