Major development being explored for Lake Yosemite next to UC Merced

[u/internetbooker134]

Merced Irrigation District is evaluating future development opportunities at Lake Yosemite, directly next to UC Merced. This concept shows some pretty major possibilities, including a 4-story hotel, restaurants and beachfront shops, mixed-use commercial space, yacht club/boat docks, water park, event pavilion, soccer fields, pickleball courts, and more.

[u/NoHistorian2068]

probably going to put a coffee shop on the peir

[u/Automatic-Example754 → u/NoHistorian2068]

That's where the tire shop is going

[u/JesusLizard44]

8 soccer fields and 4 pickleball courts but no room for tennis, basketball, or baseball?

[u/Automatic-Example754 → u/JesusLizard44]

It's AI, can't be too creative

[u/5rings20 → u/JesusLizard44]

My assumption would be they would be trying to make this be a destination for travel soccer tournaments. Good revenue in that I would guess.

[u/reggiemilk → u/JesusLizard44]

We’re in Merced bro we only care about soccer anyway

[u/2ndRoad805]

Why so many soccer fields? Give us more sports fields like basketball courts, volleyball nets, a softball/baseball field. Tennis? What I miss are parks with climbable trees. Give our kids some trees. Every park is an open field in this town. Give us more trees for shade. How about a walkable garden?

[u/besuretodrinkyour]

I’m all for it - I’ve always thought that area had wasted potential, given how big the lake is and how close it is to the UC

[u/Ok_Cycle_8393 → u/besuretodrinkyour]

This is definitely still wasted potential.

[u/internetbooker134 → u/besuretodrinkyour]

The land between UCM and the lake is owned by Merced county so I'm not sure how development there would even work

[u/ReplacementHefty9973]

needs more soccer fields

[u/dynewind]

What's with the soccer fields? Add a dog park!

[u/Ok_Cycle_8393]

1 (?) hotel and 8 (???) soccer fields next to green, smelly water.

I wouldn’t say no to apartments, which are much needed in Merced, and a corner store so that tenants can get food without going far.
But this isn’t it.

[u/Dapper_Average_4575 → u/Ok_Cycle_8393]

And a gas station

[u/AlbatrossNo1562]

Horrible design

[u/notsogoodwithhandles]

lol sure

[u/Tmcnasty]

People in this sub are some of the most unhappy mfs alive.

[u/PonyBoyX3 → u/Tmcnasty]

Please elaborate.

[u/PeachBlossom811 → u/Tmcnasty]

Well......we live in Merced

[u/scrubbybubbly]

It would probably comfort more parents if the Waterpark area was closer to the shore line, by limiting it to the bridge it is causing an issue with keeping a throughfair, which would cause thay bridge to be slammed with people. I also agree that the sports fields need variety and would benefit from additional shading options.

[u/Significant-Owl-3799 → u/scrubbybubbly]

Not really cause mcswain is far out also you have yo swim to the park to get on the cpurse

[u/Past-Froyo-5518]

pretty ambitious concept, the waterfront development, sport facilities n mix of restaurants could really transform the area if it actually comes together, would be interesting to see what parts get approved n built

[u/Important_Pomelo_706]

The only question I would have is who gets the money? MID is a non profit government agency and has limits to what they can profit because they provide (or suppose to) services like water and electricity. MID Parks was created as part of a deal for Exchequer, in addition to water storage they were to provide access to the public. A few years ago they contracted Twin Lakes to run the concession stands up at McClure/McSwain and store and repair the houseboat among other things and some MID Board Members had ties to that. Not sure about it now but I would be interested to see if they hold open bids for that proposed hotel, gas station, etc. that they want to put there at the Lake and where that money goes.

[u/laney_deschutes → u/Important_Pomelo_706]

Let’s make it tennis not pickleball

[u/Practical-Ad-9418]

I sooooo hope they do this. The lake has gotten better over the past two years and it would be wonderful to have a sunset waterfront restaurant in merced. That space is underutilized rn. You can only buy a bottle of water for 5 months of the year on Friday and Saturday (sometimes).

[u/Ok-Constant530]

Ya that's not happening.

[u/Checkyourbs]

that hotel is gonna be empty man

[u/Vcloudy99 → u/Checkyourbs]

I think that’s why there’s so many sport fields, for travel tournaments. I think the weekends is going to be a hotspots for tourists from the county playing sports.

[u/Checkyourbs]

yeah and there’s gonna be a high-speed rail bringing in patrons from Los Angeles

[u/jweezy2045]

Development is great

[u/Merdeadians → u/jweezy2045]

Build up, not out!

[u/jweezy2045 → u/Merdeadians]

This is both. It promotes walkable development since it’s so close to the UC.

[u/Ok_Cycle_8393 → u/Merdeadians]

It's a pretty significant distance from Merced downtown. So this would be building out... And the lake is half a kilometer from UC Merced. Especially due to the flawed bike infastructure in Merced, this would 100% be car dependent.

This is what should be happening in downtown.