Manteca is changing how commercial areas and neighborhoods mix.
A prime example is how developments that envision a gas station, dining, convenience stores, and even car washes in predominately residential sections of the city are adding what planners dub “mini-plazas” or “pavilions.”
So far, three developments — including the project that involves an AM/PM gas station on the southeast corner of Woodward Avenue and Pillsbury Road — have included pavilions.
All three of the commercial projects at intersections and border established neighborhoods.
The pavilions are designed to:
*Make neighborhoods more walkable by encouraging people to get out of cars for short trips to nearby dining, convenience markets, and such..
*Get people to spend more time outdoors with dining or relaxing to create quasi-gathering places in neighborhoods.
*To break up parking lots and to bring a more human scale to what planning experts once called “small strip centers.”
The walkable part might strike some as a stretch in a city of 95,000 like Manteca that is on track to have 36 gas stations by the end of 2026.
But in other communities with heavy commuter bases, a growing number of people will eschew their car to walk to such commercial developments for a meal or to grab an item of two as it provides them a chance to get some light exercise in, to get outdoors, and to slow down the pace.
The reality for Manteca is likely such pavilions, besides service as a potential outdoor dining area if there are food options located in the center, will serve as a quasi-gathering place by people who will drive to the retail complex.
Two such commercial areas in predominately residential areas have already been approved.
One is on the southeast corner of Union Road and Lathrop Road where a Circle K with gas pumps as well as Auto Zone store is being built.
The other is at Airport Way and Lathrop Road, on the southeast corner of that intersection.
The Airport Way project is more elaborate of the two. The 1,800-square-foot courtyard is part of the second phase of 13,000 plus square feet of buildings on 3.03 acres.
The initial phase will include a Chevron with 16 fueling stations, an Extra Mile convenience store, and a car wash as well as a quick serve restaurant with drive thru service.
There is a courtyard is between a retail building of 5,374 square feet and a pair of restaurant spaces — 1,908 and 2,092 square feet respectively — planned for the second phase.
The courtyard could accommodate up to nine tables.
The outdoor plaza embraces a general plan goal to encourage pedestrian activity in commercial areas.
The city planning staff report regarding the project noted, “This area will act as an “outdoor room” with tables and seating, lush landscaping and a relaxing water feature. Spaces such as this are important in cities and encouraged because they provide opportunities to sit and congregate.”
“Opportunities to be in spaces like this can improve a person’s physical and mental well-being and are therefore an essential part in creating healthy, livable communities for people, rather than designing cities for just cars.”
It also includes more trees than usual with 30 planned for planting.
Pillsbury & Woodward
commercial project
The project that includes the AM/PM gas station at Pillsbury and Woodward goes a step further.
It uses the pavilion concept to somewhat soften the appearance of the project to nearby residents on Brenda Lee Drive and Pillsbury.
Two pavilion areas flank the driveway that aligns with Brenda Lee Drive. Nothing else faces Pillsbury Road per se except for landscaping.
Access to the project also minimizes impacts on the immediate area.
The only other access point is a right turn in and a right turn out only from Woodward Avenue that is planned as a four lane arterial. A median will prevent left turns.
The project will include traffic signals at Woodward and Pillsbury.
The gas station will have eight pumps. The underground gasoline storage tanks will be buried under a wide landscaping area fronting Woodward Avenue.
The convenience store and adjoining space — presumably for a drive-thru restaurant given plans call for a drive-up lane behind the building — will face Woodward.
A second building for commercial uses is on the southeast corner of the site.
There is also a parcel zoned for commercial east of the gas station along Woodward that is not connected with the project.
The developers do have property on the southwest corner of the intersection.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
