Post by Lester on May 9, 2011 23:08:26 GMT -8
I was just wondering what could be put on Block 36 (South East corner of Azusa/Foothill) to really turn the downtown around. We really need something that will differentiate it from other cities. Something that will draw people from all over. Just building more of the same that you see in other cities is not going to be enough. Because we really need to draw people with higher incomes to make the downtown successful. As you can see from the past, drawing just from the local residents is not sustainable. Businesses have too much trouble trying to make it.
One thought - To build a basement with around 5 small theaters (100-499 seating people each: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-Broadway ) where people could put on inexpensive plays in the evening. During the day, they could be used for acting classes and rented out for business meetings. The basement should probably not be looked at as a major profit center (charge enough rent to cover costs to upkeep and upgrade which will help them spend their money on the event and cast), but more as a way to draw people, especially people that appreciate creativity and art, which often times means people with more disposable incomes, to the area. And then the 2nd and 3rd floors could be restaurants...kind of like a restaurant row. And a 4th/5th floor that is built a little farther back, so it is not easily seen from the street that would be loft condos. Maybe a 6th level for just one rooftop bar/restaurant with outdoor seating. That would bring people in the day and evening. Encouraging business meetings, build a nice multi story bed and breakfast/boutique hotel on another lot.
We could have level parking from where blockbuster used to be down to the other corner where the post office is and have a bridge on the 2nd or 3rd level that people can walk over azusa ave to the West Coast Off-Broadway type theaters/restaurants and possibly another level parking building next to the South side of Bank of America.
This would also encourage other types of businesses, such as art galleries, photography studios, art classes, healthy living, athletic clubs, yoga studios, modeling agencies, etc. And it would also create a need for more professional offices, something that Azusa is lacking in.
One thought - To build a basement with around 5 small theaters (100-499 seating people each: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-Broadway ) where people could put on inexpensive plays in the evening. During the day, they could be used for acting classes and rented out for business meetings. The basement should probably not be looked at as a major profit center (charge enough rent to cover costs to upkeep and upgrade which will help them spend their money on the event and cast), but more as a way to draw people, especially people that appreciate creativity and art, which often times means people with more disposable incomes, to the area. And then the 2nd and 3rd floors could be restaurants...kind of like a restaurant row. And a 4th/5th floor that is built a little farther back, so it is not easily seen from the street that would be loft condos. Maybe a 6th level for just one rooftop bar/restaurant with outdoor seating. That would bring people in the day and evening. Encouraging business meetings, build a nice multi story bed and breakfast/boutique hotel on another lot.
We could have level parking from where blockbuster used to be down to the other corner where the post office is and have a bridge on the 2nd or 3rd level that people can walk over azusa ave to the West Coast Off-Broadway type theaters/restaurants and possibly another level parking building next to the South side of Bank of America.
This would also encourage other types of businesses, such as art galleries, photography studios, art classes, healthy living, athletic clubs, yoga studios, modeling agencies, etc. And it would also create a need for more professional offices, something that Azusa is lacking in.