After several years of negotiations, Pittsburg leaders and a prominent local developer agreed this week to a scaled-back plan to build a three-story office building and restaurant in the city's Civic Center.

In the agreement, Concord-based Garaventa Enterprises has until July 31, 2014, to start construction — enough time to allow the economy to recover and garner potential tenants, city senior project manager Kerry Lyman said. The original plan called for a six-story building with space for Pittsburg school district offices and a branch of the Pittsburg library built using city redevelopment funds. Changing economic conditions forced the city to pull money out of the project last year, and Garaventa was asked whether it would build either a steel- or wood-frame structure and make the building solely for commercial office use.

To prepare for this project along with a new Contra Costa County courthouse in the area west of Railroad and Civic avenues, Pittsburg already has invested $4.8 million for relocating and upgrading utilities, widening Davi and Civic avenues and purchasing land for the project site. Pittsburg is still looking to acquire 1.3 acres from Caltrans for the project.

Monday's agreement will not cost the city any money, but public bicycle paths and other fees for public improvements could cost Pittsburg an additional $250,000.

Because of the long time frame, the development agreement includes a provision where the

deal can be terminated after two years and both parties would split Garaventa's $100,000 deposit. For example, if Pittsburg thinks the project can be developed given improved economic conditions, but Garaventa does not, Pittsburg would have a way to move forward, Lyman said.

Garaventa did a cost analysis and found "nobody in their right mind would (develop) today," Lyman said. Further, no bank would finance such an endeavor, he said.

The agreement also requires Garaventa to obtain a performance bond for the total cost of construction before Pittsburg gives the land to the developer. Garaventa officials were not at Monday's meeting and could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Pittsburg is looking at options for expanding or renovating the existing library, deputy city manager Matt Rodriguez said. Last month, Pittsburg leaders put $1.5 million toward library improvements as part of its redevelopment spending priorities.

The Pittsburg school district plans to have a new office building by 2013, but that's "further down the pike" than the priority of building two new high schools, Superintendent Barbara Wilson said.

Before Monday's unanimous vote, Mayor Nancy Parent insisted the agreement guarantee that Garaventa not construct the 6,000- to 8,000-square-foot restaurant before the 65,000- to 75,000-square-foot building.

Public comments on the project differed. Resident Mike Lengyel called the plan for a commercial building without any civic agencies at the governmental heart of the city "a mistake", while A.J. Fardella said Pittsburg had a "very sore need for Class A office space."

Paul Burgarino covers Pittsburg and Bay Point. Reach him at 925-779-7164.