The Community Before

Once part of the Bay Area’s industrial belt, the waterfront site in the City of Hercules had been an active powder company that manufactured dynamite.

Consequently, it was in need of significant environmental clean up. The city meanwhile became interested in the concepts of “new urbanism.” The city educated itself on how to successfully incorporate these concepts to make this site a vital part of the community.

The Community Now

Today a new neighborhood of well-crafted homes, live-work units and small shops all within close distance of a possible commuter ferry terminal is springing up along Hercules’ waterfront. Hercules held firm when developers balked at the tight design restrictions placed on the project. The 125-acre community is a model of new urbanism – a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development that aims to provide places for residents to live, shop, dine and work.

The project involved:

• Rehabilitating historic buildings
• Building 3,294 new homes, including 479 affordable units
• Building 170,000 square feet of new retail, live work lofts and mixed use space