Long-vacant downtown parcel set for transformation
The City of Fresno on Monday held a groundbreaking ceremony for an eight-story, 174-unit mixed-income housing development on a long-vacant property near Chukchansi Park and the Tioga-Sequoia Beer Garden, a project city officials hope will bring more residents and activity to downtown.
Called The Park at South Stadium, the development will include 70 units designated to remain affordable for at least 55 years, Mayor Jerry Dyer said. Construction is led by JCI Development and the Noyan Company, and the city contributed the site and provided financing support to help move the project from plan to construction.
“We’re committed on our end to get everything to move as quickly as we possibly can in terms of inspections and moving this along,”
Dyer dedicated the groundbreaking to Mehmet Noyan, the developer who died June 25, and highlighted the work of Noyan and JCI President and CEO Jeff Isenstadt in finally bringing the project to fruition after years of failed proposals for the site.
Financing, timing and development partners
The city provided an $8 million loan from its revolving loan fund and an additional $3.7 million from the local housing trust fund. The project also secured $69.6 million in bond financing, according to city officials. Developers say the complex is expected to be completed around June 2028, though Dyer suggested construction could move faster depending on inspections and other processes.
- Project name: The Park at South Stadium
- Height: Eight stories
- Units: 174 total; 70 affordable for at least 55 years
- Lead developers: JCI Development and the Noyan Company
- Anticipated completion: ~June 2028
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| City revolving loan fund | $8,000,000 |
| Local housing trust fund | $3,700,000 |
| Bond financing | $69,600,000 |
City priorities: downtown residents and local businesses
City leaders framed the project as part of a broader strategy to attract residents to downtown Fresno and support the nearby brewery and entertainment district. Dyer said the development will draw students and young adults who will be able to walk to restaurants, coffee shops and events at Chukchansi Park, helping to activate the area beyond game days.
“People who will walk to restaurants, support our local businesses, fill our coffee shops and enjoy our nearby brewery district,” Dyer said. “They will attend baseball games and concerts at Chukchansi Park and become part of the daily life of Downtown Fresno.”
Developers and city officials noted the site has seen several prior proposals over the years that did not advance, including a previous plan for student housing in partnership with the State Center Community College District. The current plan combines housing with programming and unspecified additional components intended to serve tenants and the neighborhood, officials said.
Local impact and next steps
For Fresno residents, the project offers both immediate and longer-term effects. Short-term impacts include construction jobs and increased activity on a parcel that has sat vacant for years. Longer-term impacts include additional housing stock in the downtown core and a supply of units set aside as affordable over multiple decades.
City leaders and developers will need to coordinate on permitting, inspections and construction scheduling to meet the projected timeline. The municipal contribution of land and public financing positions the project as a public-private effort intended to accelerate downtown revitalization.
As construction begins, attention will shift to unit mix, programming details and the pace at which the project delivers residents back into a key commercial district. If completed as planned, the Park at South Stadium will be one of several recent efforts intended to re-populate downtown Fresno and support the businesses that depend on foot traffic and event-driven customers.
Reporting for this story included information provided by the City of Fresno and developers participating in the groundbreaking event.
