Rundown Downtown House to Become Office, Apartments

Rundown Downtown House to Become Office, Apartments
By Tom Hall/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com

Snags apparently have been resolved in the proposed transformation of a dilapidated downtown home to an office building with second-floor apartments.
Developers of the proposed Dassah building on the southwest corner of Mason and Davis streets near Vacaville's downtown core have reached an agreement with the city on a number of disputed improvements, clearing the way for construction.

Chris Gustin, the city's assistant director of community development, said all remaining issues have been resolved.

One quibble was over who would pay for the installation of "no parking" signs along Mason. It turns out that those signs are already in place.

Another issue arose over the sidewalk ramps on a joint driveway for the building. Gustin said the contractor doing utility improvements in the area will upgrade the ramps as part of its project.

That last remaining dispute was over an adjacent alley in poor condition. Gustin said the developer has agreed to repair the roadway instead of fully reconstructing it, as was previously requested.

The plans for the building were approved by the Vacaville Planning Commission in January, but not without applicant Gerry Holzapple Jr. taking the opportunity to speak out against public improvement requirements.

Gustin told Holzapple at the Jan. 17 meeting that the commission had no authority to waive the improvement requirements. Only the City Council can make such concessions, Gustin said.

Holzapple appealed the commission's decision to approve the project with the public improvement requirements included. The matter was scheduled to go before the council Tuesday, but the recent resolution of the dispute caused the appeal to be withdrawn by Holzapple.

The project would be only the second mixed-use building in downtown Vacaville.

The Dionicia building on East Main Street was completed about a year ago. Vasquez Deli, a longtime downtown staple, sits on the ground floor of Dionicia while three apartments and the deli's administrative office are on the second floor.

Mixed-use projects have been lauded by city officials and business leaders, and several other Solano cities have begun looking into the idea as well.

Tom Hall can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.