The Urban Land Institute gave the city of San Bernardino, Calif., some suggestions on how to revitalize its downtown. The suggestions ran the gamut of more green spaces, denser development and mixed use of residential, retail and office development, among other ideas.
Not all of the city’s aldermen agreed, and provided the San Bernardino County Sun their own ideas.
Fifth Ward Councilman Chas Kelly had what I considered to be the most intriguing suggestion:
“The city is known for two things – one is crime, unfortunately. The second thing is Route 66 (Rendezvous). It’s a tremendously successful event. It puts this city on the map every year.
We’re successful once a year, why just stop? The solution for downtown is to capitalize on the success of Route 66 year-round. You hold a weekend event once a month. One weekend could be a Corvette weekend, one a low-rider weekend, one a Harley Davidson weekend.
What do these weekend activities do for downtown? It brings people to the inner part of the city. Currently, there’s not an abundance of restaurants, there’s really nothing to do in the inner part of the city. There’s the California Theatre and Cinemastar, that’s it.
These weekend automotive events will attract more restaurants. It will also attract specialty shops that deal with vintage and specialty automobiles. When you have a year-round venue downtown it creates something that is going on, it creates activity.
If you did that, 10 years from now downtown will be thriving. You won’t see anymore empty shops downtown. The events will create synergy by attracting other businesses to capitalize on downtown crowds.
The opportunities are endless for downtown. The city can partner with big car clubs to help market the city and get the word out on what’s happening here.
It could put us on the map as a tourist destination and the tourists that come in will spend their money here, fill our hotels and restaurants, and the tax dollars stay local.”
So … what do you think?
Hmmm…I theory, I like the idea, though I don’t know the area at all.
A couple of challenges I would see:
1) No restaurants or bars downtown. If they want people to hang around, and spend a little time/money, they ought to think about bringing in some portable food stands, and set up some seating in a shaded area, if available.
2) Bathroom facilities.
3) Weather…being a Michigan guy, I always have to think of that! LOL. Probably not an issue there.
I would guess they already have addressed 1 & 2 at their annual event, so they probably have the vendors and experience to get the job done. As long as monthly “focused” events don’t take away from the annual one, it could be a big boost. Give it a try!
On our road trips out West, I’d certainly go downtown where there was the pull of Route 66, automobiles and the facination with the Mother Road and all that it relates too! You have “green spaces, residential, retail and development” all too much now….why not bring back the feeling that Route 66 gives you….the facination of the road, places you haven’t seen and people that have kept it alive all these years……being from the Southeast, I’d wholeheartedly vote for the car theme and all it relates too!
For what it’s worth, here’s two votes from Georgia for Route 66!!!