Originally published February 2020 at https://www.cityofvista.com.
Archway into Paseo Santa Fe
More than 20 years ago, the City began envisioning what they hoped this part of South Santa Fe would become. This vision was developed with the help of past mayors, city council members, residents, investors, and business owners who all understood the benefits of enhancing this area with walkable streets, utility improvements, better lighting, increased housing options, and retail shops, and restaurant spaces. They all knew this investment would increase property values and give the community an improved area to live, work and play.
Today this area is known as Paseo Santa Fe and it is entering its final phase of redevelopment which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020 — one year ahead of schedule.
Mayor Judy Ritter spoke of this accomplishment in her January State of the City address when she said, “Our 20-year plus vision, supported by city councils and mayors, which struggled to get it off the ground with no funding ten years ago, will now come to fruition at the end of this year. Now, that’s an accomplishment worth celebrating.”
The city has invested nearly $40 million in the project using Capital Improvement funds and State grants. The City Council allocated an additional $3 million to complete the project ahead of schedule.
According to Mayor Ritter, it was important to move the project forward quickly after the second phase of the project was completed in spring, 2020. This is enabling the new corridor to be completed ahead of schedule benefitting the downtown businesses, as well as Vista residents and visitors.
Director of Community Development and Engineering John Conley further explained that the City was able to work ahead of schedule because part of the planning and fees were negotiated to get the job completed ahead of time. “We worked with the construction contractor (DMI) to utilize fixed bid prices for later phases of the project and included financial incentives for the contractor to meet shortened timeframes,” he said. “It was important to speed it up to minimize the construction impacts to existing businesses along the corridor. Our relationship with DMI has been integral in saving time and money on this project.”
The completed project will also bring more housing to the area, and Conley added, “the street improvements will hopefully make it more attractive to developers interested in building mixed-use, high density residential or commercial projects in this area.”
Additionally, Mayor Ritter believes this area will follow the vision of downtown’s revitalization and replicate that energy in this extended area of downtown.
“The project helps expand the heart of the city,” she said. “We have the historic heart of the city which is downtown Vista and we have the new area which is Vista Village. This project expands downtown, by creating additional space and places where businesses can grow and residents can shop and enjoy.”
Vista is known throughout the business and investment communities as a business-friendly city. City leaders understand how important businesses are to the entire community. Economic Development Director, Kevin Ham explained, “These are companies that hire local residents and they support our community with their tax base and community involvement. So having businesses that thrive in our community is important to help support local jobs and the economy.”
Being business-friendly has also made Vista an incubator for new businesses. Craft breweries have found a home in Vista and made it a destination stop for beer fans. Bakeries such as Little Cakes Kitchen in Vista Village made their name in Vista and have a huge fan base who come to taste the two-time Cake Wars winner. Even unique businesses like Open Source Maker Labs in the Business Park have found a place in Vista because they work with several other technology start-ups in the area to create new business.
Investors see Vista’s unique potential and are bringing new opportunities to the area as well. For Lev Gershman, Managing Partner at Tideline Partners an investment management and development firm, Vista is a great investment. The firm’s Terrace Lofts, a five-story, 42 unit apartment complex, will begin construction in April.
Artist rendering of Terrace Lofts
Terrace Lofts will enrich the area and incorporate the vision of the Paseo Santa Fe. Gershman said, “Our goal is to activate the envisioned Arts & Culture District along S. Santa Fe between Vista Village and Civic Center. Terrace Lofts will feature a 60' mural facing into the historic downtown core, and each of the five floors of the building will be inspired by the works of culturally significant contemporary artists like Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquait, Shepard Fairey and others. Art is the freedom of expression and for us, this project is an opportunity to celebrate this freedom and those who live it.”
Gersham and Tideline Partners believe in Vista’s leaders because they have seen how Vista leadership has kept their vision even through some lean times. Gersham said, “Vista’s leadership believed, planned, and invested in a vision of a vibrant and walkable downtown. Many years of persistent effort against unpredictable headwinds of the 2008 Great Recession, the 2012 elimination of Redevelopment tools by Gov. Brown and others all tested the City’s resolve. Leadership stuck with its commitment and is delivering upgraded utility infrastructure that will benefit current uses and expanding capacity for future growth.”
Gersham added he sees the improvements. “Sidewalks are wider, better lit, and beautifully landscaped and planned for pedestrian activity supported by the additions of dozens of new street parking spaces.”
As an investment firm that studies this type of city planning, he noted this improvement will pay off. “Our experience and data support that both commercial and residential uses seek out these types of environments driving commerce, value and community engagement. We think that while this process was long and painful, in hindsight it will be recognized as a major win for Vista.”
Developer Jay Wentz of JCG Development specializes in urban and community development agrees with Gershawn that Vista is a city worth developing in. His company’s Rylan Project, formerly 100 Main Stree t, a five-story mixed use residential and commercial space, is slated to open this summer.
Artist rendering of The Rylan proejct
Wentz is confident the Paseo Santa Fe is going to be a success. “I believe the way the City of Vista has thought through the Paseo Santa Fe corridor in its careful planning for its revitalization, will create another main artery of successful businesses and housing that will add even more success to the main downtown,” he said. “I expect Paseo Santa Fe to be its own unique avenue with much to offer future residents and visitors but all playing into the long-term success of the downtown Vista area.”
Wentz also believes its success will impact all of Vista including his project, “I think the more demand that exists to live in downtown Vista, because of the increasing number of commercial and residential offerings, bodes well for any apartment project located in downtown Vista; whether it is 100 Main or others in existence or in planning. When the tide comes in, all boats rise…that’s the way to look at a comprehensive redevelopment strategy and that’s how the City of Vista looked at it, planned for it and executed on it and the City is now really seeing the fruits of its labors.”
Those fruits didn’t come without their challenges, but Wentz explained that the city leaders in Vista really go the distance to make the entire city a better place for everyone. “I have worked with many cities around the country over the last 25 years and Vista is in the top two the other being my experience working with the City of San Diego when we redeveloped the Lafayette Hotel in North Park. The Vista city officials are smart, focused, understand what the stated policy and development goals are and they have been fair and reasonable to work with. Development is not easy but with a proper attitude from the stakeholders even difficult issues can be managed well when people roll up their sleeves and try to work together. That is my experience with the City of Vista to date. My partners and I are grateful for the trust the City has placed in us and we will continue to work diligently to follow through on our promises for the benefit of all.”
Difficult issues that Wentz referred to could include the unavoidable impact construction may have had on some businesses and the community. These impacts are inevitable in the pursuit of progress, but Vista city leaders have been proactive along the way to help curb the inconvenience as much as possible.
City planners put together a Vista Road Construction Tool Kit to help businesses understand how to continue to market their services during the time of construction. They also used social media to help promote businesses and provide information during construction. City staff have been deployed to the construction areas to help resolve challenges that occur and need to be resolved quickly.
For instance, a customer at 508 Tavern called the Economic Development Department letting them know that the construction was causing a lack of parking. Within days, the City worked with the Engineering Department to quickly pave a lot next to 508 to open more parking for their guests.
Challenges like parking, traffic, or speeding have been addressed quickly and successfully. Now with the end in sight, city leaders are looking forward to more foot traffic throughout this area and increased business in a more attractive environment.
Mayor Ritter feels that by completing this project early, “We will get those customers to businesses more quickly, in a more beautiful setting and this investment on behalf of the city will bring with it an investment from the private sector from both current and potential property owners investing in the area to improve it for the whole community.”
From Mayor Ritter’s perspective, Paseo Santa Fe “has been the vision of and realization of both current and past councils.” It is thanks to our past and current councils that this vision has been achieved. Their planning and realization of the investments put into this project helped propel it to this point. My gratitude extends to the Patrick Johnson our City Manager and staff as well as special recognition to the community development and engineering staff which includes John Conley, Greg Mayer and their teams for the planning, hands-on work and commitment to complete the job.”
Celebrations for the completed Paseo Santa Fe corridor will be scheduled upon completion at the end of the year.
Economic Development contact for the City of Vista:
Kevin Ham
Economic Development Director
