Should Azusa bring back the downtown tow yards?

[sgvkev]

With redevelopment being a thing of the past in all California cities and two vacant tow yards still standing in Azusa across from city hall and Target, should the city allow them to be occupied again? While it would not help the city moving forward, it would be less of a blight than them just sitting there.

Thoughts?

[Lester]

I would not want to see just anything put in those places.

I would like to see the city take a different approach than other cities. If you look at how much square footage there is for retail per capita in this country it is way too much retail. I realize that there are studies that show that people in azusa are spending their money ouside of the city but I think it will take more than build it and they will come attitude. That does not mean that Azusa cannot be successful. What I think it means is they need to think outside the box a little. They need to design the downtown so that it encourages walking traffic. Something that people will be willing to drive out of there way to. Most people do not want to go out of there way for more of the SAME.

One idea I had would be to have the large lots designed so that big basements are created where people could put on plays, and various entertainment venues. Kind of like an off-broadway area where people from all around would come for affordable entertainment...and while they are here....eat at the restaurants and buy things in the shops above it

I remember many years ago going to a mexican restaurant in silverlake and they turned the basement into a place to put on small plays. It was very entertaining and silly but a fun evening. They offered people that ate at the restaurant the first chance to get tickets for the play. Imagine if we had an entire block of small theaters with various theme events all year long. It would give out of work actors a chance to perfect their art, encourage people from all over the place to visit this area, make the downtown a fun place to come to, and it is something that none of the areas around here are doing. Azusa has a chance to do this because they are basically starting from scratch.

I could totally see people spending time with friends at a restaurant and then going to see an inexpensive play ($10-20/ticket), and then maybe even some coffee and dessert afterwards. And when the goldline extension is done, they wont even need to drive to it.

Give the downtown an artsy vibe and build artist lofts on the streets adjacent to the downtown.

If we can come up with a unique idea that really stands out, maybe we can get a private investor(s) to fund it. A small group of wealthy entertainment industry people could probably fund it.


Maybe Cher would be interested. She did vaudville type acts and she did a movie that took place in Azusa.