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Pinole Point Business Park

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Pinole Point Business Park

Client: East Bay Regional Park District
Location:Richmond, California
Description:Master Planned Business Park
Challenges: Conserve water quality, protect visual character, noise and traffic abatement, and uninterrupted access over project development
Services Provided: Mapping, entitlement processing and preparation of construction grading and improvement plans together with construction staking services.

Blue Rock Business Center
Client: Reynolds & Brown
Location: Antioch, California
Description: Mix use development
Challenges: Aggressive processing schedule and varying development needs
Services Provided: Planning, layout and preliminary engineering

The Blue Rock Business Center at Lone Tree Way illustrates the influence that community has on city development and the need to include residents in the planning process to ensure a project's success.

Blue Rock Business Center started out and remained in the form of two commercial parcels and one residential parcel. Plans for the residential development were to result in a 240 unit apartment complex. 

Involved from the very beginning, Milani & Associates conducted all of the planning and engineering based on the initial client goals and throughout the necessary revisions that followed.

The two commercial parcels stayed as they were, but the 240 apartments became 86 medium-density single family homes which was a compromise that was acceptable to the client and welcomed by the residents of Antioch. One of the two commercial parcels, which will result in a 6-building Business Park consisting of approximately 115,000 square feet of Office/Commercial space.


Hilton, Homewood Suites
Client: WRSJG, LLC
Location: Pleasant Hill, California
Challenges:Construction in a high profile urban environment, limited tolerances in infrastructure design, and zoning setback restrictions.

Milani and Associates served as the project engineer and surveyor for WRSJG, LLC, the developer. Milani and Associates assisted the client by providing Civil Engineering, Land Surveying and Construction Staking services, and utilized the company's experience and relationship with the City of Pleasant Hill planning and engineering staff, to guide the client toward successful project approvals and completion under a "very tight" and aggressive development timeline. 


​Mimi's Cafe
Client: SWH Corporation, dba Mimi's Cafe
Location: Concord, California
Challenges: Construction in a high profile urban environment, limited tolerances in infrastructure design, and zoning setback restrictions.
Services Provided:    Preliminary Civil Engineering, Final Engineering Design, Assistance with Agency Processing and Approvals and Construction Staking Services.

Milani and Associates served as the project engineer and surveyor for SWH Corporation, the developer. Milani and Associates assisted the client by providing engineering services, and utilized the company's experience and relationship with the City of Concord planning and engineering staff, to guide the client toward successful project approvals and completion under a "very tight" and aggressive development timeline. 


Norris Canyon Estates
Client: Toll Brothers, Inc.
Location: San Ramon, California
Challenges:    Hillside residential project with significant topographic relief enhanced architectural footprints requiring extensive grading with site development constrained by sensitive environmental issues.
Services Provided:    Planning, Assistance with Agency Processing, Civil Engineering Design, Preparation of Building permit plot plans and Construction Staking Services.


Located in the western hills of the San Ramon Valley, Norris Canyon Estates is a 1,143 acre, guard gated community served by an extensive private road network nestled in the Las Trampas Range Ridgeline just west of State Route 680. The project was especially challenging topographically as there was substantial vertical relief, requiring extensive grading and the utilization of keystone and retaining wall systems. 


Milani and Associates worked with Toll Brothers to maximize the plotability of the client's various product types while delivering a cost effective, regenerated site development map. Recognizing that hillside luxury estates in the $1.5 to $2.0 million require finesse and attention to detail, Milani and Associates remained flexible and responsive to needs of Toll Brother's customers throughout the design development of each home. 


Milani and Associates served as the project civil engineer, and also assisted with various planning documents and exhibits throughout the public forum process. Because it occupies a sensitive ridge line area, projects such as Norris Canyon Estates are subject to scrutiny by existing residents in the immediate vicinity. Milani and Associates played a vital supporting role in addressing community concerns related to visual aesthetics of the project and facilitating supplemental entitlements from the various review agencies involved, such as Contra Costa County Community Development and the San Ramon Valley Area Planning Commission.


Jersey Island Levee
Client: Reclamation District 830
Location: Oakley, California
Challenges: Rehabilitation of existing perimeter levee systems in a fragile delta environment.
Services Provided: District Engineer for Reclamation District 830, Civil Engineering Design, Preparation of Construction Specifications, Bidding and Award assistance, Construction Management and Construction Staking Services.


Jersey Island consists of approximately 3,200 acres, 16 miles of levee improvements and discharge/evaporation ponds owned and operated by the Ironhouse Sanitary District (ISD). As such the stability of the island's levees is critical to maintaining ISD's operations. Milani & Associates provides engineering design services in conjunction with Hultgren-Tillis Engineers and RD 830's geotechnical engineer, to upgrade and maintain the islands levee berm and levee road improvements. 


Jersey Island additionally maintains active crop and grazing lands, and portions of the levee road are public access corridors to adjoining islands, such as Bradford Island. Maintaining adjoining island access poses complications to on island levee widening and stabilization programs since the road improvements must be kept accessible, particularly during late spring and summer when farming activities are at full capacity. Furthermore, all levee work must automatically be coordinated with the State of California Department of Water Resources (DWR), a major funding resource for the island's ongoing levee stabilization program. 


Milani and Associates provided a detailed assessment of the island, along with a corresponding action plan to address areas of risk including a levee widening program funded by DWR. Phase one involved the import of approximately 160,000 cubic yards of material from Decker Island to be utilized as levee buttress fill on Jersey Island. All material was barged from Decker Island to Jersey Island as part of a wetland restoration project undertaken by DWR on Decker Island. Milani & Associates coordinated work efforts with DWR’s engineer on Decker Island and the project was completed ahead of schedule. 


Mercy Housing Project
Client: Mercy Housing
Location: Brentwood, California
Description: Affordable rental housing
Challenges: Existing high end home values
Services Provided: Entitlement processing consisting of a Use Permit and Design
Review application for an affordable rental housing development as well as the preparation of final construction documents and construction staking services.


Mercy Housing is a non-profit organization specializing in providing affordable rental housing throughout California, specifically in cities and towns meeting federal and state rural funding guidelines. The goal of the organization is to supply affordable rental housing in communities experiencing large growth spurts where demand for housing is outpacing the supply. 


Providing affordable rental housing is challenging in and of itself, without the added complexity that comes with projects requiring state approval and financing. Making this project even more daunting was the need to successfully infuse affordable housing into a neighborhood where existing home values started at $600,000. The overall unique situation called for a balance between diversity and "look and feel." 


Mercy Housing chose Milani & Associates to assist in obtaining the residential entitlements, and approval of construction documents through the City of Brentwood engineering and planning departments. 


Zeka Ranch
Client: Zeka International
Location: Antioch, California
Description: 320 unit, upscale residential master planned community
Challenges: Topography, habitat preservation, underground coal mines
Services Provided: Project management, scheduling, land planning,
and preliminary civil engineering


Zeka Ranch is a 640 acre development project in the City of Antioch within what was formerly known as the Sand Creek specific plan study area. The project was both topographically and biologically challenging, requiring balance between development and habitat preservation for the Alameda Whip Snake, California Red Legged Frog, California Tiger Salamander, Burrowing Owl, Kit Fox, Savannah/Oak Uplands, and several protected plant species. The existence of underground coal mines in the entire southerly one-third of the project, further added to the challenges. 


Milani & Associates served as the project manager and engineer for Zeka International, assisting in the formation of the multi-disciplinary development team required to successfully obtain residential development approvals. The team included The Dahlin Group as lead architect, HT Harvey as the lead biological consultant, Engeo, Inc. as the lead geotechnical consultant, and Blymyer, Inc. as the lead bioscience consultant. Additionally, Sierra Geotechnical served as the subterranean mine consultant, and Gagen McCoy Armstrong participated as the lead, Land Use Attorney. 


Milani & Associates provided overall project oversight, scheduling, land planning and preliminary civil engineering services for this complex, $275 million+ project. Milani & Associates’ well established relationship and rapport with the City of Antioch planning and engineering staff, in cooperation with a hand-picked consultant team, was able to complete the work needed to submit the current land use entitlement request, the preparation of a vesting tentative map and a residential development application (growth management plan.) The project is currently moving through a formal biological assessment and a Section 7 consultation. When completed, Zeka Ranch will consist of 320 unit, upscale, master plan community with a mix of residential, estate and hillside estate homes.


S&S Farms
Client: Braddock and Logan/Lennar
Location: Brentwood, California
Description: 311 residential lots
Challenges: Expedited construction schedule, master infrastructure for 311 units and surrounding undeveloped parcels, edge condition constraints with existing residential parcels.
Services Provided:    Preparation of: regional drainage study, sewer collection system, grading plans, four phase improvement plans and subdivision tract maps, offsite infrastructure improvements, reimbursement agreement and construction staking services.


In conjunction with the opening of the new Elementary School in August 2005 Milani & Associates was also responsible for developing the sister project's 311 residential lots which required four different subdivision permit agreements. 


The challenge of developing S&S Farms lay in the need for collaboration and participation of three different stakeholders: Braddock & Logan, Lennar, and Empire Development. The integration of three different developers posed a processing and coordination problem due to varying interests and overall compliance with project Conditions of Approval. The Milani team was successful in meeting varying project needs and schedule, to the satisfaction of the development consortium and the City of Brentwood. 


The project additionally had a very clear time constraint. The grading and the roadways had to be completed prior to the opening of the school, and only then could work proceed on the residential portion of the project. 


Milani & Associates worked very closely with the City of Brentwood Planning and Engineering staff to coordinate the design and development of this four phase project which is progressing on schedule and as anticipated. 


​Ironhouse Sanitary District
Client:    Ironhouse Sanitary District
Location: Oakley, California
Description: Text
Services Provided: On-call plan checking and engineering services


Milani & Associates provided engineering support and plan checking services on an as-needed basis for the Ironhouse Sanitary District. The District is currently serving the City of Oakley and neighboring unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County such as Bethel Island, CA. With rapid development proceeding in the Oakley/Bethel Island area, Milani and Associates has provided scalability to the District as it facilitates expansion within its service area. As a District team member, Milani &Associates staff works closely with the District Manager to anticipate short term engineering and survey/mapping services and provide licensed, trained technical staff to meet these short term obligations. Senior Milani &Associates staff strives to anticipate future demand and provide specific strategic planning to assist the District in providing timely, quality and cost effective service to its customers.


City of Alameda
Client: City of Alameda
Location: Alameda, California
Services Provided:    On-call plan checking, engineering & survey/mapping services


Milani & Associates provided the City of Alameda with on-call engineering support, plan checking, survey/mapping and construction staking services. Services are generally requested through the City's Public Works department on an as-needed basis. Senior Milani & Associates staff provide services ranging from technical review of final maps and improvement plans, preparation of legal descriptions and plat maps, boundary and topographic mapping services, ALTA surveys, preparation of base maps for use by City Engineering staff for ongoing sewer I & I programs and construction staking services. 


Milani & Associates staff has also provided technical engineering and mapping services for the ongoing conversion of Alameda Naval Air Station to a master planned residential and mix use community as it is assimilated into the City of Alameda community.