Novato to start talks on Hamilton housing proposal

The Novato City Council has voted to start negotiations on a housing development for older residents in the Hamilton area.

Headlands LLC is proposing a $54 million project to redevelop two former military buildings and the Old Hamilton Gym on the former air base. The company wants to renovate the Bachelors Officers’ Quarters and Officers Club into housing and build two three-story housing complexes.

Ninety to 180 rental apartments would be intended for residents 55 and older. The company proposes to price 40% to 100% of the apartments at affordable levels.

“It’s been boarded up and vacant for quite some time,” John Redwin, a Headland LLC executive, told the City Council on Tuesday. “It’s a challenging and complex property but one that we think is great.”

The company also plans to preserve the gym and lease it back to the city while improving parking and access to the gym and pool. If the former gym were to be demolished, there must be an in-kind facility built to replace it, according to a previous report by city staff.

The company proposes to retain as much open space as possible and add amenities that can be used by the entire Hamilton community.

The city declared the 10-acre parcel containing the structures as surplus last year. At the time, the city said the property value could be as high as $7 million. The city plans to sell the property at a base price of $2.5 million, according to the latest staff report.

The City Council voted unanimously to begin negotiating a nonbinding letter of intent that would kick off a lengthy review process.

City Manager Adam McGill said any proposal will need to be reviewed by the Design Review Commission and the Planning Commission and ultimately come back to the City Council for approval.

“By no means are we done tonight,” McGill told the council.

Council members expressed optimism about the proposal.

“I really respect them for wanting to renovate the historical buildings,” Mayor Pat Eklund said Wednesday. “It’s a lot easier for a developer to tear things down and start things new but I really, really compliment them for their commitment to retain the historical buildings.”

The Bachelors Officers’ Quarters is a nationally registered historic structure. The building must be maintained under the agreement the city reached with the federal government when acquiring the former Hamilton airbase.

The club is not listed as a registered historic building because of alterations, but Redwine said the company’s intention is to restore it so that it could be eligible for inclusion in the historic district.

“We’re up for the challenge,” Redwine said.

Hamilton resident Stan Lappen said he wants to hear more from the developers on how the project is going to benefit the residents who live in Hamilton already.

Hamilton resident Marie Hoch said she supports the proposal but also asked the city about whether it could repurpose the bowling alley and defunct racquetball courts at the gym for other uses.

“I think the time is right to move forward with this,” Hoch said.