City Considers Seizure as Holdout Landowner Prevents Redevelopment

One holdout landowner is preventing the redevelopment of Pittsburg, California's waterfront, but the city is pushing for eminent domain.

1 minute read

February 11, 2008, 6:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"A private landowner is taking the city to task over its efforts to acquire a key piece of waterfront property for redevelopment."

"Pittsburg's City Council this week approved starting the process of acquiring 2.7 acres owned by Marine Express Inc. in an area city officials have called blighted. Gaining the land would give the city assurance that it has buy-in from all three property owners inside an approximately 10-acre area west of Harbor Street it wants to see redeveloped, even if no concrete plan has emerged."

"Pittsburg for about a year and a half has held the leases on land to which Renova's proposal could apply -- and more waterfront land east of Harbor Street, owned by Tesoro and Isle Capital Corp., which leases to Koch Carbon LLC -- because of legislation Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed that transferred the leases to the city from the State Lands Commission."

"Without the Marine Express property, 'we have a gaping hole in the development of the waterfront,' said Brad Nail, Pittsburg's economic development director."

"The owner of that land -- formerly owned by California Portland Cement Co. -- has been the only waterfront property owner not interested in working with the city to redevelop about 33 acres near or along the shoreline."

Friday, February 8, 2008 in The Contra Costa Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight