South DB Office Building Looks to Break Ground in February

Plans for a 36,142 square foot, three-story office building in the Diamond Hills Plaza shopping center — home to — are one step closer to approval, in line with a schedule to break ground at the site on Feb. 12.

Peichin Lee of CGM Development, developer of the property, said the Feb. 12 groundbreaking would allow the Diamond Star Office Condo to be completed by September of this year.

On Tuesday night, the city's planning commission gave a unanimous recommendation for approval to the city council for the latest version of the plans, which made a number of changes to the development's previous design.

Namely, the plans approved Tuesday made the building three stories instead of two, raising the overall height from 35 feet to 39 feet.

The building will contain 30 office condo units on the 0.94-acre lot.

The new plan eliminated a balcony overlooking the adjacent Fountain Springs Road and the commission made clear the city's intention to protect and retain the six trees that currently stand at the edge of the property, blocking a direct line of sight to homes across the street.

Commissioner Steven Nelson expressed concern for the privacy of nearby residents.

"(These plans are) a little bit more intrusive," Nelson said, "but not significantly."

Cold Spring Lane resident Christopher Chung offered his support of the project during public comments, saying that the elevation difference between the street and the level of the site made the project, "almost like a two-story building."

Chung said he felt the the new project would bring "synergy" to the north end of the shopping center and that he was impressed with the city's ability to attract a developer for the project while a tough economy has put some construction on hold.

"It's a good development," Planning Commissioner Jack Shah said. "That shopping center had difficulty in bringing people in."

While discussing development in Diamond Bar, Mayor Steve Tye characterized the Diamond Hills Plaza of 15 years ago as a "ghost town," but said that the addition of Super H Mart about four years ago kicked off a new line of redevelopment.

Commissioner Kwang Ho Lee said he felt the development would be "very beneficial for the shopping center."

The city staff presented a hope that workers at the office building would dine and shop at nearby businesses at the center after the project is completed.

Plans approved Tuesday also called for the new project to share parking with existing businesses at the north end of the shopping center and established sign guidelines for the building.

Signs will be limited to the first floor of the building and will be designed in coordination with existing signs in the shopping center.