Will Housing Be Built At Blackhawk Plaza? County Supervisor Clarifies

DANVILLE, CA — Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen said that no housing project is currently proposed or under review at Blackhawk Plaza, though it could be allowed under existing land-use rules if proposed.

Andersen started a new webpage dedicated to updates and constituent questions regarding the shopping center, which faces an uncertain future after its owner defaulted on millions of dollars in loans and the court appointed a receiver to manage the property. According to the site, the Contra Costa County General Plan allows for 30-75 units per acre of residential development on the site, and state housing laws could make the approval easier.

“Zoning is subordinate to the General Plan and wherever there is an inconsistency, the General Plan prevails. Recent state legislation has also eliminated the need to rezone for residential projects under certain circumstances,” the site said.

Andersen also clarified that a 1985 agreement would restrict housing in a 5.73-acre open-space buffer behind the plaza, but cannot prevent housing on the entire site.

“The 5.73-acre open space buffer parcel was dedicated to the Blackhawk Homeowners Association in the 1980s. Because the Blackhawk HOA owns the parcel, the HOA’s consent would be necessary to convert it from buffer to housing. County staff is looking into whether the development rights for that open space parcel were ever deeded to the County. Regardless, it is extremely unlikely that the County would ever approve housing in this open space buffer,” the website said.

She also clarified that the Blackhawk Museum is on a separate parcel from Blackhawk Plaza, and redevelopment of the plaza would not directly affect the museum, though they would need to collaborate with the museum to ensure access.

“If redevelopment takes place at Blackhawk Plaza the developer would need to work with the Behring Global Education Foundation to ensure adequate access to the Museum,” the website said. “Not only could the County require this to happen as part of a development agreement, but there are existing legal agreements between whomever owns Blackhawk Plaza and the Behring foundation which would also likely mandate this.”

Andersen also noted that the county is not involved in any of the ongoing litigation surrounding the plaza, which involves private parties. A lawsuit from Nano Blanc alleges that Ramanujan Group, which purchased Blackhawk Plaza in 2020, defaulted on a roughly $5 million loan, according to reporting from Danville-San Ramon. An Orange County judge recently appointed Douglas Wilson, the chairman and founder of a real estate firm specializing in receiverships, to manage finances and operations while the case proceeds.

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