The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the City of Carlsbad hosted an awards presentation and panel discussion on November 3 at the Carlsbad Village Theatre. More than 120 people attended the event, including Mayor Bud Lewis and city manager Ray Patchett, to recognize the winners of the 2005 Design Competition, and to hear Kennedy Smith's initial findings from her research project of the Carlsbad Village that totaled nearly $100,000.
First on the agenda was the awards presentation. The design competition, held earlier this year, was co-sponsored by the City of Carlsbad, using funds awarded from a $6,500 Community Activity Grant, and the Chambers' Downtown Task Force. The competition was aimed at showcasing ideas for the redevelopment of two properties located on State Street in the Carlsbad Village. Although, none of these designs have yet been tested for economic feasibility or submitted to the Planning Commission and the City Council for approval, they are visions for the future of the Village. The top three designs were:
3rd Place: Roger Eliot Kerr Architect
2nd Place: Rick Engineering
1st Place: Case Group Architects
Next, the results of the future of Carlsbad research project were discussed. Smith said her initial studies show that Village shoppers are either older or younger than the average age of actual Carlsbad residents. "The midsection just isn’t there," Smith told attendees.
"Contrary to popular belief," Smith added, "parking problems weren’t the top-cited trouble in the survey." Instead, shoppers indicated their first concern was that Village stores should stay open longer. Smith emphasized that over 50% of national retail dollars are made after 6:00 p.m. She encouraged Village business to stay open later and suggested altering hours from the typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Other suggestions included advising merchants to change their window displays on a regular basis, and not to hold off on making changes until after she reports her finding but start making them now.
Smith's colleague and fellow seminar speaker, Jay Turner, recently retired executive director of the North Park Main Street organization, urged Village business owners to understand that any revitalization effort will take years.
“It takes a long time, and it takes a full-time director,” he said.
Peder Norby, executive director of the Downtown Encinitas Main Street Association, urged attendees to concentrate on connecting with the community and Village business owners first and then concentrate on changing the exterior look to the Village second.
At the event, a survey conducted by the Carlsbad Chamber revealed some interesting opinions of event attendees. Of those who participated in the survey 74% were business or property owners in the Village, and 69% of all surveyed were supportive of a Main Street Association. Furthermore, 59% thought that mixed use housing and retail projects should be the highest priority for redevelopment in the Village, with parking coming in a distant second with 28%. As to the success of the event, 87% said the event was informative.
For more information on the "Vision for the Village" seminar or the Carlsbad Chamber's Downtown Task Force, contact the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce at (760) 931-8400. The winning competition designs can be viewed on the Chamber's webpage by going to www.carlsbad.org and selecting the "Design Competition Presentations" link.
First on the agenda was the awards presentation. The design competition, held earlier this year, was co-sponsored by the City of Carlsbad, using funds awarded from a $6,500 Community Activity Grant, and the Chambers' Downtown Task Force. The competition was aimed at showcasing ideas for the redevelopment of two properties located on State Street in the Carlsbad Village. Although, none of these designs have yet been tested for economic feasibility or submitted to the Planning Commission and the City Council for approval, they are visions for the future of the Village. The top three designs were:
3rd Place: Roger Eliot Kerr Architect
2nd Place: Rick Engineering
1st Place: Case Group Architects
Next, the results of the future of Carlsbad research project were discussed. Smith said her initial studies show that Village shoppers are either older or younger than the average age of actual Carlsbad residents. "The midsection just isn’t there," Smith told attendees.
"Contrary to popular belief," Smith added, "parking problems weren’t the top-cited trouble in the survey." Instead, shoppers indicated their first concern was that Village stores should stay open longer. Smith emphasized that over 50% of national retail dollars are made after 6:00 p.m. She encouraged Village business to stay open later and suggested altering hours from the typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Other suggestions included advising merchants to change their window displays on a regular basis, and not to hold off on making changes until after she reports her finding but start making them now.
Smith's colleague and fellow seminar speaker, Jay Turner, recently retired executive director of the North Park Main Street organization, urged Village business owners to understand that any revitalization effort will take years.
“It takes a long time, and it takes a full-time director,” he said.
Peder Norby, executive director of the Downtown Encinitas Main Street Association, urged attendees to concentrate on connecting with the community and Village business owners first and then concentrate on changing the exterior look to the Village second.
At the event, a survey conducted by the Carlsbad Chamber revealed some interesting opinions of event attendees. Of those who participated in the survey 74% were business or property owners in the Village, and 69% of all surveyed were supportive of a Main Street Association. Furthermore, 59% thought that mixed use housing and retail projects should be the highest priority for redevelopment in the Village, with parking coming in a distant second with 28%. As to the success of the event, 87% said the event was informative.
For more information on the "Vision for the Village" seminar or the Carlsbad Chamber's Downtown Task Force, contact the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce at (760) 931-8400. The winning competition designs can be viewed on the Chamber's webpage by going to www.carlsbad.org and selecting the "Design Competition Presentations" link.