Madera County to get new commercial and residential development - Riverwalk

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hundreds are attending a groundbreaking ceremony for a new commercial and residential development in Madera County.

Hundreds of homes were built in recent years here in Riverstone.

That same developer is creating Riverwalk right across the street - a place where people can shop, eat and even work next to a river that will flow through.

It may not look like much now.

But the dirt lot with parked bulldozers will soon transform into a commercial and residential development.

Riverstone has been years in the making.

Developer Timothy Jones says the 90 acre property, located just off Avenue 12 and Highway 41 in Madera County, will have 11,000 square foot buildings for retail shopping and a 40,000 square foot office building.

"If you think of Santana row, which is in San Jose, that's the image we're going to build and hopefully better," Jones says.

Renderings of the development were on display at the groundbreaking ceremony Thursday.

Local business owner Daniel Riley is already considering opening up a commercial brewery here.

He says the easy access location is what's motivating him to do that.

"We're right off business 41, there is good semi truck access, there is a good strong community here that'll be able to get our product and we have a good mix of everything."

And with this major project comes concerns for traffic.

Jones tells us expansion of the freeway is already in the works with contractors and they are set to get started soon.

"They should complete their fall of 2022 and they should start the four laning of 41 freeway to next down to 12 to 15. Traffic should not be a problem," he says.

Construction has already started.

By the end of next year, the first phase of this project is expected to be here.