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Prep Work For Costco Now Underway In Riverbank
Costco work 7-5
This heavy equipment was at rest over the long holiday weekend, but in recent weeks workers have begun grading what used to be fields of lilies and sunflowers, on the site of the former location of Dutch Hollow Farms. The work is transforming the fields at the northwest corner of Claribel and Oakdale roads, directly across from the current Riverbank Crossroads Shopping Center. To be named Crossroads West Shopping Center, the grading work is being held prior to infrastructure improvements planned, like water, sewer and power grids, so construction can begin on the Costco warehouse store. Ric McGinnis/The News

Area drivers who travel down Oakdale Road onto Claribel have noticed in recent weeks heavy earth moving and grading equipment at work on the site of what used to be Dutch Hollow Farms. Equipment and manpower are there, doing preparation work to begin on infrastructure improvements for the coming Crossroads West Shopping Center at that location. When plans began to be firming up, Dutch Hollow moved out to Milnes Road, east of Modesto.

And developers have confirmed that they are planning to start the center with work on a new Costco location. The rumors that have been swirling around social media are apparently being realized, with a formal groundbreaking ceremony set for next Tuesday, July 11, at 9 a.m. It will be the third warehouse location in Stanislaus County, with one in Modesto and another in Turlock. The next nearest are in Manteca and Tracy, then Stockton, and Lodi, all in San Joaquin County.

Once construction on the Costco site itself begins, developers are expecting to be finished by next summer.

Opinions on the news are varied on social media. Some welcome the move, eliminating the need to go all the way to Pelandale Road in Modesto, but others worry about the prospect of increased traffic the new shopping center will bring to the intersection area.

Housing construction north of Westgate Drive (formerly Crawford Road) and west of Oakdale Road has been underway for months, with many of the new homes already occupied. Eventually in that area, a Middle School, as well as an enlargement of the Sports Complex and park are expected to be included. Also planned is a new Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Station.

Streets, gutters, sidewalks and street lights can be seen in the Crossroads West area just south of Westgate Drive, in preparation for more houses to be built there.