Vacant Oakdale stores get new uses, and 7 other takeaways from State of the City
Oakdale Mayor Cherilyn Bairos talked of new businesses and housing in her State of the City address. And she mentioned a solid general fund reserve, thanks in part to that construction.
Bairos spoke at the annual luncheon Wednesday at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, in the heart of the thriving downtown.
She touched on crime, parks and other topics for an audience that included business and civic leaders. Each table had a centerpiece depicting the city’s Cowboy Capital of the World motto.
Bairos was elected to the City Council in 2014 and appointed to the vacant mayor’s seat in 2021. She has announced on Facebook that she will run again for the top job in November.
Highlights of the address:
1. City government has a general fund reserve of about $7.2 million, which is 40% of the spending in the current fiscal year. It mainly goes to police and fire protection. The cushion would come in handy if sales and property taxes lag due to a recession or other reason.
2. Oakdale had zero homicides in 2025. Police responded to six rape reports and 225 other types of assaults. Property crimes included 25 vehicle thefts, 21 burglaries, 16 robberies and 143 other types of theft.
3. The vacant Rite-Aid drug store on West F Street will become part of the Oak Valley Hospital District. It is remodeling the building to provide urgent care, hearing services and meeting rooms for education and community use. The opening date was not available.
4. A Walmart Neighborhood Market will rise on the East F Street site of a Kmart that closed in 2019. The Modesto Bee reported in July that Walmart had submitted its plans. Bairos said Wednesday that the store will open in 2028 and employ about 150 people. The Arkansas-based chain will demolish the old Kmart, which has become an eyesore. The latter’s parent company had filed for bankruptcy in 2018. It also took out Sears stores in Modesto and beyond.
5. The first phase of the Greger Sports Park opened last March just south of downtown. It has two soccer fields, four pickleball courts and a tennis court. Future phases will add a playground and a gymnasium for basketball, volleyball and other indoor sports. The $6 million first phase was funded by fees on local land developers and leftover federal aid from COVID-19.
6. Oakdale will get its first Chipotle restaurant, also near the former Kmart. The Bee reported on this in December, without an opening date.
7. A four-story hotel is coming to East F Street just west of North Stearns Road, approved by the City Council in December 2024. It will be an 83-room addition to the Fairfield by Marriott chain. A completion date has not been announced.
8. A total of 478 homes will be added in six recent subdivisions in various parts of Oakdale. Generally, they will cost about $500,000 and up but will help with the overall shortage. A state-mandated plan calls for 1,665 total units for sale or rent though 2031. This includes 414 for “very low-income” people, 218 for low-income, 294 for moderate earners and 739 for higher. Details on possible sites are at www.oakdalegov.com/housing-element.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 11:11 AM.
