THE VINEYARDS AT MARSH CREEK A Crown Jewel for East County
	OCTOBER 2004

by Stephan Beinke

We’ve been engaged in building communities for more than 30 years. For example, we built Canyon Lakes in San Ramon, the Blackhawk Community in Danville, and partnered with Ron Nunn in the late ’80s to develop the Apple Hill Community.

Ron Nunn shared our conviction that Brentwood would be an ideal place for a senior adult community. We acquired some property and went to work. When we began building Summerset, people thought we were crazy. People familiar with the area today find it difficult to imagine that back in the early ’90s we were building this in between tomato fields, apple orchards, and brown hills.

Many doubters and detractors imagined we were doomed to failure. We saw the need, however, expanded our holdings, and started building the community during a difficult market period. Today we are proud of Summerset, with over 2,500 homes and two golf courses.

Improving on Excellence
Brentwood is becoming the Danville of East County. Or Palm Springs North, perhaps. The City boasts great parks and schools, with lifestyle advantages for everyone from singles, to young families, to active seniors. Brentwood has amenities that aren’t to be found in many other places.

This great place is about to become even better. The Vineyards at Marsh Creek is the most extraordinary project I’ve ever been associated with.

The Cowell Family Foundation owned the property and plans for developing it were discussed for more than 20 years. The current effort actually began five years ago when the Foundation was approached by the Trust for Public Lands. Through the help of Sen. Torlakson, the Cowell Foundation sold 4,000 acres to the Trust. The land subsequently was acquired by the State, which turned jurisdiction of the property over to the California State Parks System.

The State also deeded thirty acres to the Contra Costa County College District for a dollar. The remaining 480-acre property then became available for commercial and residential development. We acquired the property for the Vineyards at Marsh Creek project about three years ago.

Besides the planned commercial and residential property development, the City of Brentwood, Sen. Torlakson, and the John Marsh Historical Trust have given a lot of thought to developing the area around the John Marsh House, which might include restoring the house and building an interpretive center to be used by the whole community, plus developing other public facilities on the site.

We developers find it painful when a city demands that we create infrastructure to support the communities we build. I have to grudgingly admit, however, that the City is really wise to force us to provide for the long term needs of the community, which includes things like parks, landscaping, and other public amenities.

It is to Brentwood’s credit that over the past ten years the City Council has imposed very strict guidelines about what companies like ours must do before we can begin any actual development activities.

For the Vineyards at Marsh Creek, the City of Brentwood demanded that we provide such things as roads, a water tank, parks, and landscaping. As part of our agreement with the City of Brentwood, we’re specifically providing utilities and extending road access to the State Park and to the site where the college will be built. We will extend Fairview, going under the Bypass, and then connecting to Marsh Creek Road. The City also wanted a place to develop a winery and a community amphitheater.

Giving People What They Want
The City conducted the decision process for the Vineyards at Marsh Creek in an admirably rational way. They hired the San Francisco planning and architectural firm of Hart-Howerton to assist in gathering public input. The research was carried out using a formal process called a “charette,” meaning “cart” in French — referring to the ancient cart that carried architectural drawings.

The charette process was designed to provide reliable answers to the question, “What does the community want?” The City gathered input from a variety of stakeholders, including unaffiliated private citizens, environmental groups, and various citizen and political groups.

Out of the charette process came the plan that we are now following. Of the 4,500 acres received from the Cowell Foundation, less than ten percent will be developed and the rest will remain in public hands.

The community plan is themed with olive trees and vineyards. We’re going to grade the amphitheater and winery site. The City will develop and operate the amphitheater and Rosenblum Cellers will build and operate the winery.

A New Brentwood Wine Industry and Much More
The details of the Vineyards at Marsh Creek community are impressive indeed. Rosenblum Cellars is planning a 250,000 case winery, complete with a tasting room. The first phase construction will hopefully begin in 2005, with completion of the winery the next year, for a fall 2006 first crush opening.

Rosenblum Cellars is a premier wine maker, as evidenced by the fact that wine produced from their own grapes in 2001 landed the vintage in the top 100 wines chosen among 12,000 entrants. One of its wines also won “Best in Show” honors at the wine competition in last year’s State Fair.  Kent Rosenblum plans to move most of the winery’s operations from the present location in Alameda to the Vineyards at Marsh Creek site.

Having a winery of this stature will provide an enormous boost to East County’s ag business. The site will also provide a lovely gathering place for purposes ranging from picnics to weddings.

The 2,500-seat amphitheater will be built adjacent to the winery and will provide a beautiful venue for attracting popular musicians and entertainers to our area. Performances in the amphitheater will begin in late 2006 or early 2007. The amphitheater will also be available for local events, such as high school graduations. The amphitheater and winery will be gorgeous facilities visible both from Fairview Road and from the Highway 4 Bypass.

The Vineyards at Marsh Creek will provide funds to aide in the restoration and preservation of the John Marsh House and grounds. This incredible East County landmark was erected in 1856 as the first home built by an European in the County. It was constructed from rock brick with a wonderful amount of aesthetic details created from premium redwood.

The City is annexing 30 acres surrounding the John Marsh House, which will be developed into a park, as well the 30 acres across the street, which will be the location for Los Medanos Junior College to construct a new campus.

As part of the Vineyards Community, 128 larger lot executive estate homes will be built.

The Vineyards at Marsh Creek will also develop an area for senior housing, complete with a commercial center, an extended-care facility, senior apartments, and walking trails. As many as 1,100 active adult homes will be built as well as a recreation center with a swimming pool and gym.

One part of the development, called the Village Center, will feature 350 senior apartments, plus an assisted-living facility. It will also include approximately 90,000 square feet of small, Mediterranean-style retail and office spaces, a B & B, banquet facility, and a conference room.

Most of the open space in the project will be allocated to working vineyards and olive groves — complete with an on-site press.

Working Together for a Happy Future
All these wonderful plans are the result of a joint effort between the City of Brentwood, the local community, the State of California Parks Department, and Blackhawk-Nunn.

The housing is projected for completion around 2010. The commercial areas will be developed as the residential areas are completed, with such businesses as restaurants, bookstores, etc. moving in. 

Many people are absolutely elated about the Vineyards at Marsh Creek community. Someone called it a win, win, win situation. There’s something in here for almost everyone. As development is completed, the community will provide the following:

• Open space and farmland
• Housing for seniors
• Opportunities for farmers who are trying to make vineyards a cash crop
• Additional incentives for tourists who can add wine tasting and purchases to their trips to our local U-Pick farms.
• A welcome source of City tax revenues
• Educational opportunities through the new school campus
• Entertainment opportunities in the new amphitheater
• Ultimately more than 1,000 jobs

Blackhawk-Nunn has created a number of communities that we’re proud of, but the Vineyards at Marsh Creek will be a level above anything we’ve done before.

This project is going to a lot of fun! The upscale communities we develop always include amenities, like landscaping, that get better with age, as the trees in the groves and vines in the vineyards begin to mature.

Try to imagine vineyards and groves on the hills with lovely homes and community buildings nestling into the valleys between them. Picture driving down Fairview with grapes growing on both sides of the road…. It will be beautiful!