How time passes by in the old downtown. It’s been 14 months
since the latest downtown task force was formed to study the
decades-old problem of revitalizing Gilroy’s historic center —
that stretch of Monterey Street between First and Tenth streets
– and recommend a comprehensive, high-quality, workable solution
that can be rolled into the city’s General Plan.
How time passes by in the old downtown. It’s been 14 months since the latest downtown task force was formed to study the decades-old problem of revitalizing Gilroy’s historic center — that stretch of Monterey Street between First and Tenth streets – and recommend a comprehensive, high-quality, workable solution that can be rolled into the city’s General Plan.
Considering the inertia, acrimony and frustration that have dogged previous downtown revitalization efforts, it wouldn’t be surprising if this latest attempt also petered out. If there is going to be an endgame this time, a true downtown champion must step forward. That man would be Mayor Al Pinheiro, who campaigned on a promise of completing downtown revitalization. Pinheiro’s time to step forward and be the uniting force who capitalizes on the task force’s fading momentum.
This does not have to be a kamikaze mission for Pinheiro. A decent foundation for true revitalization has been laid. The city has reduced impact fees for downtown developers, lowered the number of parking spaces required per business and updated zoning rules to allow for mixed-use properties. Streetscape improvements south of Sixth Street lend a tangible, perhaps-this-can-actually-happen-here quality to the notion of a commercially successful, human-friendly and culturally vibrant city center.
Pinheiro also has a shining example of downtown entrepreneurship in action in builder Gary Walton, who has served as a one-man downtown revitalizer. Walton has completed one thriving mixed-use residential and commercial building, renovated another next to Old City Hall and has acquired three other languishing downtown properties, including a former bank building on Fourth and Montere streets. Yes, it can happen here.
To sustain the momentum, which Walton, who chairs the downtown task force, admits is fading, Pinheiro has to take his first real political risk. He must convince Council to overcome its skepticism and commit to funding a downtown specific plan (with or without EDA grant money). He’ll need to convince downtown property owners to contribute to a downtown business district that will back up Council’s commitment. He’ll need to support physical renovation decisions that status quo business owners and planning commission, and City Council members may resist.
Pinheiro can begin to walk the talk by embracing the common-sense suggestions submitted by RRM Design Group, the latest downtown consultants hired by the city, beginning with the notion of scrapping the median-line streetscape planned for Third to Sixth streets. Pinheiro needs to carry around those old black-and-white pictures of Monterey Street, where no median is visible, the street is wide open — bigger, expansive — and angle parking on both sides allows for more cars, more customers and more commerce.
He’ll need to champion the idea of a downtown executive director, funded by the city and downtown businesses, who works at City Hall and whose first duty is to the downtown specific plan — someone who expedites new enterprises locating in the downtown business area and encourages successful Gilroy entrepreneurs to give something back to the city by taking over dilapidated business properties currently owned by negligent, absentee landlords.
Pinheiro will make some enemies, initially. There is some entrenched downtown merchant resistance to overcome. He’ll have to hold businesses accountable for clearing downtown alleyways, for conforming to a uniform design for store shop signs and for complying with minimum store facade standards.
In all these things, Pinheiro is the only one in a position to carry out a downtown revitalization plan. But time is of the essence.
If Pinheiro is the modern-day downtown pioneer we need, he will dare to carry the revitalization torch into hostile territory and won’t retreat when he’s greeted with arrows instead of accolades.
