The owners of the massive IRS facility in southeast Fresno say they’re all in on new housing — and they’re fully prepared to meet environmental requirements, despite the city’s issues.

Denver-based Range Summit Capital had originally wanted to find a use for the 520,000-square-foot building, according to a spokesperson with the firm. He said the building was constructed so well and with so much power it made sense to keep it in place.

But finding a user for a building that size proved difficult. The market called for single-family homes, the spokesperson said.

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“We’re excited for the project and we think it promotes good public policy goals,” the spokesperson said. “We’re excited to see it develop into something good for the community.”

Builders Aiming for ‘Achievable Homes’

Investors bought the building at 5045 E. Butler Ave. in 2021. The Fresno County Assessor’s Office listed the price at $6 million. According to a notice sent out to neighbors, the group expects to build 400 single-family homes there.

The spokesperson said they’re called “achievable homes.”

“We’re targeting first-time homebuyers and perhaps retiree home buyers who want to move down to a lower maintenance-type space,” the spokesperson said.

Builders Willing to Invest

The firm hopes to have entitlements finished within 12 to 18 months, the spokesperson said. They expect to do their own environmental analysis required by both the city and state.

To a certain degree, developers can rely on environmental analysis done by the city, intended to expedite the building process.

But a court order from the California 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upended the city’s blanket environmental analysis. The city then sent notices to several developers that a separate analysis would be needed.

An environmental impact report can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on what needs to be analyzed.

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Fresno City Councilman Luis Chavez supports the addition of new housing but recognized traffic could be an issue. The neighborhood borders Greenberg Elementary School. The site is also less than a half mile from Sunnyside High School and Ayer Elementary School.

The firm conducted two community meetings that attracted 80 to 100 people, the Range Summit Capital spokesperson said. Building would require a change of zoning, which means hearings at both the Fresno Planning Commission and Fresno City Council.