The first renderings of a city designed from the ground up for a rural region of the Bay Area have emerged. Flannery Associates, a secretive firm, has been buying tracts of mostly agricultural land between Vacaville and Rio Vista since 2018. Their 52,000 acres of land, which cost the firm over $1 billion, make them the county’s single largest landowner. Flannery’s supporters, which include some of tech’s top stars like Marc Andreessen, Reid Hoffman, and Laurene Powell Jobs, went public last week.
The organization raised capital from people who “shared our long-term vision and belief that California’s best days are still ahead”
California Forever, which will serve as the project’s hub, is currently live. According to the document, California Forever CEO Jan Sramek states the organization raised capital from people who “shared our long-term vision and belief that California’s best days are still ahead” and is “committed to Solano and this project for the long term.” Sramek, 36, has been described as a “former Goldman Sachs wunderkind” who considers Peter Thiel to be a role model. “To date, our company has been quiet about our activities. This has, understandably, created interest, concern, and speculation,” the site reads. “Now that we’re no longer limited by confidentiality, we are eager to begin a conversation about the future of Solano County.”
Renderings show red-roofed residences surrounded by rolling green hills and trees, reminiscent of a Tuscan ideal. City streets are also imagined in European style, with car-free plazas, streets, and bike paths; one representation is more New York City in its sensibilities, with brownstone-type homes along a street. One of the questions in a survey emailed to Solano County residents asked if the project would be more appealing if it seemed “like a college town,” with a mix of housing, schools, and eateries with an emphasis on walkability.
The initiative is likely to attract criticism from at least some Solano County politicians
However, the initiative is likely to attract criticism from at least some Solano County politicians. To sustain the development of tens of thousands of houses, California Forever will need to acquire water rights. They will also require the support of local voters. Solano County now employs its “orderly growth” policy to limit where urban development can occur; the project requires county voter approval in part to develop on currently agricultural property.
Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy told the Daily Beast that she intends to oppose the proposed construction. “It’s disrespectful, and it reminds me a lot of why people get angry about our financial systems in the United States, where you have billionaires who can come in and just play with us like we’re toys,” Moy added. According to the website, California Forever’s next steps will be to meet with “the elected representatives of Solano County,” to mail a survey to every household in the county, and to accept nominations for a citizen advisory board.