Before You Begin
If you’ve driven through the intersection of Highway 25 and San Felipe Road, you’ve probably noticed the large vacant parcel on the southeast corner. Despite its prominent location, many residents may not realize the property has long been envisioned for commercial development.
A recently released leasing brochure is now providing the clearest look yet at what the developer hopes to build. The brochure markets the project as Hollister Gateway and includes conceptual site plans showing how the property could eventually be developed.
It’s important to note that these are conceptual plans intended to market the site to prospective tenants. They do not mean construction is imminent, nor do they indicate that any businesses have signed leases.
A Vision for a New Shopping Center
According to the marketing materials, the proposed development would be centered around a grocery store ranging from approximately 45,000 to 50,000 square feet. The plans also envision additional retail space, restaurants, a convenience store with fuel pumps, and other commercial uses that would serve both Hollister residents and travelers entering the city.
The brochure includes two conceptual site plans, each offering a different approach to developing the property. One concept features a grocery store alongside a junior anchor tenant, additional retail space, two drive-thru restaurants, a standalone restaurant, and a convenience store with fuel pumps.
A second concept maintains the grocery store but replaces the junior anchor and retail center with three larger multi-tenant commercial buildings, providing additional flexibility depending on future tenant interest.
Why Are There Two Site Plans?
Seeing multiple site plans can be confusing, but it’s actually fairly common during the early marketing phase of commercial developments.
Rather than reflecting competing proposals, the different layouts provide flexibility for prospective tenants. If a grocery store or major retailer requires a different building configuration than originally envisioned, the developer can demonstrate multiple ways the property could be developed while still meeting the needs of future businesses. In other words, the brochure is less a final blueprint and more a showcase of what the site can accommodate.
Access Hinges on Future Road
Although the property sits at the corner of Highway 25 and San Felipe Road (Business Route 156), many of the proposed entrances are shown connecting to Pacific Way, a road that hasn’t been built yet. That’s notable because the site is located next to one of Hollister’s busiest intersections, where changes to traffic flow are generally more complicated than they would be on a typical city street.
The brochure doesn’t say when Pacific Way could be completed or how access to the shopping center would be phased. However, the conceptual plans suggest that future improvements to the surrounding road network will likely play an important role in how the site is ultimately developed. Pacific Way has long been planned as part of the city’s circulation network to support future development in this area and will eventually connect to Chappel Road.
Part of a Larger Plan
The proposed shopping center is one piece of a much larger vision for the North Chappell area. When the City approved the North Chappell Master Plan in 2018, it wasn’t just planning for new homes. The plan also included space for commercial development, new roads, and other infrastructure intended to support future growth in this part of Hollister.
Since then, some of the residential pieces have started moving forward. Construction is underway on the Everglen subdivision, and Kramer Commons has also been approved nearby. The commercial site at Highway 25 and San Felipe Road, however, has remained undeveloped.
While the brochure doesn’t mean construction is around the corner, it does provide the clearest look yet at how this portion of the master plan could eventually take shape.
What Happens Next?
At this stage, the brochure does not identify any confirmed tenants or provide a construction timeline. Instead, it serves as a marketing tool intended to attract businesses interested in locating at the site. As leasing progresses, the final design could evolve based on tenant demand, city review, and future development approvals.
For now, however, the brochure offers residents something they haven’t had before, a detailed glimpse into what could eventually occupy one of Hollister’s most recognizable vacant commercial corners.
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