Manteca’s elected leaders are continuing their efforts to possibly secure problematic commercial parcels in a bid to find a ways to spur private sector investment.

The latest is a 3.8-acre triangle-shaped parcel wedged between Atherton Drive and the 120 Bypass west of Living Spaces.

The City Council discussed the property behind closed doors at Wednesday’s special meeting.

City officials declined to comment on specifics.

The parcel dovetails into a new strategy the city has implemented to try and obtain problematic commercial properties and then  using in-house economic development specialists to try and secure private sector investors to do a viable project.

A recent example was the city purchasing the parking lot on the northwest corner of Sycamore and Yosemite avenues in downtown plus an adjoining parcel that has simply a wall around it.

The parking lot has been closed off for years. The parcel with the wall has been that way since the 1980s when  the Waukeen Hotel was destroyed by fire.

The city has been working with a possible private sector developer to build ground-floor commercial and apartments on the second and third floors.

The city is far from a  deal and one may not materialize with who they are currently working with on the property.

That’s said, historically, cities have had a much greater success rate to get development in place on seemingly odd or problematic parcels when they take ownership of them.

Such a process doesn’t mean immediate results either.

City ownership of property in the meanwhile means they can make sure it is properly maintained.

The city has a vested interest — motivation if you will — to continually keep the property in play for possible development.

Besides eliminating the potential for future blight or even homeless encampments, it is strategy that is deigned to convert vacant parcels into tax generating property that also pumps up the general Manteca  economy.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email wyatt@mantecabulletin.com