Downtown

As mentioned in the Small Town Character White Paper Report, the downtown core is a charming, quaint, center of activity considered by most the very heart of Lodi. When the community comes together it does so in downtown at a street faire or farmers market. It is the town’s meeting place defined by strong symbols that echo its character throughout Lodi. The Downtown core is Lodi’s corporate identity, a point of difference when compared to all other valley cities, a key element in attracting visitors, as well as the quality municipal embodiment of what the community stands for and aspires to become. It is coveted by other valley communities, and has improved over the years from what it had become by the mid-nineties.

Even with all these positives it is only a fraction of what it can be and needs to become. The visionary creators seemed to have had no plans or on-going resources for taking downtown to the next level of vibrancy and self-sustaining sufficiency. If we are to attract “tourists” to Lodi as a destination, the on-going maintenance of the downtown is absolutely a necessity!

Profitability for many retailers and merchants along School Street is steady but not as robust as it needs to be. For others it is a struggle to keep their doors open. There are voids in downtown’s “product mix’ or retail offerings. Greater selection and variety of boutiques would, along with effective marketing, add greater foot traffic to the street and economic vitality to Lodi’s core. More tasting rooms coming into downtown will help bring the wine-tasting tourists and visitors, especially on weekends. People who work downtown during the week are often surprised to see more foot traffic downtown on weekends than during the week. One merchant reports about 65% of her sales are to “outside of Lodi” customers. Still, some merchants are closed on weekends.

There are no incentives or business attraction efforts for new downtown businesses and job creation. As mentioned earlier downtown needs physical attention. The streets need to be regularly cleaned, flowers and color need to be added. Recorded music from speakers in trees or on second story buildings is needed to add life and continue the effort to separate the downtown shopping environment from all the others. There is no façade improvement funding to help property owners investment look more appealing and helping out the streetscape.

Perhaps funding from some source could help revitalization of some older buildings. This Task Force would not like to see a developer raze a building downtown and then erect a structure that did not aesthetically fit into the district. We understand that there are no design guidelines or restrictions that speak to such a case should it occur. Guidelines do exist in our county; Woodbridge is a good example of historic standards established for its downtown. We believe the SPARC Committee to be useful in implementing these standards.

As mentioned in the Tourism Report, a much greater presence of art in the downtown core would be a great addition and increase the pull as a destination. Art will compliment existing retail and fits with the wine-lifestyle niche. Serious focus should be devoted to the development of an “Art Row.” An example would be the conversion of the historical buildings along Sacramento Street across from the parking garage and the World of Wonders children’s science museum. Street level galleries and studios are a part of the mixed use of the older buildings. Living space for the artists or proprietor in the second story makes a superb use for these now rundown and eyesore properties.

Key to drawing more retail will be the development for downtown “loft-style” living spaces. Demographic trends are creating opportunities for high-quality above-street-level housing concepts. Our downtown will attract retiring baby-boomers still young enough to be near the restaurants of choice and fun events, while young professionals see the properties as hip, and in the pulse of the city’s nightlife. It is our opinion more retail and commercial tenants will follow after people coming through downtown residential development.

This is so important that we believe the City might itself want to be the developer, or at the very least manifest an aggressive customer service role to expedite the application, permit and build-out of these mixed use and residential spaces. We see such a project as a real catalyst to begin the ball rolling in the right direction for Sacramento Street and contributing to the enhancement of vacant or under utilized spaces on Pine, Elm, and between School and Sacramento Streets.

After the Sacramento Street project is complete, and depending on the timing of the need for transit-oriented housing and development, the appearance and use of Main Street needs to be addressed. Built around the multi-modal station as a centerpiece, much of the open space between Sacramento and Main from Elm to
Walnut could become a large tree filled plaza with some tourist / travel oriented services such as newsstands, coffee and sandwich shops, Lodi souvenirs, sundries etc.

Railroads are under a federal mandate to reduce the number of grade crossings in their systems. Lodi should investigate lowering the tracks to a subterranean level through much of Lodi. While this would possibly create hardship for some businesses with their need for rail siding services, it would be an economic boon for Lodi. In Reno, where the tracks bisect their downtown, they dug a 2-1/4 mile trench and dropped the tracks about 40 feet. Some structures are built on top of or straddle the trench. Two blocks in the center of town actually cover the tracks with a plaza especially designed for huge downtown events. Reno in essence, created 110 acres of new usable land in the middle of their downtown district!

The railroad, we recognize, is a challenge to work with; however the prime real estate they control in the heart of Lodi is crucial to the transmission of the downtown quality west of the tracks to that east of the tracks. So much can be done with this land. A plan with a vision for this area is needed to cause constructive movement. If California is to put more people on central valley rails twenty years from now, this will become one of our community’s key ports of entry. As Lodi develops into more of a true tourist destination, and the downtown a place of activity far greater than we see today, the railroad will be seen to be more of a problem, and demand will cause the property along Main Street to come into play. We need a new master plan for downtown going east of the tracks.

The visiting tourist will eventually cause a demand for downtown accommodations. It is only time before a boutique hotel and second-story Bed & Breakfasts come to downtown Lodi. For an upscale visitor of Lodi Wine Country, high-quality overnight accommodations are scarce, and on weekends often not available. It is in the city’s best interest to bring these visitors downtown where they can eat several meals, shop in stores and leave occupancy and sales tax dollars behind. The general plan should make special provisions to accelerate the development of these businesses. This is an important form of economic development for Lodi and is another argument for its inclusion into the next city budget cycle.

This general plan should have a clear vision for what the downtown needs to become and then set the development stage for this vision to be realized. This will include investment spending on the city’s part giving incentive to private investors. A master plan for downtown will identify several large tourist-stimulating projects such as an Artist’s Row, a Downtown Plaza, and a boutique hotel. A “gateway” building project is planned at the corner of School and Lodi Avenue; another should be planned at School and Lockeford at the other end of the street.

In summary, specifically for downtown, this general plan must put into effect ordinances, building-design standards and guidelines for mixed use, reuse and new application which do not impede, but accelerate rapid progress of build out. The city needs to encourage this revitalization, and in no way deter it.

Plainly said, the city needs to quickly set the stage for Phase 2 of downtown revitalization. Due to Phase 1 investment, its success to date, and because of the overall importance downtown is to Lodi’s future, this general plan can not start too soon on these recommendations.