Growth has not yet subsided, as the City of Oakdale continues to see a positive trend in the way of new construction. According to City of Oakdale Senior Building and Fire Inspector Brian Odom, the west side Bridle Ridge Development is just a handful of homes from being at build-out completion. It’s a project which will total out at over 1,000 homes in total.

The commercial space however, just located at the west end of the Vineyard at Crane and West F Street, still has to be determined.

“There’s been nothing on that,” Odom said, noting the hope and ideal of the land hosting a supermarket as its anchor store. “There’s been nothing come forward. Nobody’s come forward. We’re just waiting for the right person to come along.”

Residents of the west end, along with officials, have been hoping for a major grocery store to enter the area, possibly as an anchor with smaller stores around it. However, that has not happened.

Odom also acknowledged interest was once made on details, by a party interested in constructing a 24,000 square foot building. The inquiry was made through a confidential source, he said, so details beyond that are mere speculation.

“It was anybody’s guess who that could have been,” Odom said, “but it was not pursued further.”

In addition to the Bridle Ridge completion, ground has been broken and construction started on a gated community on River Avenue. The river access subdivision will host a total of 21 homes built on 6,000 acre lots.

The east side, 55 and older Tesoro gated community is also wrapping up with plans of starting Tesoro II. The second phase looks to be 50 to 60 8,000-foot single family home lots.

“There’s a big push right now to get D Street connected through,” Odom said of gaining access to Stearns Road on the east side in addition to the existing highway access.

Other east side activity includes a proposed annex southeast of town at Stearns Road.

“Right now they’re working on some annexation to the east of us, a development called Sierra Point,” Odom stated.

He said the city, as well as interested developers are working with land owners to annex some more land into the city limits.

“This would be to the tune of about 500 homes,” he said. “It’s a big deal with the bypass coming; there are all types of possibilities.”

Over the past 13 months a total of 135 permits have been pulled for new development, now leaving most previously vacant lots either built on or with plans to do so.

According to Odom, once the city slows down with new home sales, remodels typically begin for the homeowners who stay put. He anticipates the building trend will continue for another two to three years.