Sonoma County awards $14.8 million contract to build infrastructure for mixed-use development in Roseland

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today approved a $14.8 million contract with Ghilotti Construction Co. to build sewer lines, utilities, streets and other infrastructure to support the Tierra de Rosas mixed-use development in Roseland.

“This work will build the foundation for much-needed housing in an underserved part of our community,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Ultimately, this project will benefit all of us, because housing is such a critical component of a healthy economy and a healthy community.” 

Once the infrastructure is in place, plans for the project include 75 units of affordable housing, 100 units of market-rate housing, a one-acre public plaza, a Mercado Food Hall and a 24,000-square-foot civic-use building in southwest Santa Rosa’s Roseland neighborhood.

“We’ve been working toward this day for a long, long time,” said District 3 Supervisor Chris Coursey, who represents the area. “It wasn’t easy getting here, but we never gave up because this project has the potential to transform Roseland while increasing our supply of affordable housing.”

The Sonoma County Community Development Commission acquired the Roseland Village shopping center property in 2011 to facilitate development of housing and public uses on the 7.6-acre site. In 2016, the Community Development Commission partnered with MidPen Housing, a nonprofit housing developer based in Foster City, to obtain approvals for the project and create a development plan for the Sebastopol Road site.

Demolition work on the property began last December, enabling MidPen to apply for tax credits and tax-exempt bond financing needed to build the affordable housing component of the project. If its applications are approved, MidPen hopes to start building the affordable housing units in the first half of 2025.

The $14.8 million contract approved today will fund two of the three phases of backbone infrastructure work. It is not to exceed $17 million, which incorporates a 15 percent contingency cost allowance. In all, the infrastructure needed to support the project and create the public plaza is projected to cost $40 million.

Construction on Phase One of the infrastructure will begin later this month and is scheduled to be completed by February 2026. Construction on the second phase is scheduled to start next March and is scheduled to be completed by July 2026. Mitote Food Park, a popular outdoor food court on the site, will remain open through the first two phases of construction.

State, County and local leaders attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Tierra de Rosas project on May 3. Photos and videos of the celebration are available here.

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Media Contact:
Ted Appel, Communications Specialist
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403