Stockton Developer Eyeing Vacant City-Owned Properties For Redevelopment
STOCKTON (CBS13) — A Stockton developer wants to purchase eight properties that have sat vacant for years, including three old hotels on California Street and the corner of Main Street.
Zac Cort wants to buy the three properties and five nearby parking lots. He owns other buildings downtown, and is currently working on a new pizza parlor on Weber and a future daycare on Sutter Street.
"We'd like to take some of those blighted buildings and attract retailers from large retailers to mom and pop shops. People like a good neighbor," the Ten Space president said.
His company's open window project would turn the area into apartments, condos, retail shopping and office space. He's asking the city to give him exclusive negotiating rights to the buildings.
Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva says he's in favor of the sale.
"We're trying to clean up an area of Stockton and revitalize our downtown, something we've been talking about for years, we finally get to put it to action," he said.
Cort insists he has plenty of investors lined up, and work would begin soon after the sale is approved.
"We feel within a few months, we can break ground on what could be phase one. We're not sure how large phase one is going to be," he said.
The Stockton City Council will vote on whether to negotiate with Cort on the project on Tuesday.