The regional hype of the National Football League’s Super Bowl 50, which will be played Feb. 7 in Santa Clara, has benefitted Morgan Hill in the form of a grant that is helping to fulfill the vision of downtown as a destination, according to city staff.
The city received a $51,000 grant for the project from the PLAY 60 initiative by the Super Bowl 50 Fund and the NFL Foundation, Morgan Hill Economic Development Manager Edith Ramirez said.
The grant will also fund a wayfinding signage program that will direct visitors to Morgan Hill to the major downtown attractions, such as the Depot Street train station, the Community Playhouse, and others such as the Fourth Street Garage which are under.
New crosswalk decorations on the north side of Monterey Road and Dunne Avenue embrace “the friendly animals and insects found in our natural environment, scattered within a wine country-theme background,” Ramirez said in a press release.
“We wanted to highlight what makes Morgan Hill special within Silicon Valley, and its access to the outdoors, nature and, of course, the wineries and farms,” Ramirez said. “This crosswalk represents that identity that our community is so proud of.”
The new decorations, the installation of which was completed Jan. 29, are permanently and colorfully emblazoned on the crosswalk with paint.
The administration of the grant and these projects is guided by KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit that helps communities transform everyday, static spaces into engaging spaces to play in or admire, Ramirez added.
“The playful aspect of this project is the fun signage created by our Youth Action Council,” Ramirez said. “Their sign additions will make people smile as they read the ‘official’ directional signs.”
Examples of some of the titles to be used on the signs include “Bright Future,” “The Good Old Days” and “A Whole Lot of Fun.”
“The bigger story is the renaissance of the downtown,” she said. “We’ve been working hard and furious since the dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency (in 2012) to develop the former RDA sites,” Ramirez said.
Highlights of these projects include the forthcoming Leal Boutique Hotel and market/restaurant proposed for First Street and Monterey Road (where the Downtown Mall is now), and the refurbishment of the Granada Theater next door.
At Third Street and Monterey Road (former Simple Beverages store), developers Don Imwalle and Ken Rodrigues plan to build 12,000 square feet of retail space and four restaurants, Ramirez added.
Furthermore, the site at Third and Depot streets (Depot Center), will be developed into a 29-unit mixed-use project with a combination of townhomes, live/work units and retail spaces, Ramirez said.
These activities complement the city’s “Downtown Placemaking Investment Strategy,” an effort to use $25 million in former RDA funds to reconstruct downtown side streets and the Monterey Road streetscape, build the Fourth Street Garage, move utility lines underground, develop new parks and other infrastructure improvements.
“A big component of the Downtown Strategy is to bring art and create placemaking opportunities,” Ramirez said. “The (new) crosswalk fits perfectly into this strategy by making this key intersection into a friendly, playful, fun gateway opportunity into our downtown.”
