Week In Review: Marketplace and Pot Farms

The potential development of a new food plaza on the site of the old Albertson's property on East 14th Street was the top story on Patch last week.

Interest in the Village Marketplace project may owe to the fact that the city will end up to give downtown what city leaders hope will be a boost.

Or it may stem from interest in the Fresh & Easy grocery, Peet's Coffee and Chipotle Mexican Grill that are announced so far.

Blog post sparks debate

Village Marketplace is a partnership between the city's redevelopment agency and developer David Irmer, who also did the Creekside Plaza Office Complex diagonally across from the downtown BART station.

A blog posting provoked a lengthy and informative debate.

Of course, the really important deliberations over the future of redevelopment will be held in the chambers of , which is expected to render a decision in January.

A chance discovery

Bad luck was how one neigborhing businessman described the discovery of a on 143rd Avenue.

Firefighters discovered the indoor growing operation while extinguishing a blaze at a different warehouse in the same complex.

More than 300 plants worth an estimated $65,000 were among the contraband seized.

Speaking of pot

Patch reported last week that ex-narcotics detective Jason Fredriksson could .

Fredriksson was  with a felony for allegedly being in possession of more than a pound of marijuana and giving it to his mistress, who is also reportedly a police informant.

Fredriksson has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer says his client's only wrongdoing was the romantic relationship with the informant.

The case could yet be delayed as Fredriksson and the Alameda County District Attorney's office work in private to arrive at a deal.