The ART in FIRE

Destination Downtown

DOWNTOWN CONSTRUCTION EXPANDING
December Edition

Happy Holidays to our community. Great news comes in many forms and Downtown Visalia continues to hit the jackpot when it comes to continued investing and the addition of new businesses. Just look at all the new activity planned and underway right now.
Construction Projects: The new multi-million dollar transit center addition is being built. Funding from President Obama’s Main Street Stimulus grant is being used. The money is for projects which create new jobs in economically depressed communities throughout America. The center includes new bays for buses and is located on Center and Santa Fe. Work continues ahead of schedule on the Santa Fe Bridge overcrossing. Construction includes the removal of the train tracks to make way for a complete south to north corridor reaching from Goshen Avenue all the way to Caldwell Avenue. It is expected the road will eventually be four lanes and a major city thoroughfare. Work continues at 700 W. Main for the new location of Valley Business Bank. They are moving from the property they lease at the corner of Court and Acequia. Martin and Martin Properties will be leasing more than 2,500 square feet to The Lunch Box once construction is complete at 100 W. Court Street behind Pauline’s Collection. Work continues on Court Street at Main in the planters. In 2005 Cal Trans destroyed the irrigation when they were resurfacing the street. Funding of approximately $20,000 was received to reconstruct the four corners. Approval was received for the Center Street bulb outs (planter areas at the corners) to be stubbed out for the eventual installation of irrigation and plants. Money has also been allocated by the State of California through a grant to finish the planters however it is on hold pending the budget crisis.

Construction Approved: Alejandra’s Restaurant at 314 W. Main received approval to expand the facility another 2,000 square feet for a total of 5,500 square feet on a lot of 8,396 square feet. Mangano Company is through site plan review for their 4 phase new 3-story mixed use building located at 400 E. Main. The project will be under construction for a number of years eventually encompassing almost 31,000 square feet. It is proposed to house restaurants and retail on the ground floor with offices on the second and third tiers. The City of Visalia just sold a parking lot to Family Healthcare

Network to further expand their facilities. They purchased the lot at the northwest corner of Oak at Santa Fe in order to connect their buildings. The multi-million dollar proposed Visalia Visitor Center is on hold pending funding which is expected to come from reallocated federal Main Street Stimulus Funds. The city allocated $400,000 for construction drawings after the City Council approved a final design this summer. The center would be built in front of the Visalia Convention Center just north of the Marriott Hotel. It is proposed to cost in the range of $2.1 million and would be 3
stories high. The facility would house the National Parks Service and the Sequoia Visitor Shuttle service offices along with a comprehensive visitor area.

The City of Visalia is in negotiations with Viking Ready Mix, a French based company, to purchase their property at 1134 E. Center Street. The area needs additional parking especially since the city just sold a parking lot on the northeast corner of Santa Fe and Oak for further development. Council just approved an agreement to sell and develop their property bounded by Mineral King, Acequia, Stevenson and Conyer. Plans originally called for first floor offices and second story housing however the development group of Mill Creek Professional Center, LLC decided housing would not be supported. The first phase is now being designed for medical offices although the developers say they may consider multi-level projects for future phases which could include housing and a parking garage.