The Madera County Board of Supervisors, Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney and Madera County Fire Chief Nancy Koerperich joined more than 100 community and business leaders to celebrate the official March 15 groundbreaking of the Tesoro Viejo Town Center that will feature a new Madera County fire station and Madera County sheriff substation.
The 1,600 acre project is being developed under partnership by The McCaffrey Group and Lyles Diversified, two long-standing family Central Valley organizations.
The project is east of Highway 41, three miles north of Ave. 12, and will be a mixed-use development consisting of up to 5,190 dwelling units, three million square feet of commercial, retail, office and light industrial uses (restaurants, hotels, medical offices) along with 400 acres of open space and recreational areas including 15 miles of nature trails, and neighborhood parks.
There will be 800 homes in the first of eight villages (Hillside Village) with the initial occupancy targeted for 2019. Full project build-out, with a population close to 16,000, has been estimated for 2030.
The project has cleared many hurdles, including a lawsuit by the Madera Oversight Coalition, which caused a judge to order a revised Environmental Impact Report in 2008, including additional technical analysis and mitigation measures in the EIR for roads, traffic and water.
In November, 2012, the Madera County Board of Supervisors re-approved the project after a revised EIR was completed.
“We are pleased to be a part of the new Tesoro Viejo community and look forward to serving the residents of this community and the residents of southeastern Madera County,” said Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney. “I commend the efforts of the Tesoro Viejo development team in making public safety services a priority from day one - we know that having a presence right in the middle of the Town Center will go far in creating a safe and secure community.”
The Town Center will also be the home for Madera County Fire Station No. 7. The fire station and sheriff substation will be housed in a 4,600-square-foot building planned to open this fall. A larger, permanent building will be built when needed, and both the temporary and permanent buildings are being funded through the Tesoro Viejo Development.
“This is an exciting day – breaking ground on a new fire station is not something we do often in our industry - in fact, the last time we built a new fire station in Madera County was eight years ago,” said Madera County Fire Chief Nancy Koerperich. “We are thrilled to be one of the first residents of Tesoro Viejo and look forward to being a part of this developing community.”
Both the fire station and sheriff substation will serve residents in Tesoro Viejo, as well as residents in southeastern Madera County. The fire station features two fire engine bays and three dorm bedrooms to house one fire company. It will be staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with firefighters trained for emergency medical assistance.
The sheriff substation will include an interview room, sheriff deputy office and a multi-use conference room.
The Town Center is the core of Madera County’s newest master-planned community of Tesoro Viejo, a 1,600-acre master-planned community located off Highway 41 in the county’s planned growth area in southeastern Madera County.
Approved for up to 5,190 homes in nine distinct, walkable villages, the community will include housing and business opportunities, a walkable town center with open-air plaza, light industry and neighborhood parks and schools.
“There is a feeling that is being captured here – and that feeling is one that you get from visiting Main Street of a small town,” said Robert A. McCaffrey, CEO of Tesoro Viejo Development. “The Town Center will be the place where everything you need and desire is here - a place to gather with neighbors, family and friends. Tesoro Viejo will be a very special place, unlike any other community in the Central San Joaquin Valley. We have worked hard with the staff and leaders of Madera County to retain the best qualities of the land in terms of natural beauty, sustainable planning and agricultural values.”
“The Hub” – Tesoro Viejo’s innovative 7,800 square-foot welcome will feature a neighborhood coffee bar and eatery plus multi-use offices. In addition, the event lawn will deliver an exceptional outdoor atmosphere for community entertainment and activities.
In addition to the Town Center, the community’s first on-site school, Hillside School that will serve students in transitional kindergarten through 8th grade, is under construction and anticipated to open in August.
The first residential village, Hillside Village, is under way with the grand opening of the model homes planned this fall. Construction is also under way on the on-site, state-of-the-art water and waste water treatment facility at the southern portion of the site near Highway 41. In April, construction on the resort-style community clubhouse and recreation center will commence.
“Tesoro Viejo is an excellent example of good planning and partnership,” said Madera County Supervisor Brett Frazier. “We commend the Tesoro Viejo Development team for their foresight and planning to ensure the necessary public services are in place from day one – they are funding this important public service that will benefit not only the residents of Tesoro Viejo, but also residents in southeastern Madera County.”
The only residential project approved by the county larger than Tesoro Viejo is Gateway Village off Highway 41 at Ave. 12. That project, consisting of 6,500 homes on more than 6,000 acres, was approved by supervisors in 2006 after settling a law suit with the Madera Oversight Coalition. Initial earthwork is underway at the site.
The family-owned McCaffrey Group has specialized in land development, residential construction, mortgage brokerage and farming for three generations, and have built more than 8,000 award-winning homes.
Details: Visit Tesoro Viejo at mccaffreyhomes.com.
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