O’NEALS–The tiny town of O’Neals has had a post office since 1887. The town area of approximately 500 citizens is home to Spring Valley Elementary School, Minarets High School, including 2 Charter schools and Ponderosa Telephone. Westbrook Wine Farm (a lovely boutique wine farm) and a handful of home businesses also call O’neals home. The local office for J. S. West Propane is based in O’Neals. Outback Materials, a local producer of ready-mix concrete formerly operated their business in O’Neals. That facility is now home to the Chawanakee School District, District offices as well as the Chawanakee School District “Maintenance, Operations and Transportation” facilities.
Bringing Storefront Services to O’Neals
The town area presently has no storefront services. Brad Ditton, Broker/Owner of Century 21 Ditton Realty, and local Developer hopes to change that.
Realtor/Developer Brad Ditton
Presently 77, Ditton purchased the development property 36 years ago with two (2) partners. Ditton “bought the partners out” of the property and began developing the Minarets Crossing project in 2020, just in time to experience a horrid “supply chain” and huge inflation in the cost of construction material.
Horse and Buggy Sculpture at corner of 41/200
Ditton retired once in 2006 then came back to work at the beginning of 2008 when he was asked to return. He is still going strong today however retirement is now on his mind. Still, in O’Neals, he saw a need and decided to meet it. He refers to Minarets Crossing as a service-oriented venture coupled with employment opportunities for locals more so than a for-profit project. Ditton’s newest endeavor, Minarets Crossing is evolving at the northeast corner of Highway 41 and County Road 200. Marked with an iron-horse-and-stagecoach sculpture, Ditton intends to give the development a “rustic” flavor as required by the O’Neals General Plan.
Development Serves Surrounding Communities
With Minarets Crossing, Ditton plans to bring much needed services and employment not only to O’Neals but also to the surrounding communities. Within a 12-mile radius lays Yosemite Lakes Park, Indian Lakes Estates, Willow Pond Estates, Quartz Mountain Estates, many additional single-family homes and cattle ranches, the owners of which hopefully will benefit from services soon to be more readily available than currently exist.
The Minarets Crossing development consists of a total of 34 acres complete with a community treated domestic water system including fire hydrants located along the paved private roadways, a separate irrigation system utilizing non-treated water, a community sewer, J. S. West propane service, and Ponderosa Telephone fiber optic and copper telephone/internet facilities. In addition to those buildings currently under construction, parcels generally 1 +/- acre in size are available for sale or possibly a ground lease. There are a wide range of Madera County permitted uses including retail sales, customer service establishments, professional offices, contractor warehouse/office facilities and much more.
Numerous investors have shown an interest in acquiring parcels with the intent of constructing offices and/or commercial facilities for their own occupancy or lease to others.
Buildings currently under construction include a Chevron gas station and a 6,000 square foot “Urban Market.” The Urban Market” will feature food items prepared on-site, fresh produce,
camping supplies and fishing gear, and more.
Convenient Access for Travelers
Minarets Crossing is the only commercial facility located on the east (right) side of the Highway 41 corridor as you travel northbound on Highway 41. Finally, there will be no need to cross fast oncoming Highway 41 traffic to enter a commercial facility. The busy Highway 41 corridor is a primary access to and from Yosemite National Park, the region’s biggest draw. Road 200 is the Gateway to the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway which also provides access to North Fork and Bass Lake. Minarets Crossing will be an easy stop for travelers headed for all destinations.
The Red Barn
The 4,000 square foot Red Barn, under construction, will include a Mexican restaurant, coffee shop, Century 21 real estate office and dog grooming.
Shared Relationship with Minarets High School
Minarets Crossing will not only serve the O’Neals residential population, daily commuters and tourist travelers but also shares a relationship with Minarets High School, the first high school constructed in the Chawanakee Unified School District. The O’Neals High School campus opened to students in September 2009. Since the high school has no kitchen or cafeteria facilities, the nearby commercial center will offer students a place to obtain food during their lunch break. Likewise, Minarets Crossing provides wastewater to the high school, which the center pays to treat. Because the high school is shuttered during the summer months, the supply of wastewater (bacteria) is necessary to keep the school’s sewer system in proper operation when school is not in session.
Employment/Work Experience Opportunities
The development stands to provide employment opportunities for residents as well as work experience for Minarets High School students. Because of what Ditton calls its “lightning-fast”
fiber-optics, businesses in communities with less than optimum internet service can opt to rent space at Minarets Crossing as office rentals become available.
Parcels Still Available
The center has parcels available for purchase (or a ground lease.) To find out more about purchasing or renting space in the project contact Brad Ditton, Century 21 Ditton Realty,
b.ditton@c21ditton.com, Direct mobile #559.760.3485. California Department of Real Estate license #00544943.
Photos courtesy of Brad Ditton and Judi Hussain.
