A key gateway property at Windsor’s northern downtown edge, once part of the town’s defunct civic center project, is now up for grabs.
The property, assembled over two decades by the Telfer family, was originally intended for a mixed-use development. It went on the market in late August.
Telfer Oil, once a Martinez-based company that acquired Windsor Fuel in 1984, began purchasing adjacent parcels in 1988. Telfer Oil at its peak two decades ago had 300 employees and $40 million in annual revenue. Historically, roadway sealants were trucked from the facility, originally built in 1937.
By 2005, plans for a project called Windsor Gateway included 155 residential units — live-work spaces, luxury townhouses and large penthouses — plus 45,000 square feet of commercial space across five acres at Windsor Road and Old Redwood Highway, North Bay Business Journal reported at the time. But the council didn’t select the project to move forward under its former project-evaluation process that was often call a “beauty contest.”
The site aligns with Windsor’s Station Area Plan, zoned for 12-24 residential units per acre, with potential for up to 32 units to support transit-oriented development near a planned intermodal station. The 2005 proposal featured four-story buildings, podium parking with a rooftop plaza, and underground garages to address traffic and parking demands. However, zoning restrictions grandfathered Windsor Fuel’s operations, requiring relocation that never fully occurred.
Todd Schapmire, who is listing the property with fellow W Real Estate agent Will Lance, explained Michael Telfer’s decision to sell.
“He spent 20 years assembling these parcels while running his business, envisioning a major project,” Schapmire said. “Now, he’s stepping back and wants someone with fresh energy to take over.”
The listing includes three parcels totaling over 3 acres just north of the Windsor Town Hall for $2.5 million, a 0.7-acre lot with three houses across Windsor Road on Walten Way for $1.35 million and a nearly acre vacant lot once home to The Red Door Lounge and planned for the new police station for $789,000. Buyers can purchase the properties individually or as a package.
In 2016, Windsor initiated a study to enhance the Town Green’s northern edge. By 2019, the town partnered with Robert Green Co. for a civic center project on eight parcels, including Telfer’s land, featuring a hotel, luxury residences, town hall, police station and library, The Press Democrat reported.
In 2021, the project stalled amid political turmoil following former Mayor Dominic Foppoli’s resignation over sexual assault allegations. A divided council paused progress until June 2022, with Mayor Sam Salmon opposing luxury housing and citing affordability concerns. Green backed out of the plan at that time.
An environmental case related to former fuel tanks persists, though Schapmire noted remediation is largely complete. A North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board report from 2012, after operations ceased there, noted that sampling showed earlier remediation of storage tank leaks had stopped an underground plume of petroleum products.
The market for commercial properties these days is one of caution.
“Investors are being more thorough in their evaluations, and many seek stable income or low-maintenance investments,” Schapmire said.
Jeff Quackenbush joined North Bay Business Journal in May 1999. He covers primarily wine, construction and real estate. Reach him at jeff@nbbj.news or 707-521-4256.
