Economic Development · Pillar 02
THE CIVIC
ANCHOR PROJECT
A transformative downtown investment — a new City Hall, Grand Plaza & Park, Regional Veterans Memorial, Outdoor Amphitheater, and Central Parking Garage — anchoring Turlock's future at the heart of our city and catalyzing a generation of private investment downtown.
This is a long-term, multi-phase project. If the decision is made to pursue it, the process moves through planning, design, financing, and phased construction — each step shaped by community input and real-world conditions. There is no fixed end date. Cost estimates will evolve as the project takes shape.
Funding Principle
The goal is to maximize non-City funding through grants, P3 structures, and tax increment financing — limiting the City's direct exposure. Every revenue-generating component is designed to contribute to long-term debt service. No general obligation bond commitment is assumed at this stage.
5
Components
Integrated Civic Assets
±28
Acres
Downtown Turlock Core
4
Funding
Financing Strategies
4
Phases
Phased Delivery Over Time
The Vision
ANCHORING DOWNTOWN
TURLOCK'S FUTURE
The Civic Anchor Project brings five civic assets together in one place — a new City Hall, Grand Plaza & Park, Regional Veterans Memorial, Outdoor Amphitheater, and Central Parking Garage — on approximately 28 acres in downtown Turlock. The goal is simple: give downtown a real civic center that draws people in, supports local businesses, and makes residents proud of where they live.
This is not just a building project. It is a statement about what Turlock values — accountability, community, culture, and long-term planning. It is also designed to pay for itself: the Amphitheater, Parking Garage, and Plaza programming all generate revenue that supports city operations and long-term finances.
Every major city in the Central Valley is competing for private investment and regional relevance. The Civic Anchor Project is Turlock's answer — a smart, well-planned investment that positions our city to win that competition for the next generation.
Pillar
Economic Development — Pillar 02
Location
Downtown Turlock Core — ±28 Acres
Components
5 Integrated Civic Assets
Funding
Federal/State Grants · P3 · TIF · Bonds
Timeline
If pursued: planning, design & phased construction over 10+ years
Revenue
Amphitheater · Parking Garage · Plaza Programming
Connection
Generates ongoing revenue supporting city operations
Concept Proposal
SITE PLAN — TURLOCK CIVIC ANCHOR
±28 Acres · Downtown Turlock · Conceptual Illustration Only
This image is conceptual and for illustration purposes only. The placement of individual elements — City Hall, the Amphitheater, Grand Plaza, Veterans Memorial, and Parking Garage — is not fixed. Each component could be located in different areas of downtown depending on site conditions, land availability, community input, and design decisions made through a public process. Nothing shown here represents a final plan or commitment.
Conceptual illustration only. Element locations, design, and scope are subject to public input, community engagement, City Council approval, and environmental review. Individual components may be sited in different areas of downtown.
Five Components
WHAT THE PROJECT INCLUDES
NEW CITY HALL
A modern, purpose-built civic center designed for efficiency, accessibility, and public engagement. The new City Hall will consolidate city services, reduce operational costs, and serve as a symbol of Turlock's commitment to professional governance.
Key Elements
Centralized city services under one roof for resident convenience
Designed for ADA accessibility and full public transparency
Energy-efficient construction aligned with long-term fiscal responsibility
Council chambers built for full-time, weekly council operations
Replaces aging, inefficient facilities with a modern civic standard
GRAND PLAZA & PARK
A signature public gathering space at the heart of downtown Turlock — a place for farmers markets, cultural celebrations, civic events, and everyday community life. The Grand Plaza anchors the Civic Anchor Project and brings activity to the surrounding streets.
Key Elements
Year-round programming space for markets, festivals, and civic events
Landscaped green space accessible to all residents
Designed to bring foot traffic to nearby retail, dining, and businesses
Integrated with transit and pedestrian infrastructure
Public investment that encourages private development on surrounding parcels
REGIONAL VETERANS MEMORIAL
A permanent, dignified memorial honoring the men and women from Turlock and the Central Valley who have served our nation. The memorial will be a regional destination and a lasting tribute to the sacrifices of our veterans.
Key Elements
Regional in scope — honoring veterans from Turlock and surrounding communities
Designed in collaboration with veterans organizations and community input
Integrated into the Grand Plaza for maximum visibility and accessibility
Programmed for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and year-round reflection
OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER
A world-class outdoor performance venue bringing live music, cultural programming, and community events to downtown Turlock. The Amphitheater generates revenue, activates the district after hours, and positions Turlock as a destination for regional entertainment.
Key Elements
Capacity designed for major regional acts and community performances
Revenue-generating venue supporting downtown activation and city operations
Shared operational infrastructure with the Horizon District
Programming aligned with CSU Stanislaus and TUSD Tri-Agency agreements
After-hours activation driving restaurant, retail, and hospitality spending downtown
CENTRAL PARKING GARAGE
A structured parking facility that solves downtown's most persistent problem — not enough parking. The Central Parking Garage makes it easier to visit, shop, and invest downtown, and opens up surface lots for better uses.
Key Elements
Multi-level structure serving City Hall, the Plaza, and surrounding businesses
Supports walkability and transit-oriented development goals
Revenue-generating asset that contributes to long-term fiscal sustainability
Frees up surface parking lots for higher-value development
Designed to support future mixed-use development above or adjacent
Implementation Strategy
STRATEGIC REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE & DOWNTOWN SERVICE CONTINUITY
To optimize public investment, minimize disruption, preserve essential downtown services, and accelerate activation of the Civic Anchor Project, the City should explore a coordinated public-private real estate exchange involving key downtown institutional properties.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
Modernize & Expand
The U.S. Postal Service would be encouraged to modernize and expand its downtown operations through relocation or expansion into the adjacent Bank of America building at 501 E Main Street — maintaining postal services in a high-visibility downtown location while improving customer access and operational capacity.
BANK OF AMERICA
Preserve Downtown Presence
Bank of America would be encouraged to acquire, long-term lease, or otherwise reuse the existing City Hall property at 156 S Broadway — preserving and enhancing its downtown presence while allowing the current City Hall site to remain active, productive, and connected to the surrounding civic and commercial core.
CITY OF TURLOCK
New Civic Anchor City Hall
The City of Turlock would relocate municipal operations into a new, purpose-designed, transparent, technologically advanced City Hall serving as the architectural and civic centerpiece of the Civic Anchor complex — integrated with the Grand Plaza, outdoor Amphitheater, structured parking, and surrounding mixed-use redevelopment framework.
Proceeds & Value
Net proceeds, land value, lease value, redevelopment value, or other financial benefits generated through the exchange may be directed toward Civic Anchor project financing, downtown infrastructure improvements, structured parking, or public-space activation where legally and financially appropriate.
Transparency & Safeguards
Any transaction would be subject to formal negotiations, independent appraisals, legal review, public hearings, fiscal analysis, and clear findings of public benefit. No transfer, lease, relocation, or redevelopment action should proceed without transparency, fair market valuation, protection of public assets, and demonstrated benefit to Turlock residents.
The purpose of this strategy is not merely to move buildings, but to maintain continuous essential services, strengthen downtown institutional anchors, reduce disruption for residents, unlock underused public value, and catalyze additional private investment in the surrounding mixed-use district.
Economic Impact
THE ECONOMIC CASE
FOR THE CIVIC ANCHOR
Civic anchor investments are among the highest-return public investments a city can make. The research is clear: a well-designed civic center, public plaza, and entertainment venue catalyzes private investment, grows the tax base, and generates ongoing economic activity that far exceeds the original public cost.
$200M+
ESTIMATED PRIVATE INVESTMENT CATALYST
Major civic anchor investments in comparable California cities have catalyzed $5–10 of private investment for every $1 of public investment. The Civic Anchor Project is designed to unlock significant private development on surrounding downtown parcels.
1,000+
CONSTRUCTION & PERMANENT JOBS
The project will generate substantial construction employment during the build phase, and permanent jobs in operations, hospitality, retail, and services as the downtown district activates around the completed project.
Millions
ANNUAL EVENT & TOURISM REVENUE
The Outdoor Amphitheater alone — hosting regional acts and community events — will generate direct ticket, food, beverage, and hospitality spending that circulates through the local economy. Combined with the Grand Plaza programming, the project creates a year-round economic engine downtown.
Self-Sustaining
REVENUE-GENERATING CIVIC ASSETS
Unlike traditional civic buildings that are pure cost centers, the Civic Anchor Project is designed with revenue-generating components — the Amphitheater, Parking Garage, and Plaza programming — that generate ongoing income to support operations and long-term city finances.
Downtown
PROPERTY VALUE & TAX BASE GROWTH
Civic anchor investments consistently increase surrounding property values. Higher assessed values mean a larger tax base — generating increased property tax revenue for the City, TUSD, and other local agencies without raising tax rates.
Regional
DESTINATION & IDENTITY
A world-class civic center, amphitheater, and public plaza positions Turlock as a regional destination — attracting visitors, businesses, and talent who choose Turlock over competing Central Valley cities. This competitive advantage compounds over time.
Funding Strategy
HOW THE PROJECT
GETS FUNDED
The Civic Anchor Project is designed with a diversified, layered funding strategy — combining federal and state grants, public-private partnerships, tax increment financing, and city capital. No single funding source carries the full load. The goal is to maximize non-City dollars while structuring the City's investment around revenue-generating assets that pay for themselves over time.
FEDERAL & STATE GRANTS
The Civic Anchor Project is designed to qualify for multiple federal and state funding programs — including Community Development Block Grants, federal economic development funds, California infrastructure grants, veterans memorial funding, and walkability programs.
Specific Sources & Mechanisms
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants
California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank)
State veterans memorial and facilities funding
Federal transit-oriented development and walkability programs
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (P3)
The Amphitheater, Parking Garage, and Grand Plaza are well-suited for public-private partnerships. A private developer finances, builds, and operates a component in exchange for long-term revenue rights — reducing what the City needs to put up front.
Specific Sources & Mechanisms
Developer ground leases on City-owned parcels adjacent to the project
Private financing of the Amphitheater in exchange for operating rights
Parking garage P3 with private operator and revenue-sharing agreement
Mixed-use development rights above or adjacent to civic components
Naming rights and sponsorship agreements for the Amphitheater and Plaza
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) & SPECIAL DISTRICTS
When property values rise around the project, Tax Increment Financing captures a share of that new tax revenue to pay back the bonds that funded the original investment — a self-financing tool used successfully in downtown revitalization projects across California.
Specific Sources & Mechanisms
Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) for downtown Turlock
Community Facilities District (CFD / Mello-Roos) for project infrastructure
Tax increment from increased downtown property values post-development
Business Improvement District (BID) contributions from benefiting businesses
Parking revenue bonds backed by Garage operating income
CITY CAPITAL & BOND FINANCING
Where grants and partnerships don't cover the full cost, the City can use voter-approved bonds, revenue bonds backed by the Amphitheater and Parking Garage, and existing capital improvement funds. The project's own revenue streams — parking, events, and a larger tax base — help cover the debt over time.
Specific Sources & Mechanisms
General obligation bonds subject to voter approval
Revenue bonds backed by Amphitheater and Parking Garage income
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) phased allocations
Lease-revenue bonds for City Hall construction
Funding Principle
The City's goal is to maximize non-City funding through grants and P3 structures, use tax increment financing to capture the value the project itself creates, and limit general obligation bond exposure to components that cannot be financed through other means. Every revenue-generating component — the Amphitheater, Parking Garage, and Plaza programming — is structured to contribute to long-term debt service and city financial sustainability.
Cost Estimates
WHAT IT COSTS
The figures below are planning-level estimates based on comparable projects in California cities of similar size. They are a starting point for honest public conversation — not a budget, not a commitment, and not a final number. Final costs will be shaped by design decisions, public input, site conditions, market conditions at the time of construction, and the financing structure ultimately selected.
This is a 10-plus year project — if the decision is made to pursue it. The timeline begins when that decision is made. Design, community input, financing, and phased construction follow over many years. These estimates will evolve as planning advances and the community has a voice in shaping the final plan.
NEW CITY HALL
Modern civic facility consolidating city services; cost varies by size, design, and site conditions
$28M – $45M
GRAND PLAZA & PARK
Landscaped public gathering space with programming infrastructure and pedestrian amenities
$8M – $15M
REGIONAL VETERANS MEMORIAL
Permanent memorial designed with veterans organizations; eligible for state and federal memorial funding
$3M – $6M
OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER
Revenue-generating performance venue; strong candidate for public-private partnership financing
$15M – $25M
CENTRAL PARKING GARAGE
Multi-level structured parking; revenue-generating asset well-suited for P3 or revenue bond financing
$12M – $20M
SITE, INFRASTRUCTURE & CONTINGENCY
Land preparation, utilities, circulation, design, engineering, legal, and project contingency
$10M – $20M
TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COST
Across all five components plus site and infrastructure. These are planning-level estimates only. Final costs depend on design decisions, public input, site conditions, phasing, P3 structures, and grant offsets — the City's direct exposure is expected to be significantly lower than the total. All figures are subject to change as planning advances.
$76M – $131M
Project Timeline
FROM PLANNING
TO ACTIVATION
Phase 1
Early Phase — If Pursued
PLANNING & FEASIBILITY
Initiate Downtown Master Plan process with community engagement
Commission site feasibility and environmental review studies
Establish Civic Anchor Project Advisory Committee
Begin identification of federal and state grant opportunities
Engage potential P3 development partners
Phase 2
Design & Financing Phase
DESIGN & FINANCING
Complete site selection and environmental review
Finalize project design through community input process
Secure federal and state grant commitments
Structure P3 agreements for Amphitheater and Parking Garage
Establish EIFD or CFD financing district
City Council approval of financing plan and project budget
Phase 3
Long-Term Build — Multi-Year Construction
CONSTRUCTION
Break ground on Central Parking Garage (first revenue-generating component)
Begin City Hall construction
Grand Plaza and Veterans Memorial construction
Amphitheater construction and operator onboarding
Phased opening of components as construction completes
Phase 4
Activation — Years After Construction
ACTIVATION & GROWTH
Full project opening and grand activation events
Amphitheater programming launch — regional acts and community events
Downtown private investment tracking and reporting
Long-term operations and maintenance plan activated
"
We've seen what happens when long-term planning is delayed — the cost is always higher later. Turlock deserves better planning and better results.
— Jeremy Rocha
Connected Initiatives
PART OF A LARGER VISION
READY TO BUILD A STRONGER TURLOCK?
Support the campaign and help make the Civic Anchor Project a reality.