River Islands

What River Islands does

River Islands Development, LLC is a privately held master-planned community developer headquartered in Lathrop, California, operating under the Cambay Group — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Somerston Holdings Limited. The company is developing an approved 15,000-home master plan on former agricultural land along the San Joaquin River, of which approximately 20% has been built out with a 20+ year remaining buildout runway. Core infrastructure includes a custom-engineered Super Levees flood protection system rated to a 200-year event, 18 manmade lakes, 5.25 miles (of 18 planned) of paved riverfront trails, on-site fire and police facilities, and the River Islands Academies K-12 charter school system operated within the Banta Unified School District.

The business operates a multi-channel revenue model. Primary revenue comes from selling finished residential lots to nine homebuilder channel partners — Del Webb (PulteGroup), Lennar, Pulte Homes, Kiper Homes, Tri Pointe Homes, Taylor Morrison, Van Daele Homes, Risewell Homes, and Signature Homes — who construct and sell homes across six distinct collections ranging from $467,990 entry-level to over $1.1 million for riverfront estates. A secondary commercial leg sells shovel-ready parcels in the River Islands Business Park, marketed on the basis of up to $75 million in development incentives and exclusive Lathrop Irrigation District power at rates up to 38% below PG&E. A smaller hospitality stream operates The Boathouse restaurant with a 4,000 sq ft lakeside deck, with The Pavilion amphitheater (3,400 capacity) and a relocated Redwood Café under development.

The integrated community is the central product: residential, commercial, educational, recreational, and (forthcoming) healthcare (Sutter Health, opening 2028) are coordinated under a single master developer. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through a Welcome Center (open Tuesday-Sunday), in-person model home tours across each neighborhood, an AI-assisted website with topic-specific chatbots (Stewart, Lexi, Ms. Woods, Rex), and a mix of social, email, and community-event marketing. The president, Susan Dell'Osso, has led the project under Cambay Group for nearly 40 years.

Name

River Islands

Legal name

River Islands Development, LLC

Website

https://riverislands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

River Islands Development is a private master-planned community developer in Lathrop, California, building out 15,000 approved homes along the San Joaquin River by selling finished lots to nine homebuilder partners (Del Webb, Lennar, Pulte, others) and commercial parcels in its Business Park. It integrates K-12 charter schools, on-site fire/police, healthcare, lakes, and trails into a single community ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lathrop

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Home Sales: River Islands generates revenue through the sale of homes built by multiple partner homebuilders (Del Webb, Lennar, Pulte, Kiper Homes, Tri Pointe, Taylor Morrison, Van Daele Homes, Risewell Homes, Signature Homes). The master-planned community sells finished lots to builders who construct and sell homes to end buyers.
2. Commercial Land Development: River Islands Business Park offers commercial and industrial parcels for businesses, providing land sales and development opportunities. The Business Park is fully entitled with infrastructure in place.
3. Hospitality and Entertainment: Revenue from The Boathouse restaurant operations and future venues including The Pavilion amphitheater and Redwood Café & Events Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

River Islands is a master-planned community in Lathrop, California, developed by the Cambay Group (subsidiary of Somerston Holdings Limited). The company develops, entitles, and sells finished residential lots to partner homebuilders, sells commercial and industrial parcels through its Business Park, and operates community amenities including charter schools, parks, lakes, trails, and hospitality venues.

Product overview

River Islands is a master-planned community in Lathrop, California, offering a vertically integrated living experience through six residential collections (Academy, Del Webb, Lakeside, Parkside, Riverview, Trailside) ranging from 1,447 to 4,936 square feet. The community includes a Business Park with commercial development opportunities, River Islands Academies charter school system (K-12), extensive Parks & Recreation amenities (18+ lakes, 5+ miles of trails, community parks), and venues including The Boathouse restaurant, Islanders Field stadium, and The Pavilion amphitheater. Community services include on-site fire and police facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• River Islands Academies: Charter school system within the Banta Unified School District offering K-12 education at River Islands, including River Islands Technology Academy, NextGen STEAM Academy, EPIC Academy, and River Islands High School.

Products and services

• Residential Homes (Six Collections) Six distinct residential collections (Academy, Del Webb 55+, Lakeside, Parkside, Riverview, Trailside) ranging from 1,447 to 4,936 square feet, built by partner homebuilders on finished lots developed by River Islands. Homes are sold to individual homebuyers and families.
• River Islands Business Park Fully entitled commercial and industrial land parcels sold to businesses, offering power rates up to 38% less than PG&E through Lathrop Irrigation District and access to a regional talent pool of 80,000+ skilled workers.
• River Islands Academies (Charter Schools) K-12 charter school system within Banta Unified School District, including three operating K-8 schools (RiTech Academy, NextGen STEAM Academy, EPIC Academy), River Islands High School, and a fourth K-8 school under construction. Open to River Islands residents and Banta District area families.
• Parks and Recreation Extensive outdoor amenities including 18+ manmade lakes, 5.25 miles of paved linear trail (Bennie & Joyce Gatto Historic Trail, planned for 18 miles), multiple community and neighborhood parks, Champions Field Community Park, and waterfront recreation areas.
• The Boathouse Lakeside restaurant with a 4,000 square foot deck overlooking Sunset Lake, offering wood-fired pizza, full-service bar, beach volleyball, and bocce ball courts. Serves as a community gathering venue for private events.
• Islanders Field State-of-the-art grass stadium with approximately 500 seating capacity, lights, scoreboard, public address systems, and batting cages, used for youth baseball leagues, clinics, and tournaments.
• The Pavilion (Amphitheater) Outdoor entertainment venue with capacity for approximately 3,400 attendees, designed for concerts, plays, corporate events, and community gatherings as part of the developing Town Center.
• Community Services On-site public safety services including Lathrop-Manteca Fire Department Station 35 and Lathrop Police Department Administrative Headquarters, both located within the community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Charter school test scores exceed San Joaquin County and State averages in SBAC testing for college readiness
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• Sutter HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025Sutter Health is developing a two-story 40,000 square-foot medical facility in River Islands to bring quality healthcare and specialty services to the community. The center will support 18 full-time providers with 38 exam rooms for family medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, orthopedics, cardiology, and behavioral health. Opens 2028.
• Cambay GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cambay Group, Inc. is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Somerston Holdings Limited that has led River Islands development for nearly 40 years. Cambay Group serves as the master developer, driving planning, approvals, infrastructure development, and homebuilder partnerships.
• Bob Campana / Redwood Café PartnershipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Bob Campana (original Redwood Café owner in Modesto since 1994) and Cambay Group to relocate and expand the iconic restaurant to River Islands. The new three-story venue will include multiple wine cellars, dining rooms, events center, and outdoor terrace overlooking the San Joaquin River.
• Lathrop Irrigation District (LID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLID provides exclusive electrical power to River Islands with rates up to 38% less than PG&E. Has been providing power to River Islands' schools, residents, and commercial areas, with next-gen clean energy initiatives underway.
• Valley Link RailmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProposed 42-mile, 7-station passenger rail project connecting Dublin/Pleasanton BART to ACE North Lathrop Station. Valley Link plans include a train station within the River Islands Business Park as part of the project utilizing existing transportation rights-of-ways.
• Banta Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiver Islands Academies operates as a charter school system within the Banta Unified School District, providing K-12 education exclusively to River Islands residents and Banta District area families.
• Del Webb (PulteGroup)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDel Webb, part of PulteGroup, builds the 55+ active adult community within River Islands featuring the Lakeview Club recreation center with pool, spa, pickleball, and fitness facilities. Three collections of single-family homes selling from $474,990.
• LennarmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLennar builds multiple neighborhoods in River Islands including Heritage, Meridian, and Driftway (with Kiper). Homes range from approximately 1,820 to 2,767+ sq ft with smart home technology and diverse floor plans.
• Pulte HomesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPulte Homes builds The Shores (Riverview Collection along San Joaquin River) and Mainstay (Lakeside Collection) neighborhoods. Homes range from approximately 3,167 to 4,936 sq ft with premium finishes and smart home technology.
• Kiper HomesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKiper Homes builds multiple neighborhoods including Capri (Lakeside waterfront), Serena, Skye, and Driftway (with Lennar). Homes feature direct waterfront access with optional semi-private docks and smart technology.
• Tri Pointe HomesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTri Pointe Homes builds Chantara (Parkside Collection) and The Tides (Lakeside Collection) neighborhoods. Features GenSmart Suites for multi-generational living and flexible floor plans.
• Taylor MorrisonmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTaylor Morrison builds Paddlewheel neighborhood (Lakeside Collection) with vacation-like atmosphere featuring lakeside views and direct water access for kayaking, paddleboarding, and boating.
• Van Daele HomesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVan Daele Homes builds Hideaway (Parkside Collection with private pool/spa), Monterey (Trailside Collection), and Westwind (Lakeside Collection) neighborhoods. Focus on California Room indoor-outdoor living.
• Risewell HomesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRisewell Homes builds Bridgeway neighborhood (Academy Collection) featuring EVO Home Technology with cutting-edge smart home features, open concept design, and flexible spaces along the river trail.
• Signature HomesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSignature Homes builds Clearwater neighborhood (Lakeside Collection) featuring luxury homes with open-concept designs, primary suites, and signature California Rooms. Grand opening February 2026.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Toll Brothers: Toll Brothers is a national luxury homebuilder that also develops master-planned communities. Comparable as a builder-developer active in Northern California with product overlap in the $700K-$1.1M+ price band where River Islands competes.

Direct peers

• Forestar Group: Forestar is a residential lot developer (owned by D.R. Horton) that acquires and develops land for master-planned communities. Comparable business model of finished-lot development sold to homebuilders.
• DMB Associates: DMB is a master-planned community developer focused on California and Arizona, including Eastmark in Mesa and DC Ranch in Scottsdale. Highly comparable development playbook of large entitled communities with homebuilder partnerships and amenity centers.
• FivePoint Holdings: FivePoint develops large-scale master-planned communities in California, including Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine. Most directly comparable to River Islands as a California master developer with mixed residential, commercial, and amenity components.
• Howard Hughes Holdings: Howard Hughes develops and operates master-planned communities such as The Woodlands, Summerlin, and Bridgeland. Comparable as a long-duration master developer monetizing residential lots, commercial land, and amenity-driven pricing power.
• Shea Homes: Shea Homes is a master-planned community developer active in California and the Southwest, often serving as both builder and master developer. Comparable in operational footprint and product positioning to River Islands' homebuilder partners.
• Brookfield Residential: Brookfield Residential develops master-planned communities across California, Arizona, and Alberta with similar homebuilder-partner models. Comparable as a North American master developer monetizing finished lots to national builders.
• The Villages: The Villages is the largest master-planned community in the United States, centered on 55+ active adult living with extensive amenities and charter schools. Comparable as an integrated lifestyle community with Del Webb demographic and venue-based recurring revenue.

Regional players

• Century Communities: Century Communities is a national homebuilder active in California's Central Valley, overlapping with River Islands' geographic market. Comparable as a value-to-mid-tier homebuilder competing for similar first-time and move-up buyer segments.

Others

• Lennar Corporation: Lennar is a River Islands homebuilder partner building multiple neighborhoods. Included as a peer because Lennar is both a competitor in the master-planned space and a key channel partner via Lennar's Heritage and Meridian neighborhoods at River Islands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RiverIslandsCA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@riverislandsliving6088
• Facebookfacebook.com/riverislandslathrop
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityatriverislands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/river-islands-at-lathrop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about River Islands