Prime Highlights
- California Forever is building a 2,100-acre high-tech manufacturing complex, “Solano Foundry,” near its proposed new city in Solano County.
- The project will generate over 35,000 jobs and anchor a high-tech industrial complex by 2028.
Key Facts
- Manufacturing, housing, and transit-oriented development are included in the plan to foster innovation and economic growth.
- A legal annexation agreement with Suisun City precludes a countywide vote, streamlining the project timeline.
Key Background
California Forever, a highly capitalized real estate development company funded by prominent Silicon Valley investors, has been purchasing land in eastern Solano County since 2017. Its larger vision is to create a 400,000-person city with affordable housing, parks, and employment close at hand in a green landscape. Early attempts at rallying for a 2024 ballot measure weren’t popular enough, and the organization had to settle on adopting a new approach— negotiating with nearby cities such as Suisun City directly through annexation agreements that don’t require a county-wide public vote.
CEO Jan Sramek released this week the establishment of the “Solano Foundry,” a 2,100-acre industrial park for the re-vitalization of local advanced manufacturing in California. The Foundry would be appropriate for aerospace, defense, robotics, electric vehicle, and clean energy businesses. Sramek emphasized that the permitting process would be just 90 days, and 2028 would be the estimated time when the building would be complete. This is under a regional master plan that involves housing, transportation infrastructure, and a proposed shipyard near Rio Vista.
A company white paper puts the Solano Foundry at over 35,000 high-tech manufacturing jobs and 5,000 additional warehousing jobs. The project is consistent with California’s vision of local manufacturing capacity revival, occluded long enough by outsourcing trends.
While there are some local authorities and business supporters praising the plan for its innovative and job-generating capabilities, neighborhood activists and greens are skeptical. Opponents claim that the company is dividing the project to prevent strict examination and approval from the public. Concerns about urban sprawl, environmental corruption, and whether it is worthwhile in the long term to construct a new city with a speculative industrial hub are present.
The Solano Foundry is an outright reversal of strategy by California Forever—initially concentrating on industry and infrastructure, then trying to build credibility and legitimacy through small, tangible steps.