LOCAL GOV: City council discusses UC Davis research, residential center plan

PHOTO: Pushing the residential and research project through the approval process required extensive planning and presenting. (Courtesy: cityofdavis.org)

By Lyah Fitzpatrick,

BlueDevilHUB.com Editor-in-Chief–

Last Tuesday’s city council meeting featured public commentary, a research center proposal and a pavement quality discussion. Here are the details of the research center proposal, to be voted on next week.

The Davis City Council motioned to discuss a “Mixed-Use Residential Project” that would fill the final vacant slot of University Research Park Drive. The council approved the 1770 Research Park Drive land use in July but the vote transitions to the people this week.

According to the official project plan, the development would be “residential,” with “rental apartments over ground-floor tech space.” Around 160 apartments would span four buildings, with a cumulative 107,648 square feet of tech space at base level.

City of Davis Principal Planner Sherri Metzker claims the Research Park project was first proposed by the city. 

“One of the biggest advantages that the City of Davis has over other cities [economically] is the university itself,” Metzker said. But when student researchers progress to product marketing, they “frequently [have] to take it elsewhere.”

A research and development UC Davis-oriented center would facilitate in-city marketing. “It’s an important step for economic development,” said council member Dan Carson in Tuesday’s meeting.

In the past, property owners that stepped up to the challenge of creating a research and residential center fell short. “The only one that was left was the one proposed now,” Metzker said.

Presented by Fulcrum Property, the proposal is passing through the final stages of approval.

“If it’s approved, it will become something we can annex into the city and then move forward,” Metzker said. “If it’s not approved, we have to start over. […] It leaves us with nothing.”