Prospective residents are one step closer to moving into some of the hundreds of new housing units composing the long-discussed City Village project in central San Ramon, with thousands of home-shoppers already expressing interest in the ambitious planned community that is currently under construction.
The first of the anticipated 404 new homes went on the market with a starting price of $1.1 million this week, with officials announcing the news on Tuesday.
"We feel incredibly excited to introduce a new vibrant neighborhood in such a premier location in Bishop Ranch" said Chris Neighbor, president of SummerHill Homes -- the homebuilding company behind the project -- in this week's announcement.
"Located in the heart of San Ramon, City Village will cater to the needs of the modern homebuyer by meeting the growing demand for centrally located housing in close proximity to major job centers, highly rated schools, entertainment and retail," he continued.
Neighbor told DanvilleSanRamon that despite being somewhat behind schedule amid historic storms over the past winter and early spring, he was expecting the first homes to be ready for residents by early next year.
"The first move-ins will probably be January or February, beginning of the year, so we'll have people living there sooner rather than later," Neighbor said.
Ultimately, he said that the ambitious mixed-use development would be unfurled on his company's end over approximately four years, at a rate of approximately 100 homes being available each of the coming years.
The first units to hit the market are "The Courts" -- one of the three different housing types that are set to make up the overall project -- are among the planned 154 single-family homes ranging from three to four bedrooms on private lots between 2,176 and 3,096 square feet. The units range from two to three stories, with four different floor plans available.
Neighbor said that he expected the next units to be made available would be the "The Towns"-- which will ultimately consist of 136 detached, three-story townhomes ranging from three to four bedrooms and between 1,176 and 2,250 square feet -- which he estimated would go on the market by late this month or early October.
The third housing type is "The Rows", consisting of 114 detached three-story rowhomes, also with three or four bedroom options, and between 1,977 and 2,445 square feet, which Neighbor said he anticipated to go on sale next spring.
While the construction phase of the project is set to roll out relatively quickly despite the weather-related delays, and in the wake of a years-long application and planning process, Neighbor noted that SummerHill Homes' development of the City Village project was just one part of the overarching vision for city leaders' and Sunset Development' vision of a transit-friendly, walkable, and mixed-use downtown area in the growing city over the next two decades.
"They have a 10 to 20 year horizon in looking at how they're going to redevelop," Neighbor said.
In addition to providing hundreds of much needed housing units to the Bishop Ranch area, Sunset Development officials emphasized that the next steps for City Village are also key in their overall vision for the neighborhood.
"As SummerHill Homes makes homeownership at Bishop Ranch a reality, we embark on yet another remarkable stride in fulfilling our master plan," Sunset Development President and CEO Alex Mehran, Jr. said in the Sept. 12 announcement. "This momentous launch not only represents the first opportunity to live within Bishop Ranch but also signifies a steadfast commitment to the future of the San Ramon community."
As of Thursday afternoon, Neighbor said that approximately 2,500 prospective buyers had already expressed interest in the units now for sale.
