Hotel, apartments, dog park remain part of Mare Island plan

It’s not that Jean Peres doesn’t support Brian Nagy’s crystal ball of Mare Island’s future. She just wants to be around when it happens.

Peres, a New York transplant and three-year Vallejoan, has heard the dock-and-pony show before. The parks, the hotel, a restaurant or two, lots of trees, offices, and a market.

As much as it’ll all take “a lot of money,” as Nagy said, patience appears to be imperative.

“It’s taking forever. It’s a very long plan,” Peres said. “The streets are in, the lights are in. It’s a beautiful spot. I guess these plans take a long time.”

Peres attended Nagy’s talk Monday afternoon at the monthly Senior Roundtable at the Florence Douglas Center with about 20 other interested locals and political field reps.

Nagy, Southern Land’s management officer, delivered a 40-minute discussion on the developer’s plans, breaking it down into a color photo hand-out to those present.

Yes, he said, the Navy was smart when it snagged the “beautiful piece of property.” And yes, Southern Land with the Nimitz Group “is very excited” about its potential.

Still, emphasized Nagy, “there’s no guarantees when you develop property and Mare Island is one of those pieces of property. As rich as it is in its location and natural elements, there’s 150 years of “stuff” out there. You think you know what’s under the dirt but you don’t know what’s under the dirt.”

Something as unplanned as uncovering two undocumented buried ship masts put development of a segment of land behind two weeks, Nagy said.

“I wish I could tell you we have an iron clad game plan but we don’t,” Nagy said. “When you work on developing ex-military bases, you have to have a certain kind of personality to roll with the punches. The land throws things at you that you don’t always expect. You have to be persistent.”

The drought will likely not alter developing or streets but “with the landscaping, certainly,” Nagy said. “We’re interviewing a landscape architect right now and that’s one of the big questions we ask and it’s a challenge.”

Historically, certain areas such as the mansions traditionally grow grass.

“Grass and the drought don’t go together,” Nagy said. “It’s better to design it with the drought in mind then rip it out and replant it.”

Peres wondered when “all these buildings that are an eyesore” will be demolished.

There are a handful scheduled to come down, Nagy said.

“Generally, the rule states that you have to have a reason to take a building down,” he said. “It can’t be just because you don’t like it. Some will come down because we’ll need parking. We’ll take a building down that is supposed to come down and remodel ones that are supposed to stay.”

Nagy acknowledged the frustrations of the city and its residents.

“I know the city’s been given a lot of promises. It’s going to be a tough piece of property to develop, no question. It’s very expensive,” Nagy said. “But we’re here for the long haul.”

Nagy believes that “arguably the best team in the world for doing military work” has been assembled.