In Pleasanton, yet another underutilized office property is eyed for residential redevelopment

Pleasanton is looking to redevelop another underutilized commercial property into housing.

City records indicate that Denver-based The True Life Cos. wants to demolish the approximately 22,000 square-foot commercial building located at 4400 Black Ave., and build 66 homes. The developer's April 4 pre-application states that nine of the project's units will be affordable for low- and extremely low-income families.

According to the application, seven of the units in the project will be accessory dwellings; the other 59 units are described as multifamily.

The 2.6-acre site, which according to property records is owned by The Quarry Lane School (a nearby private school), was included in Pleasanton’s Housing Element Site Inventory -- a list that the city believes can be developed into housing from now until 2031, the date when the state-mandated cycle of housing production ends. True Life Cos. will need to obtain various city approvals for its project. The developer submitted the project in accordance with Senate Bill 330 which limits the number public hearings Pleasanton can hold regarding the approval of the project to five.

Residents told Pleasanton in surveys conducted before this year that they preferred to convert underused commercial properties like the Black Avenue Site into housing, rather than building more housing in their existing neighborhoods.

A rezoning was approved by the city for its Stoneridge Mall - a struggling retail center - to allow multifamily housing. At least one apartment development is currently underway at this site. True Life Cos. also has a second Pleasanton project that fits this niche. A 146-unit complex is proposed on a site that currently hosts approximately 110,000 square foot of office space in Pleasanton's Hacienda Business Park.

In an email statement sent Wednesday, the developer stated that it proposed 'affordable housing' on the property. It also noted that Pleasanton had designated it for housing in its site inventory.

In response to emails, the firm stated that it is not currently working on a project with The Quarry Lane School. Wednesday, it was unclear whether The True Life Cos. already had the Black Avenue site on contract.

Quarry Lane, the company that bought the property from Overton Moore Properties in the second quarter 2020 for $5.3 Million, was not available for comment on Wednesday. According to city documents, the private school is interested in converting this property into residential space.

AT&T leased the commercial building at 4400 Black in the early 70s when Quarry Lane closed. The lease has expired, and the building is now vacant.

True Life Cos. has 180 days after submitting the pre-application on April 4 to submit a complete project application.