What was a desolate dirt field on the corner of W. Monte Vista Avenue and N. Walnut Road in Turlock is now full of activity, as construction workers have been braving the heat to get a much-anticipated residential project underway.

Last month, construction finally began on Monte Vista Apartments, a project that was originally proposed in May of 2021 and approved by the City of Turlock Planning Commission in August of that same year.

The Monte Vista Apartments at 1525 W. Monte Vista Ave. is a 348-unit multi-family residential project sitting on a 12-acre parcel. There will be 12 three-story buildings approximately 40 feet in height. Each unit will include a patio or balcony area. Onsite improvements include parking, carports, landscaping, a pool and a 900-square-foot children’s outdoor play area. Off-site improvements include curbs, gutters and sidewalks installed along the Monte Vista Avenue and Walnut Road frontages.

“We think it’s an exciting location just because of its proximity to the university,” developer Chris Hawke told the Turlock Journal in 2021. “I think there has been very little new apartment development in the city of Turlock, so it’s an opportunity for us to bring on a fairly large-sized project of apartments into the community.”