A  new 45-foot tall sign will soon greet motorists as they travel past the Lander Avenue exit of Highway 99, a portent of what's to come at the Lander Crossings center.

The Turlock Planning Commission approved a Master Sign Program last week for the Lander Crossings development, which will include a variety of sign types along with the tall freeway-oriented pylon sign adjacent to Hwy. 99.

Construction began recently on Lander Crossings' first tenant, a three-story, 85-room Hampton Inn and Suites hotel. However, the hotel is just one of five parcels that will be developed at the 6-acre site, said property owner Gaurav Deep Sethi.

Sethi Management took over the property in 2007, and started doing a lot of the offsite and underground work on it. When the economy started going sour in 2008 the project came to a halt, said Sethi. The project was re-launched last year, and has already drawn two businesses which are expected to bring 50 new jobs to town.

"The Valley took a bigger hit than other areas we develop," said Sethi about the recession. "We feel it has finally come around and will only get stronger."

Along with the Hampton Inn, Baz Allergy & Sinus Center is expanding to the Lander Crossings site.

Baz Allergy has nine locations currently in the Central Valley, from Visalia to Merced. According to Executive Health Director Ty Nakagawa, the center decided to expand to Turlock because they saw a need for an allergist in the area.

"We were seeing patients coming from Turlock to Merced to find relief from their allergies," said Nakagawa.

The center specializes in treatment for all types of allergies and sinus problems. They offer immunotherapy and desensitization, and Baz has a pediatric pulmonologist who will travel between the Merced and Turlock offices.

"Living in the Valley asthma is a huge problem, especially for kids. We see kids nonstop. The sooner you can control the asthma the better the outcome, the better the quality of life," said Nakagawa.

Construction on the Baz Allergy & Sinus Center at Lander Crossings is expected to take another year, however, the center is opening a temporary Turlock office on Delbon Avenue next week.