Not a movie theater or a skating rink; big building on the hill is Seeno private museum

Construction on a private warehouse and museum to showcase a billionaire land developer’s massive collection of antiquities, art and taxidermy is moving along off Highway 4 near Concord.

Albert Seeno Jr.’s plans call for the museum to include artifacts relating to the African jungle, African mountain game, the Ice Age, dinosaurs, Native Americans, Asia, New Zealand and Europe.

The 78-year-old Seeno has long been a big game hunter. His Clayton mansion is filled with stuffed lions, tigers, bears and horned animals along with descriptions of the exotic locations where they were shot and killed.

The outside of the warehouse and museum building will not reflect the taxidermy that’s inside. Instead, the south, north and west sides of the building will be covered with colorful murals of Africa, a frontier in Utah and a mountain scene.

The museum section of the 90,000 sq. ft. building will not likely be open to the public and is not being built with taxpayer money. There will be enough parking for 135 vehicles, according to county reports, but the project is not expected to create more traffic during peak driving hours in the area. It’s not clear when the project is slated for completion.

The museum’s curator declined to comment on the operation, but drawings submit- ted to the county include plans for a sprawling museum lobby, a kitchen, a large multipurpose/dining room and a smaller multi-purpose/dining room. Drawings show the dining rooms set up with banquetstyle tables and chairs, but it doesn’t state whether spaces will be available for weddings or other private events.

The 6.3-acre lot on Evora Road at Willow Pass Road along Highway 4 is across from the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. The former military depot was poised for development by Concord First Partners, a company in which Seeno’s son, Albert Seeno III, holds a 45% interest. But in January, the Concord City Council