Soledad Street Chinatown Predevelopment (34-40, 37-39, 45 Soledad Street)
Salinas
Description
The city is preparing entitlements for 88 affordable units with ground-floor commercial space and restoring the historic Republic Cafe as a museum; a developer will be selected this summer.
Impact summary
Would add 88 affordable homes, neighborhood commercial space, and a cultural museum to Chinatown, changing the area's skyline and character.
Applicant
- Name
- City of Salinas
- Address
- 34, 36, 38, 40, 37-39, and 45 Soledad Street, Salinas, CA
At a glance
- Hearings
- 2
- Public comments
- 1
- Total mentions
- 2
Recorded in the meeting · Planning Commission
Last discussed May 6, 2026.
Meeting timeline (2)
Planning Commission — May 6, 2026
The city is preparing entitlements for 88 affordable units with ground-floor commercial space and restoring the historic Republic Cafe as a museum; a developer will be selected this summer.
City Council — February 24, 2026
The city showed renderings for about 85 affordable units across three sites, including a six-story mixed-use building at 34-40 Soledad and senior housing at 45 Soledad, plus restoration of the historic Republic Cafe as an ACE museum. Entitlements are in process and a developer RFP is planned for summer.
Related issues (2)
Chinatown soil contamination and redevelopment
The city showed off plans for roughly 85 affordable units and restored historic buildings on Soledad Street, with a developer RFP expected this summer. Residents debated how quickly unhoused residents will be housed and whether the design honors Chinatown's heritage.
Chinatown Revitalization — Soledad Street Affordable Housing and Museum
The city is leading predevelopment on six Soledad Street properties to build 88 affordable apartments with ground-floor commercial space, plus restore the historic Republic Cafe as an Asian cultural museum. Commissioners debated funding, museum viability, and what happens to unhoused residents in the area.
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