”
The rumors of downtown’s death have been greatly
exaggerated.
”
The well known Samuel Clemens quotation, albeit with a timely
edit, applies to the recent rumors of gloom and doom swirling
around Morgan Hill about its downtown.
“The rumors of downtown’s death have been greatly exaggerated.” The well known Samuel Clemens quotation, albeit with a timely edit, applies to the recent rumors of gloom and doom swirling around Morgan Hill about its downtown.
Surely recent news of the city approving a mega center on Cochrane Road and the announced closing of the popular ThinkerToys has caused alarm. However, it doesn’t signal the demise of downtown, it just encourages a greater sense of urgency. And downtown merchants and property owners, the City of Morgan Hill, the Morgan Hill Downtown Association (MHDA), the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, the countless community organizations and the population at large are prepared to meet that challenge.
But are we really in such dire straights right now? The MHDA and its collective members send out a resounding “no way!” Let’s take a holiday stroll through downtown starting from the north and heading south with a few detours thrown in.
Geno Acevedo is on track to open his 7,500 square foot El Toro Restaurant and Brew Pub by April of next year featuring a 2,000 square foot outdoor patio. The patio will have a wood fire pizza oven surrounded by a stone top counter for patrons to sip their favorite hand crafted ale or sarsaparilla and watch the pizzas cook.
The patio will also feature a fire pit for cool evenings. The menu features a full range of appetizers, sandwiches, grill items and entrees including burgers, prime rib, pizza and beer battered fish and chips.
Across the street at the old Gunter Bros. Granary, construction is under way for a commercial building with ground floor retail and upper floor office. The developers are also requesting 15 housing units under the current Measure C allocations.
In the Downtown Mall, the Goddess Bead Shop has expanded next to Blush Boutique, combining to offer high quality women’s apparel and unique specialty jewelry. Michelina’s Haute Designs next to Sinaloa’s Café compliments these specialty retail stores.
Expanding the clothing niche is the recent announcement that Carlos Perez is moving his well established Royal Clothiers from the old Nob Hill Center to the space recently vacated by the General Store on Monterey Street at Second Street.
Sharing the space with Perez is Meg’s Bridal Shop operated by Maria Villalpando making for a good retail marriage!
The Granada Theatre is expected to be an entertainment venue soon, with several uses under consideration.
The long blighted storefront adjacent to Rosy’s At The Beach is undergoing renovation as a specialty sports bar and restaurant.
The vacant site previously occupied by Art Scene at Third Street has been leased to a local restaurant entrepreneur who will soon be announcing plans for what promises to be a new and unique addition to the downtown’s culinary niche.
Over on Depot the city is planning a new streetscape plan between Main and Fifth Streets. With a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission the street will have new curbs, gutters and sidewalks; pedestrian scale lighting, new trees, special pavers at intersections, public art elements and bike lanes. Construction will begin in April next year and is expected to be completed in August.
The Depot Street improvements will compliment the new county courthouse due for completion next year and the 57 unit mixed use development proposed by Glenrock builders on the old Sunsweet site between Third and Fourth Streets on Depot Street. Included in the plans for the Sunsweet development is a major streetscape re-design on Third Street which will include 8,000 square feet of new retail space with widened sidewalks for outdoor seating and new lighting and trees.
The innovative renovation of the Issacson’s Granary by Weston Miles Architects is complete and occupied with space still available for lease.
Weston Miles has also applied for 12 housing units on their site under the current round of Measure C applications.
Under this year’s cycle of Measure C, nearly 400 mixed use housing units with 31,000 square feet of retail have been applied for in and around downtown. With the need for high-density, mixed-use housing, as stated in the Morgan Hill Downtown Plan and modeled in communities all through the bay area as a key element to downtown revitalization, the City Council is grappling with how to maximize the number of allocations to be awarded within the restrictions of Measure C. We will wait and see how it plays out.
As you can clearly see, downtown is hardly headed for the tomb. If the city, business and property owners and the community at large continue to work together we will realize the vision of a vibrant downtown.
We have a lot to do still, and it is not a small task, but the possibilities and opportunities are endless. I suggest we all start by planning to shop downtown as we prepare for the holidays.
Dan Craig is the Executive Director of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association.
