There are lots of pieces to sort, study and mesh to make a complete picture.
The pieces he sees in the Crows Landing air facility project include:
The large number of West Side residents commuting over the Altamont Pass to jobs in the East Bay
Rapid population growth that will require the creation of thousands of jobs
Congestion at the Port of Oakland and surrounding freeways that limits the port's ability to move products east and west
Air quality problems in the valley
He believes his short-haul rail proposal between the port and Crows Landing is the piece that completes the puzzle.
"What excites me about it, I can see all the elements to make this project successful. They are there," Kamilos said. "This project can hit many different agendas. It not only will have a positive impact on Stanislaus County, it will have regional, and to some degree, statewide, benefit.
"It's very dynamic and exciting."
The Crows Landing project hasn't left the drawing board. Kamilos just started negotiating with county officials to reach an agreement to develop the land, a process that could take as long as a year.
In the meantime, Kamilos has thousands of acres of real estate projects under way in several counties in Northern California.
Some are residential, some are business parks and at least one is a planned community.
How does a developer keep all those projects moving while pitching a new project in Stanislaus County?
With a good staff, an eye for detail and an organized method of attack, Kamilos said.
Identifying key issues early is critical, he said — first, technical issues such as transportation, sewer and drainage.
"Then you need to identify the political, community issues," Kamilos said. "What's the desire of the community, what elements of the plan are anticipated, what are the inherent needs to be filled?"
The next step is figuring out how the project will get done.
"That's where our strength is," he said. "We always keep in mind what's needed to implement the project, to move forward to construction and complete buildout."
A final step is cost management over time, Kamilos said.
"Too many times a large project moves forward, and because of poor planning and not understanding the timing of building out, sometimes multiple decades and through several economic cycles, it is not successful," he said. "You need to phase it so the original intent doesn't change with changing economic times."
Kamilos credits the staff he has in Stockton and Gold River, near Sacramento, with keeping his projects on track.
"You basically create an infrastructure, an organization to make sure projects move forward," he said. "As ones are completed, you begin new projects. We have a really great team of professionals that assist me to manage the projects."
But he admits that he is never far from the details.
"I am, by nature, a hands-on person. I want to make sure nothing slips through the cracks," Kamilos said.
And to make sure each of those jigsaw pieces fits smoothly into the picture.
To comment, click on the link with this story at www.modbee.com. Bee staff writer Tim Moran can be reached at tmoran@modbee.com or 578-2349.
