MAC Meeting: Is Rudy’s Donuts Done?
Rudy’s Donuts—long-time staple of eastern Castro Valley Boulevard—might be on its way out.
Rudy’s Donuts—long-time staple of eastern Castro Valley Boulevard—might be on its way out, the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard at its Monday meeting.
The vote on the item was deferred to a future meeting, but the MAC has received a pre-application for a site development review of the site at 3692 Castro Valley Boulevard to convert the space from a donut shop to a dental office.
Originally a drive-in dairy, the 2,800-square-foot space has been home to Rudy’s since 1987. The business is owned by Shirley Ducato along with daughters Angela Ducato and Gina Alfaro, who manage operations. The building was sold a year ago to local dentist Dr. Jennifer Young.
Dr. Young plans to convert the site into a 2,035-square-foot dental office with an additional 770-square-feet of rentable space. The parking along the Castro Valley Boulevard frontage would be removed, according to the filing.
In her pre-application, Dr. Young stated that Rudy’s owner is planning to retire and she would like to move her dentistry into the space from her current leased location at 3603 Jamison Way. Young said the business sees about 70 patients per week and she has a 2,000 plus and growing patient base ranging in age from 2 to 100 years old.
Under the Castro Valley Central Business District Plan, medical and dental offices are allowed around the Rudy's site, but it will likely require re-zoning, and formally applying the project with Alameda County Public Works Agency and even the county Board of Supervisors, possibly a two-year process, according to MAC member Ken Carbone.
Meanwhile, Rudy’s continues to operate and serve donuts in “a state of limbo,” Angela Ducato told the Forum. She's hoping her landlord will have a change of heart and allow the donut shop to continue for many years to come.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the MAC also heard an update “state of the parks” from the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD).
Recent improvements to Castro Valley-based HARD property include the replacement of the roof at the Chanticleers Theatre and upgrades to six picnic areas at Castro Valley Community Park, both on Quail Avenue.
In the next five years, there are also plans to replace the tennis courts at that park, according to HARD.
There have also been improvements to the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior and Community Center at 17800 Redwood Road including new signage and landscaping.
And HARD said that perhaps the largest upgrade in Castro Valley has taken place at Canyon Middle School where four synthetic turf fields for sports have been installed. The $18 million project is a joint effort between the Castro Valley Unified School District and HARD.