It is frustrating when a consultant blows into town, takes our
hard earned money and comes up with something like,
”
We’re appalled the Garlic Festival isn’t held downtown
”
and
”
Most cities would kill to have a train station downtown, let’s
put some more businesses there.
”
It is frustrating when a consultant blows into town, takes our hard earned money and comes up with something like, “We’re appalled the Garlic Festival isn’t held downtown” and “Most cities would kill to have a train station downtown, let’s put some more businesses there.”
Our first reaction to consultant Mark Brodeur, who was hired to lead a downtown workshop, went something like this: “Well the trains don’t run on the weekends, bub, and the Garlic Festival runs like a dream machine at Christmas Hill Park and (with a sarcastic chuckle), there’s really a place near downtown to park all those cars those festival-goers seem to want to drive – yeah, right.”
But we’ll quickly get past those two inane pronouncements and move into the many positive aspects of the weekend workshop. For starters, it is exciting to see an extended focus on the downtown and bit by bit, block by block improvement. Happy Dog Pizza Company in the old firehouse building on Fifth Street and the two restaurants within revamped and beautiful Old City Hall are two of numerous positive signs.
In addition, the south Monterey Street streetscape project, though behind schedule, is sprucing up an entire area around the train station and southern entrance to the downtown core.
Add those improvements to some actions related to worthwhile suggestions which surfaced during the weekend workshop and Gilroy could, in a decade, have a truly revitalized downtown.
Bringing back a downtown business improvement district, funded by a partnership modeled after the city’s Economic Development Commission, is one of the best ideas.
If the businesses, city and chamber could come to an accord on funding, a downtown development director who could promote, coordinate and champion the area could be hired. That would be a tangible boost to current efforts.
If that came in tandem with the anointing of a City of Gilroy downtown ombudsman – a point person at city hall for downtown development – it would be a great one-two punch.
Kudos are due to Mayor Al Pinheiro for following through on a campaign promise to work diligently on downtown revitalization. The city already has reduced impact fees, restructured parking requirements and revamped zoning rules to allow for mixed use.
Downtown has been a Gilroy white elephant for decades. But there’s only one way to eat an elephant, and that’s one bite at a time.
Gilroy is making strides. Let’s keep the ball rolling by figuring out how to make the downtown core more pedestrian friendly. Let’s encourage the merchants to stay open one night each week – beginning hopefully during the next holiday shopping season. Let’s take a look at adding a new fee – one charged to all new businesses within the city that goes to downtown improvement.
A vibrant downtown could be the crowning jewel on a wonderful town.
