Shea Unveils 76-Acre Bay Area Plan

By Barbra Murray

At Dublin, Retail Streetscape

Shea Properties will soon have its hands full in Dublin, Calif. Dublin Land Co. has chosen to sell 76 acres of land to the diversified real estate company and SCS Development Co. for the creation of At Dublin, a sprawling mixed-use project for which Shea will spearhead the entitlement process and building activity.

At Dublin will occupy a site consisting of five parcels known as the Di Manto Property, named for the family of late Dublin Land co-owner John Di Manto. After 30 years of ownership of the prime acreage, Dublin Land is handing the property off for development of a massive retail and residential project.   

“Dublin needs a central gathering hub that will serve the community’s lifestyle needs,” Jean Di Manto, managing partner with Dublin Land Co. and matriarch of the Di Manto family, said in a prepared statement. “The City has grown up around this land, and now is the perfect time to move forward on a balanced development plan that will add a well-designed commercial retail center with diverse housing options for the community.”

At Dublin will feature a roughly 200,000-square-foot commercial retail hub centered on entertainment offerings and a food marketplace surrounding plazas and outdoor gathering spaces. The mixed-use destination will also offer 700 rental apartments and single-family homes, as well as a hotel. Too big? Probably not. Population growth across the Bay Area is driving the emergence of mixed-use endeavors like At Dublin.  As noted in a 2017 report by commercial real estate firm Transwestern, “The Bay Area is becoming one of the most densely populated regions in the country, increasing the level of demand for infrastructure, housing and commercial space.”

Laying the groundwork

At Dublin, Site Plan

Precise details for At Dublin have not yet been determined, as plans for the project are in the earliest of stages. Shea will hammer out the particulars with the assistance of the City of Dublin and the Dublin community in a process that began August 15 with a public comment period marking the commencement of the community outreach program for the development. The real estate company will spend approximately two weeks working with city officials and local residents before crafting and submitting a formal application that will kick off the entitlement process.

Although the full picture of At Dublin will emerge in time, Shea has settled on a few specifics. Field Paoli Architects Dahlin Group have been selected to design the project’s retail segment, for which commercial real estate services firm Retail West will handle leasing. 

If all goes as planned with entitlement approval, Shea will likely break ground on At Dublin in 2019, and welcome the first occupants in 2020.

Images courtesy of Shea Properties