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•           A.G. Spanos says it will be ‘eco-community’
•           Would create permanent green belt, protect wetlands, create 12,000 jobs


Plans for a new $2 billion community that will be “a model for environmentally and economically sustainable development” have been announced for Stockton, by hometown developer A.G. Spanos Companies. As many as 12,000 new jobs are expected to be created by development of what the company calls “The Preserve.”

Its plans call for a new community hospital, reduced reliance on automobiles, and restoration and enhancement of North Stockton’s wetlands, the company says. It is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared to typical developments, says Spanos. To be developed north of Eight Mile Road and west of Interstate 5 on 1,200 acres, it includes a permanent green belt at Stockton’s northern edge. “These are tough times for Stockton, but my family has always had great faith in our city and its future,” says Michael Spanos, executive vice president of A. G. Spanos Companies. “Our new project comes at a time when our city needs help the most. The Preserve is unlike any other project in Stockton and I am very proud of the many innovations we propose to include.”

The Preserve is being planned as an eco-community by the San Francisco office of Gensler, an architectural and design firm. “The Preserve will introduce advanced sustainable practices and hopefully will serve as a model of responsible development for the rest of the country. For us this is a very exciting project,” says Michel St. Pierre, director of planning and urban design at Gensler. “We believe that The Preserve’s environmentally sustainable planning and design will be a magnet for new residents and businesses that might not normally consider Stockton as a place to locate,” says David Nelson, senior vice president of land development for A.G. Spanos. “I am especially pleased that this project will bring international attention to Stockton because of its implementation of advanced ecological and environmental initiatives.”

Spanos says the development will have 45 percent of its area devoted to wetlands, agriculture, parks and lakes. Vehicle miles traveled are expected to be reduced by a minimum of 40 percent. Agricultural land in The Preserve will produce between 3 percent and 10 percent of the community’s food supply, predicts Spanos. All of the non-potable water use will be recycled or harvested from rainwater.

http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=12651