DMB informed San Benito County officials today the company has officially withdrawn its proposal for the 6,800-unit El Rancho San Benito development northwest of Hollister off Highway 25, a planning official confirmed.
DMB representatives submitted the withdrawal letter to the county today and attributed the decision to the ailing economy, said Art Henriques, county planning director.
“They indicated in the letter, clearly, there’s a lot more going on in the world than just this project in San Benito County,” Henriques said. “They have a significant company that is dealing with a global economy.”
He went on: “I think as a private developer they have to make decisions for the good of their company.”
The Arizona-based company, however, intends to maintain ownership of some property it owns where DMB planned to build the development, Henriques said. The company also plans to maintain some level of corporate presence here, he said.
DMB’s Mike Roberts, a vice president with the company who has overseen the El Rancho San Benito project, did not immediately return a phone call before publication.
Each of the five county supervisors also did not immediately return phone calls before publication.
