Design Review Commission reviews Oceana proposal for 1555 Bonanza Street

Walnut Creek — At a March 4 study session, the Walnut Creek Design Review Commission reviewed a proposal to convert 1555 Bonanza Street — historically a yacht club building — into Oceana, a fish‑bar restaurant on the ground floor with office space above.

Jessica Gonzales, senior planner, told the commission the project team has applied for an administrative use permit to serve alcohol that planning staff has already reviewed and issued, and that the DRC’s role that evening was to provide design feedback before the item returns to the planning commission for a final decision. “The project site is an existing two‑story building located at the corner of Bonanza and Locust Street at 1555 Bonanza Street,” Gonzales said.

The applicant and design team said the proposal includes a two‑story addition, exterior remodeling, a new trash enclosure, added landscaping and roughly a 400‑square‑foot outdoor dining patio facing Bonanza. “So the addition here is gonna be more dining space that feeds to a small outdoor dining area on Bonanza,” architect Brandon Marshall said, describing a relocated stair to improve kitchen operations and a sloped parapet that will house rooftop mechanical equipment.

Applicant Rola Gabin framed the project as a family investment in downtown Walnut Creek. “Our family’s history in this community began in 1980…we view 1555 Bonanza as an important piece of the downtown history and future,” Gabin said.

Commissioners generally praised the massing and material choices but requested additional technical and planting details before recommending approval to the planning commission. Key requests recorded by staff included:
- A section/detail showing how the proposed laser‑cut metal scrim attaches to and is separated from the two‑story curtain wall so commissioners can assess attachment, clearances and maintenance access.
- Diagrams showing rooftop equipment and associated ductwork/shading so mechanical runs are not visible from the street.
- Treatment options for windows that wrap near restroom doors (for example fritting or graphic glass) to avoid direct sightlines into toilets while preserving active glazing at the sidewalk.
- Clear planter/cutout details and soil depth to ensure the ficus vines shown in renderings can be successfully established and maintained along the Bonanza elevation.
- A review of selected ornamental grass species for narrow planters so mature sizes remain in scale with the frontage, and consistency of awning/trellis materials between the Bonanza and Locust facades.

Marshall and the applicant team said they will work the requested details into forthcoming submittals. The team also described on‑site stormwater measures: permeable paving in the rear courtyard intended to help meet C3 treatment requirements and reduce the area of rooftop that requires additional treatment.

The public hearing was opened and no members of the public spoke. Staff closed the hearing and recorded the commission’s consensus items; the DRC will provide a recommendation when the item returns and the planning commission will make the final entitlement decision.