An architect’s rendering of the building proposed for the Fosters Freeze lot at 590 Marsh St.
More big plans are in store for downtown San Luis Obispo’s western gateway.
Developers Dave Bjerre and Debbie Garcia have filed a proposal with city planners seeking to fill the Fosters Freeze lot at 590 Marsh St. with a 25,000-square-foot, four-story building with commercial and residential space and underground parking.
The project—designed by architect Craig R. Smith— would have 7,400 square feet of commercial and retail space on the ground floor and three stories of 14 residential condominiums above. According to the plans, the building would not rise above 50 feet.
It will be across the street from El Vaquero, another new, four-story, mixed-used development slated to begin construction at Marsh and Nipomo streets this summer.
That $16.5 million complex would total about 28,000 square feet, with 6,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and 33 town houses on the upper three stories. The height of the project is within the city’s limit of 50 feet, as well.
Bjerre, who secured the property for development about six months ago, said they have strived to make their new building as environmentally friendly and attractive as possible.
He believes the project makes better commercial use of the lot, which now is taken up mostly by a parking lot for Fosters Freeze customers. He also says the building will be positive for the city because it adds retail space and housing to the downtown core.
Building out the project would take a couple of years, Bjerre said.
“It depends a lot on the general economic environment (when it improves), and how fast we can get through the city planning process,” Bjerre said.
The first step most likely would take place in June. Conceptual plans for the project are tentatively scheduled for consideration by the city’s Architectural Review Committee, city planner Doug Davidson confirmed.
Fosters Freeze owner Dennis Adams said the ice cream and fast-food eatery will be open “indefinitely” while the mixed-use project goes through the city’s planning review process. Adams has owned the property for nearly 13 years.
Fosters Freeze has 98 outlets in California, plus 160 El Pollo Loco restaurants in the state, according to company President Randy Fritchi.
The chain’s ice cream has been served at the San Luis Obispo location since Dec. 1, 1949, he said. San Luis Obispo County’s other Fosters Freeze locations are in Morro Bay and Paso Robles.
Bjerre said that city land-use records show that an adobe residence was the first structure on the site in the 1800s. Fosters Freeze was also preceded by an enterprise called Los Angeles Creamery, he added.
Design work by architect Smith includes San Luis Obispo restaurants Palazzo Giuseppe’s, Apple Farm, and Koberl at Blue and renovations of historical buildings, including the old French Hospital at 1160 Marsh St. and the Tartaglia building on Monterey Street, Smith said.
—Melanie Cleveland
It’s a Grind to feature Madonna Inn goodies
The Madonna Inn has agreed to partner with It’s A Grind Coffee House at San Luis Obispo’s Irish Hills Plaza on Los Osos Valley Road.
The inn will supply the coffee shop with its pastry and dessert items such as Swiss twists, pecan Danish, cakes, chocolate éclairs and cinnamon pull-apart bread.
Brent and Jane Kostiw,
owners of It’s A Grind, are now selling the items to patrons and in their catering services as well.
—Tonya Strickland
Longtime SLO travel firm moves its offices
San Luis Obispo-based Traveltime recently moved its headquarters to 1329 Broad St. at Johnson Avenue.
The firm had been at Broad and Marsh streets since 1997.
Traveltime — founded in 1988 by Helene and Ernie Petrich— has three offices serving the Central Coast in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria and Paso Robles.
SLO tech firm hires four new employees
San Luis Obispo-based technology firm TekTegrity Inc. recently hired four new associates. They are Kyle Carrion, lead technician; Michael Lewis, project engineer and coordinator; Matt Nguyen, account representative; and Maribel Acedo, purchasing agent.
Carrion has several years of computer repair and customer service experience. He has also worked on various computer platforms.
Lewis has nine years of industry experience. His responsibilities include helping manage projects for the firm’s clients.
TekTegrity’s Santa Maria and Santa Barbara clients will now have Nguyen as their own account representative.
He is responsible for all new sales in those areas.
Acedo fills the newly created post of purchasing agent, where she will be responsible for all vendor negotiations.
—Tonya Strickland
Delta Liquid’s safety head marks 12 years
Richard Steck, safety training and technology manager for all nine Delta Liquid Energy facilities, recently celebrated his 12th anniversary with the Paso Robles-based propane marketer.
Steck began his career with the firm as a service technician at the Paso Robles location in 1996.
Nine months later he was promoted to manager of the Arroyo Grande location, then manager of the Paso Robles location, and finally in 2006, to his current position.
Steck is responsible for all aspects of safety and technology at the company, including maintaining training and certification of all technicians, fleet maintenance, permitting, licensing, insuring and following government compliance.
Delta Liquid Energy is a third-generation, family-owned and operated company.
— Tonya Strickland
•••
Marc Dakos was recently promoted to general manager at Wilson Land Surveys, a local firm with two offices on the Central Coast.
Dakos, who has been with the company for two years, will now oversee daily operations in the Atascadero office at 7600 Morro Road.
He will also continue his previous position as field project manager. Wilson Land Surveys also has an office in Gilroy.
—Tonya Strickland
• • •
A new business targeting termites has opened at 1445 Grand Ave., Suite A, in Grover Beach. Mojoe Termite provides termite inspections, eradications, treatments and repairs throughout San Luis Obispo County.
Owner Joe Swiontek has more than 15 years’ experience as a termite inspector.
Do you have memories of going to Fosters Freeze in San Luis Obispo? Share them in the comment section below or e-mail them to jtarica@thetribunenews.com.
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