Whoa. Gilroy seems poised to trip again on a vitally important
subject
– downtown’s future.
Whoa. Gilroy seems poised to trip again on a vitally important subject – downtown’s future.
We, as a community, can no longer afford to bumble along while downtown takes one step forward and two steps backward.
The downtown area is a direct reflection on our community. Our downtown does not represent our community pride which shows through in so many other areas. Downtown stares back at us as an ugly reminder of our procrastination and neglect.
Our community deserves better. Our leaders should be held accountable. We can do so much better. Our Garlic Festival is the best volunteer festival in the world. Our local economy is buoyed by a strong regional retail base that includes vibrant outlet shops and savvy auto dealers. Our public-private partnership – Gilroy’s Economic Development Committee – has reaped new companies and jobs.
We can land Costco, Lowe’s and Home Depot, but we have not summoned the will to fix downtown.
Gilroy can have a downtown that’s attractive and friendly, but we have to draw on the strengths of our community and hold the City Council accountable for progress or lack thereof.
Unfortunately, we’re about to make another downtown blunder.
The Downtown Specific Plan Task Force is about to be formed.
This group must be filled with individuals who have expertise in areas like architecture, finance, real estate development, etc. The names should read like a Board of Directors for a $100 million corporation – which is essentially what the City of Gilroy is.
The City Council should act immediately both to extend the deadline and re-cast the eight non-governmental seats reserved on the committee.
We don’t necessarily need two downtown property owners. We don’t necessarily need two downtown business owners. What we do need are people who who have the expertise, the smarts and the commitment to make a plan go. Downtown is dying and we’ve been standing around studying the problem to death.
Enough.
Gilroy’s EDC Director Bill Lindsteadt should be put in charge of recruiting committee members. What’s more important to the economic development of Gilroy than the revival of downtown? When a new business wants to locate here, what do the newcomers think when they drive down Monterey Street?
Not much.
Lindsteadt should seek out the best we’ve got. Would Joel Goldsmith serve? How about Mary Lou Splittorf or Joe Giacalone or Jane Howard? What about Jeff Martin or Bruce Williams or Andrea Fortino or Ron Pray or Ric Heinzen or Keith Higgins or Scott Lynch or Mike Morsilli or Vic Vanni? How about making a recruiting trip to the Rotary Club and challenge the members?
Downtown is important – it’s our soul – and this may be our last shot to get it right.
City Council members should think this through now. If the applications received by Friday don’t reflect what’s needed, extend the deadline and reach out to the community.
Our downtown is an embarrassment to our community. If Morgan Hill and Hollister can do it, Gilroy certainly can – and it should not take us 10 years.
Let’s do it. Let’s get it right. Let’s have a downtown we can all be proud of. We’ve got some momentum and the time is right to capitalize on that momentum and move forward.
