Concord to select CNWS master developer
CONCORD, CA (Aug. 17, 2021) — This Saturday, Aug. 21, the Concord City Council sitting as the Local Reuse Authority will once again hear from developers competing to be the master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse Plan.
Lennar Corp. was the city’s first choice for the $5 billion, 2,300-acre redevelopment project. But the company failed to negotiate a project labor agreement with the Contra Costa Building Trades Council before their contract expired in March 2020, and the city declined to extend it. The PLA is non-negotiable where the city is concerned. It is part of the Concord First section of the Reuse Plan.
The LRA will choose between three very diverse development teams.
Three options
Brookfield Development, based in New York, is a global player with more than 70 currently active mixed-use developments. Its projects include Boulevard in Dublin, a base reuse project and Pier 70 in San Francisco. It is BART’s choice to develop the 13-acre transit-oriented development around the North Concord BART station. Brookfield is currently negotiating a PLA with the Building Trades Council.
City Ventures’ experience includes two master-planned mixed-use communities in San Jose—the Orchard and Santa Teresa Transit Village and has two large affordable housing projects in progress in San Francisco.
Pittsburg builder Discovery Homes/Seeno Company in a joint venture with the Lewis Group and California Capital was the third to submit qualifications.
A prolific residential builder, Seeno has a long litigious history with local jurisdictions and environmental groups. Most recently, Seeno sued to stop East Bay Regional Parks from moving ahead with their 2500-acre park. It ironically claimed the park would have a negative environmental impact and interfere with the 600-unit residential development planned on the Pittsburg hills adjacent to the park property.
Saturday meeting
The meeting Saturday promises to be long and heated. Although the Seeno joint venture has already committed to a PLA with the Building Trades Council, public opposition to the builder is strong. Attached to the agenda are more than 250 letters and emails urging the LRA not to select Seeno/Discovery Homes.
Brookfield’s parent company, Brookfield Asset Management is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. City Ventures submitted audited financial statements. The Seeno/Discovery joint venture declined to provide financial information, stating it was too early in the process.
The LRA meeting begins at 9 a.m. It will be streamed live on the city’s website at and runs live on Comcast Channel 28, Wave Channel 29, and U-verse Channel 99. To connect to the live stream on Saturday, click here.
Mayor Tim McGallian explains the process and the next steps in this month’s “From the Desk of…” column, click here.