ATASCADERO, Calif. - The Atascadero Office of Economic Development (OED) has announced several major projects for the city in 2013.
The office, which was created in 2009 to help facilitate the City Council's economic goals, will have a hand in the construction of Colony Square phase II, completion of the Eagle Ranch and resort Environmental Impact Report, construction of the Downtown Hoff Property retail center, identification of a site for a proposed RV park and the revitalization of the DeCou Lumber/Spencer's Market block.
The OED has also announced Warren Frace, who is the city's Director of Community Development, will take over as the president of the group. Besides Frace, the OED is comprised of members from all of the city's department, including Police, Fire, Public Works, Finance and Community Development. For more information, see story below.
Story provided by the City of Atascadero
With the start of 2013, Warren Frace, Director of Community Development for the City of Atascadero, is taking the reins as President of the Atascadero Office of Economic Development (OED). In 2009, the City of Atascadero launched the OED by creating a cross department "strike team" that would expedite and implement the City Council's economic objects. The OED is staffed by members of all the City's departments including Police, Public Works, Fire, Finance and Community Development.
Frace has worked since 2009 to help establish the OED and complete dozens of projects including the Downtown façade program, Business Roadmap, the Rite-Aid / Starbucks center, the Spring Hill Suites Hotel, and the Wal-Mart/Annex shopping center approvals. Frace views his work in Community Development as almost synonymous with Economic Development and says "any development in the community is Economic Development." As the new President of OED, Frace will work closely with the OED team to keep delivering exciting new projects for Atascadero. Mayor Tom O'Malley states, "Warren Frace is an excellent choice to head up the OED. He has the background, experience, knowledge and leadership to maintain the momentum that team has already established, and to generate the energy and action needed to help keep the City moving forward in a positive direction".
In 2013 OED has a plate full of exciting new projects including:
- Colony Square phase II construction
- Eagle Ranch and resort project Environmental Impact Report
- The Downtown Hoff Property retail center
- Identification of a destination RV park site
- Revitalization of the DeCou Lumber / Spencer's Market block
City Manager Wade McKinney and Public Works Director Russ Thompson also join the OED group in 2013, bringing their expertise to the table. McKinney served on the Board of Directors for the California Association of for Local Economic Development from 2003 through 2009.
Russ Thompson was hired as Public Works Director for the City of Atascadero in 2009. Thompson brings 25 years of experience working in the private sector, 10 of which he ran his own civil engineering firm in Atascadero, focused mainly on land development. He has a strong understanding of what developers go through in the project approval process. Thompson's perspective on Economic Development is to continue to make the development process business friendly, predictable and more efficient.
