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This artist’s rendering presents a view of the hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across First Street from the CIA at Copia in Napa. The project would also include housing.
A view of proposed condominiums that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa’s Oxbow neighborhood. Some buildings would be six stories tall.
A view of a hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa.
Four six-story buildings including 130 condominiums or townhouses. A 170-key, five-story hotel. More than 142,000 square feet of commercial space. As many as 336 parking stalls.
Such is the plan for building out the space currently known as the south Copia parking lot and gardens.
The name? Oxbow South.
The developers of the parcel, Oxbow Holdings LLC and 933 Water LLC, recently submitted to the city planning department a preliminary application to redevelop the 6-acre property, located at 585 to 601 First St. and 933 Water St.
According to property agent Preston O’Connell of Harvest Properties in Napa, the vision for Oxbow South is to create “a new neighborhood with a strong residential component supplemented by a commercial program that will complement the existing fabric of the Oxbow district, as well as the downtown Napa area.”
“We’re very excited to bring forward a project that really helps elevate the neighborhood,” said Preston O’Connell. “We want to create an authentic community within the Oxbow district … that people really want to be a part of. If we can do that, it’s something we’d be very proud of.”
“Napa is a collection of neighborhoods and Oxbow should be a full neighborhood too,” said Wayne O’Connell of Harvest Properties, the father of Preston O’Connell.
A Napa developer has submitted a pre-application with the city for a mixed-use residential project of 84 to 124 homes at the parking lot locat…
The Oxbow district, anchored by the Oxbow Public Market and CIA at Copia, is already a desirable place for visitors due to existing restaurants and retail amenities, noted Preston O’Connell. Oxbow South “will only serve to enhance the Oxbow district’s reputation and attractiveness to visitors, while offering locals the opportunity to live in the district by adding residences to the area.”
These permanent homes, hotel rooms and retail space would increase local and visitor use of the Oxbow district year-round, the application stated.
“Oxbow South will be more than just an extension of downtown and the Oxbow area; it will be a contributor to the entire Napa Valley,” said the Oxbow South application.
That means the project is designed “to reflect Napa’s historical character and provide opportunities to expand the activities, products and personality of the area.”
The hotel, which would face First Street, would feature ground-level indoor-outdoor spaces for shopping, dining, art, product exhibitions and “fairs” for both locals and visitors. “These spaces will provide an opportunity to curate events that express the history, identity, and roots of Napa,” the application reads.
Almost 10 years after the original Copia center for food, wine and the arts filed for bankruptcy, the final piece of the former Copia campus h…
The layout of the site would be marked by “interesting, connecting walkways that will tie the retail uses to the Napa River. The project includes open spaces and public gathering areas adjacent to the river that will provide opportunities for art installations, music and gastronomic and shopping kiosks.”
As the open space reaches the river, it would open into a large park at the southern tip of the property.
That’s a nod to previous comments from the city about an original development proposal.
That feedback emphasized creating “an aesthetic resource” that contributes to the city’s identity, such as views of the Napa River and surrounding hills.
“Oxbow South incorporates this feedback with reduced massing that prioritizes view corridors to allow for views of the Napa River,” the filing states.
The plan now features terrace-style buildings, with deep façade stepbacks and decks meant to become green outdoor spaces for residents and visitors.
Additionally, the buildings on First Street would be pulled back from the standard setback “to provide a wider, more inviting First Street frontage.”
In addition to increasing view corridors to the Napa River, Oxbow South would also include improvements to eliminate the need for the flood wall that was originally proposed under the Flood Control Project and would have cut off views of the Napa River and adjacent riparian area.
A new section of river trail would be added, the application said.
The mixed-use project would also provide on-site parking including inside “podiums” of the new residential buildings.
The residential component of the Oxbow South would total 130 units and include a combination of townhomes and stacked flats/condominiums using two- to three-story structures.
The interior of the project would feature the four six-story buildings.
As recommended by city staff and community members, the building frontages incorporate architectural features such as upper-level façade stepbacks and decks to reduce massing.
The townhouses are designed with three bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms, with an average size of 2,650 square feet.
Flats and condominiums would range from two to three bedrooms with three bathrooms and vary from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet.
Three of the residential buildings would include mechanical parking stalls, where cars would be stacked in columns of three.
The developer is asking for a waiver to build four residential buildings, each 75 feet tall. Normally, building heights are limited to 60 feet.
A combination of townhomes, stacked flats and condominiums would attract a diverse range of homeowners “to create a vibrant and lively neighborhood.”
Of the 130 homes for sale, 117 would be sold at market-rate prices with 13 reserved for households of “moderate” income.
In Napa County, a “moderate” income for a family of two would be up to $114,650 a year.
A Napa developer’s initial plan to build 84 to 124 condo hotel units, town homes and single family homes at the former south parcel of the ori…
Oxbow South would pair the new residential units with a 170-key hotel for visitors looking for “a vibrant, urban experience,” said the application.
The hotel would be about 127,994 square feet, including associated retail space. It would include amenities such as restaurants, dining and bar spaces, meeting rooms, and a freestanding barn for private events. In addition, the hotel would provide for a swimming pool, fitness center, spa, and “relaxing areas for taking in views of the river and hills surrounding the property.”
Retail at Oxbow South would total some 13,938 square feet. Those retail spaces would be located in the hotel and three different areas: along First Street, adjacent to the river, and in the first level of the condo buildings in the southern portion of the site.
“This layout is meant to enhance the amenities on First Street and integrate with the activities at Oxbow Public Market, CIA at Copia, and other existing commercial uses adjacent to the project property,” said the application.
The project would provide “significant” open space for the community, with about 1.54 acres of open space along the Napa River. The project also proposes another 1.5 acres of walkways, landscaping and gardens that would be open to the public.
A portion of the Oxbow South property is located in the floodplain “but none of the site is in the flood way,” said the application.
A double row of non-native trees running north to south at a height of about 80 feet are currently located on the eastern portion of the site. Those trees block views from the surrounding areas such as the roof of the Archer hotel, Alta Heights and local neighborhoods, noted the application.
“These trees are to be removed as they cannot tolerate the raised soil level needed for flood control improvements,” it said. Additionally, an oak tree at the site “cannot be preserved.”
Developer Wayne O’Connell first bought the south Copia lot in December 2017, and paid $6.5 million for the nearly 5-acre lot, according to the transfer tax recorded.
The seller was the Copia Liquidation Trust. Copia, a museum dedicated to food wine and the arts that debuted in 2001 at 500 First St., was the original developer of the property. Copia closed abruptly in 2008, and a lengthy bankruptcy process followed.
In 2018, O’Connell announced plans to redevelop the property into a mixed-use project including 84 to 124 condo hotel units, townhouses and single-family homes.
City planners had numerous objections.
There wasn’t enough parking. The housing would have created a “wall” facing First Street. The buildings were too high. Detached single-family homes and condo hotel units weren’t appropriate for that part of First Street. The original Copia gardens needed to be preserved. The river connection was missing.
After receiving feedback from staff and members of the community, the proposed development was redesigned to incorporate that feedback, the application explained.
“The proposed project is now focused on residential, creating much needed housing in Downtown Napa, with a hotel, retail uses, open space, and various public gathering spaces,” the filing states.
The project would likely be built in multiple phases to be determined before construction.
In the meantime, a project called Napa Yard Oxbow recently opened on the garden side of the south lot.
The temporary dining, picnicking and lounge venue at 585 First St. is expected to operate for at least three years, project partner Perry Clark said.
So far, it’s a hit, said Wayne and Preston O’Connell.
Napa Yard Oxbow has “met or exceeded our original goals,” said Preston O’Connell. “It’s become a huge destination for locals, especially locals with kids.”
“It’s had some really good momentum and we hope that continues,” he said. In fact, Napa Yard Oxbow could likely become part of the future project, he noted.
SB Architects of San Francisco is the designer for the project.
Napa Yard will include a beer garden, distillery, dining, gardens and other activities. Find it at 585 First St. in the Oxbow area of Napa. Organizers hope to open in the coming weeks.
A proposed landscaping map of the Oxbow South redevelopment project.
Proposed elevations of the new hotel and housing planned for Oxbow South in Napa.
Proposed elevations of the new hotel and housing planned for Oxbow South in Napa.
Proposed elevations of some of the housing planned for Oxbow South in Napa.
Another map of the proposed Oxbow South redevelopment.
A view of proposed hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa.
A view of proposed condominiums that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa’s Oxbow neighborhood. Some buildings would be six stories tall.
This artist’s rendering presents a view of the hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across First Street from the CIA at Copia in Napa. The project would also include housing.
A view of a hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa.
A view of proposed townhomes that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa.
A Napa developer has completed the purchase of the south Copia parking lot and the adjoining south gardens.
A Napa developer has completed the purchase of the south Copia parking lot and the adjoining south gardens.
One of the covered seating areas at the Napa Yard, which is scheduled to open on Wednesday on First Street in Napa, in the former South Gardens of the CIA at Copia.
Napa Yard uses shipping containers turned into kitchens and even a distillery.
Shipping containers to be used as a bar area at Napa Yard.
Inside a shipping container kitchen at Napa Yard.
Nate Stearns and Chris Lehman are two key organizers of Napa Yard, a new gathering space opening soon near the Oxbow.
Chris Lehman takes a tour of the soon-to-be-finished Napa Yard, a new gathering space opening soon near the Oxbow.
Napa Yard, in the Oxbow area, is still under construction but hopes to open soon, said organizers.
WEDNESDAY – AUGUST 17, 2011 – NAPA, CA – Oenotri co-owners Tyler Rodde, left, and Curtis Di Fede, right, chat with La Toque owner Ken Frank at the Copia gardens. They are part of a group of nine restaurants that are growing vegetables in the gardens. J.L. Sousa/Register
You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 707-256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com
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This artist’s rendering presents a view of the hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across First Street from the CIA at Copia in Napa. The project would also include housing.
A view of proposed condominiums that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa’s Oxbow neighborhood. Some buildings would be six stories tall.
A view of a hotel that developers hope to build at the parking lot across the street from the CIA at Copia in Napa.
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