Business & Tech

A Landmark Eyesore - Pleasant Hill Prime Real Estate Site Still Sits Vacant, But Solarized

Former site of Blondies and Rasputin's may yet become an organic grocery store.

After several years of sitting empty and growing less attractive with each passing year, a prime Pleasant Hill real estate spot remains vacant and unkempt. The buildings on the corner of Contra Costa Blvd. and Taylor Blvd. that used to house Rasputin Records and Blondie's Pizza how are used for storage, though of what is being stored inside is hard to tell through the dirt-caked windows. 

The building has had a rooftop addition in the past six months, and the roof has been lined with solar panels. But those, it's been said, are hardly improvements - the panels only make the building less attractive, some say.

"The comments I get from the public are that those solar panels are just plain ugly," said councilmember Jack Weir at a meeting of the Economic Development Committee Thursday. 

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"Permits have been issued and work still continues," said Greg Fuz, City Planner. "Things may take a little longer because of the personalities involved." 

The building is owned by Ken Sarachan, who also owns the Rasputin and Blondie's Pizza stores in Berkeley, as well which has remained untouched for 15 years - has created years of controversy between himself and Berkeley officials, who have been long clamoring for Salachar to build something on the site. 

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Fuz said that Salachar has proposed an organic grocery store for the Pleasant Hill site, but talks are moving slowly. Meanwhile, weeds continue to dominate the parking and and green spaces around the building. 

"The city has to inspect the property every six months for his permits to remain active," Fuz said. "He has to keep the property neat, get rid of the weeds, that kind of thing. We've advised him of that recently, and he's been responsive." 

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