NAPA VALLEY REGISTER
Napa city Planning Commission moves downtown redevelopment plan forward
This artist’s rendering of the proposed redevelopment of the former Kohl’s store site in downtown Napa showcases an entrance into a 161-room hotel.
In what was described as a “lovefest” of a public hearing, the planned redevelopment of the defunct Kohl’s department store in downtown Napa cleared a major hurdle Thursday evening.
But not without one voice of dissent.
Napa’s city Planning Commission voted nearly unanimously to move the redevelopment project forward to the City Council, which will vote on passing multiple ordinances and agreeing that the project’s potential environmental effects have been adequately analyzed and addressed. The revamp of the First Street property would include a new hotel, condominiums and retail space.
“We’re at an exciting time for the implementation of the downtown specific plan,” said city Planning Manager Ricky Caperton. “It’s important to understand that although this project is sometimes considered new, the idea of having this kind of redevelopment has been there. The groundwork has been laid.”
Jerry Hunt of 300 Venture Group, which is spearheading the project alongside primary funder Chris George, provided the Planning Commission with a detailed look at the redevelopment. Among the details shared were artist renderings of a new 161-room hotel and a planned walkway between it and a 78-unit condominium building.
The hotel design, Hunt said, includes nods to the Migliavacca Building, which stood on the corner of First and Brown streets before its 1973 demolition during an urban renewal project that included the Kohl’s building.
This artist’s rendering from the proposed downtown Napa redevelopment plan shows a conservatory area of a 161-room hotel, which project leaders said would also be open to the public. The hotel would replace a recently shuttered Kohl’s department store building. Courtesy of 300 Venture Group
“They don’t build hotels like this anymore,” Hunt said. “We were really pushed to a place of creativity and exceptional design. Our partner and our team wanted something that was timeless and iconic.”
Traditional commercial space, with tenants to come later, is also planned for the site.
This artist’s rendering of the proposed redevelopment of an area of downtown Napa that formerly housed Kohl’s department store shows designs for a renovated 9/11 Memorial Garden in a plaza that will serve as an entry point into the development. Courtesy of 300 Venture Group
As part of the redevelopment, Dwight Murray Plaza, which opened on the Fourth of July in 1974 on First Street as another building block of Napa’s urban renewal, would be refashioned into a pedestrian plaza connecting all of the properties on the site. The Brown Street corridor, another element of Napa’s 1970s downtown overhaul, would be be redeveloped with a new walkway, landscaping and public art.
The Kohl’s building at 1116 First St., which previously housed a Mervyns before that chain collapsed in 2008, closed March 29 after half a century of retail service, the last 16 years under the Kohl’s brand. Coombs Street LLC of San Ramon purchased the Kohl’s building and Parkway Plaza for $37 million in 2022 and is affiliated with 300 Venture Group. According to documents presented by Hunt, the redevelopment project has been in the works for more than a decade, with his team working for six years with the city.
Hunt added that several members of the team have purchased homes in Napa as a result of their time working on the redevelopment project, and “will be in this project for the duration.”
The public comment portion of the meeting saw nearly 20 members of the community speak in favor of the redevelopment. Jeri Hansen, chief executive of the Napa Chamber of Commerce, said the project represents more than just new buildings.
“It’s a forward-looking investment in the future of our community while also recognizing the past,” she said. “It shows that we are open for business, and we are planning for growth.”
Garret Murphy, owner of the Vintner’s Collective on Main Street, said he was excited about the project and predicted it would become a strong addition to the downtown landscape.
“Good riddance to that terrible-looking building that’s there,” he said. “The vision behind this is really inspiring. It feels like they’re bringing back how grand we used to be.”
The lone voice of dissent came from Chris Craiker, a local architect who questioned the timeline of the project and lamented the loss of Dwight Murray Plaza.
Toward the end of public comment, a man identifying himself as Jim expressed complete support for the project and confidently stated the commission would approve, calling the meeting a “total lovefest.”
Commissioner Lisa Massaro spoke in support of the Kohl’s reboot while also suggesting that an informal, ad-hoc committee be formed to assist the city manager’s office during the next phases of the project.
Another commissioner, Alex Myers, dived into a series of questions regarding the project. He asked about the structure of the planned hotel-room tax rebate agreement with the developer. According to city officials, the developer will receive as much as $33 million in tax rebates over the next decade.
Myers then discussed maintenance of the public walkway, referred to as a paseo by the development team, and what would happen if the area were not properly maintained. When he then moved on to discussing a planned valet station, he was told by city staff that many of his questions were pending future agreements between the city and developers.
Pedestrians walk past Kohl’s department store in downtown Napa on Jan. 14. The store closed in March. Nick Otto/Register file photo
Additionally, Myers was told by Dan Doporto from the city attorney’s office that his line of questioning was not necessarily in line with the responsibilities of the Planning Commission.
“Some of the questions you’re asking, while fair and legitimate questions, seem to be pushing the boundaries of the Planning Commission’s purview,” Doporto said. “I’m finding it hard to see how some of these relate to what the planning commission is entrusted to do here.”
Dwight Murray Plaza on First Street in downtown Napa on March 18. Nick Otto/Register file photo
Myers responded that his concern was that, if questions he was asking now in the public forum weren’t discussed, they never would be.
Kevin Teague, a land-use attorney working on the project, applauded Myers’ line of questioning.
“My client shows beautiful pictures at a lovefest hearing, but how do you make sure we’re not going to just sell it off and you end up with a bad deal?” Teague added. “From an applicant standpoint, we stand by the project if you want to recommend the council beef up remedies and obligations in future agreements.”
Prior to casting the sole vote in opposition, Myers clarified why he probed the redevelopment plan more deeply. If the project were solely on land owned by the developer, he said, he would have no issue with casting a vote in favor. “As community members, we are sacrificing something for this, and that should not go without acknowledgement,” Myers said. “Although Dwight Murray Plaza is not a beautiful place, it has a lot of potential.”
The 4-1 vote of approval included language recommending forming an ad-hoc committee to help advise city staff during the next phase of the project.
This story has been modified since the original posting to correct a word in a quotation of Jerry Hunt, a representative of 300 Venture Group.