Plans promise diversified housing in Windsor

Developments move forward as economy strengthens
As construction work continues in Windsor, plans that would extend development from streets and sidewalks into residential communities are moving forward. From the residential portion of Bell Village to projects planned for the eastern side of Highway 101, rental-based housing is expanding, and previously delayed projects are gaining ground in a more robust economy.
“We haven’t had very much development in the town for a number of years,” said Windsor Community Development Director Ned Thomas. “So to have it all come at one time is a little bit overwhelming, but it also speaks well for the economy and that developers are once again interested in investing in our town.”
According to Thomas, research conducted as the Town works to update its General Plan has shown that a lack of development in recent years has resulted in pent-up demand for housing. “In the Windsor area that’s in particular for rental apartments, and that’s why there’s such an interest and demand for developers to come here develop that kind of product,” he said.
Developments that cater to populations interested in rental properties include Bell Village, which is one of the largest developments in Windsor’s history. Located northeast of the Town Green, Bell Village is a planned 25-acre mixed-use property with 387 residential units and 83,500 square feet of commercial space, including an Oliver’s Market.
Developer Oakmont Senior Living, in charge of developing the commercial space at Bell Village, held an official groundbreaking ceremony for the project on Nov. 5, and construction is currently underway on the grading, utilities and foundation for its commercial center. Yet a new developer assumed control of its residential portion and has since modified plans for its housing units.
While original plans called for 387 residential units composed of a mix of townhouses and multi-family buildings, the new developer has chosen to build solely rental townhouses. Construction on the residential portion of Bell Village is slated to begin in 2015.
Southern California-based developer Bob Bisno discussed reasons for the proposed layout changes at a Sept. 17 Town Council meeting, saying that his team evaluated the market and decided that “stacked-flat” building designs were not a profitable endeavor, while townhouses were “a product type that in my belief and in the belief of my partners will generate the highest-caliber tenant and is economically viable.”
South of downtown Windsor, Town staff is helping Bisno to refine a site plan and building design another rental-based development called Windsor Mill. Adjacent to the future SMART rail line, Windsor Mill is planned to have 360 residential units, a 2.5-acre linear park along the nearby creek and a new vehicle bridge connecting Bell Road to the development.
“(The Windsor Mill) project has also been in the books for a long time, and it’s being redesigned,” Thomas said, with its plans accommodating both stacked-flat dwellings and townhouses. Construction is slated to begin in mid-summer or fall of 2015.
The Town is also reviewing building plans for another stalled project located slightly away from Windsor’s center: Town Green Village Buildings R and S, located at the intersection of Johnson Street and Bell Road.
The project was delayed for several years due to the economic downturn. “They got started and they got steel beams up, one had the foundation in and then the economy tanked,” Thomas said. “Those two projects have been sitting there in the initial stages of construction, rusting away.”
Buildings R and S will offer a mix of live/work and commercial space on their ground floors, with residences located on the stories above. “They’re not on a busy street,” Thomas said. “It’s just not a viable place for active retail, so we felt like that was a good compromise.”
Development is also planned for two areas slightly more removed from Windsor’s center. Esposti Park Homes, which will offer 36 market-rate apartments off of Old Redwood Highway, received final approval on Sept. 17, while north of Windsor’s Walmart, the Victoria Oaks Subdivision will span 17 acres at the intersection of Hembree and Victory Lanes.
“Again, it’s a project that’s been on the books for a number of years, and it’s now ready to move forward,” Thomas said of Victoria Oaks. “They have submitted their application and we’re reviewing it.” He anticipates a public hearing before the Planning Commission will be scheduled soon.
The surge of rental units that will accompany the upcoming projects may potentially attract a different demographic to town, according to Thomas. “I think it will be interesting to see the introduction of that many rental units into a town where most people own their homes,” he said. “How does that change the dynamic of town?”
Though Windsor markets itself to young families, Thomas said he is not convinced that these rental units that are being proposed are targeted to that group. “They could be, but they’re going to be smaller units,” he said. “They’ll be very nice, but they’re going to be rental units.”
Those interested in the rental properties, he said, may include commuters who live in Windsor and work in other areas. With many rental properties located close to the Town Green, the influx the new tenants may have a positive impact on nearby businesses and restaurants, Thomas said.