Council Approves Eminent Doman Land-Grab for Downtown Project

Fremont City Council approved a resolution earlier this week to seize private property for the downtown area project under the auspices of eminent domain. 

According to the Fremont Bulletin, the property, located at 39138 Fremont Blvd., is owned by Fremont Capital Group LLC and occupied by Citibank.

Though Fremont Capital objected the land-grab, a spokesman for Citibank told the Bulletin that it had already found a new location but would not be able to move to the new site under the city’s timeline. The earliest the bank could move would be by the middle of next year.

The Bulletin reports that the land is necessary for the Capitol Avenue extension project as part of the downtown community plan.

Currently, the two-lane Capitol Avenue ends at State Street. The extension will connect it to Fremont Boulevard, allowing more access and traffic flow to support the downtown environment.

The Citibank site and another vacant property would have to be sacrificed for the extension.

City staff said they would help tenants relocate.

Read the full Fremont Bulletin report here.