Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Upland staff outline downtown revitalization, new retail and housing projects
Loading...
Summary
City staff reported recent downtown business openings, facade grants, a proposed 409‑space parking structure with retail, and several residential and commercial projects; staff said the Photo Boulevard and Route 66 centennial preparations are underway.
Development Services staff presented an economic development update to the Upland City Council, describing recent business openings, facade and business attraction grants, and multiple active and proposed development projects in the downtown and elsewhere in the city.
Staff said the business attraction assistance program — offering up to $70,000 per qualifying business for interior equipment, furnishings and working capital — helped recruit restaurants, breweries and entertainment venues downtown since 2017. Recent entries include breweries, restaurants, a bakery and other small businesses; several were working through permitting and buildout timelines.
Key projects discussed included a proposed downtown parking structure at First Avenue and C Street with roughly 409 spaces, five levels and about 9,900 square feet of ground‑floor retail; staff reported the structure’s planning commission recommendation and noted $500,000 in funding from the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority to prepare construction plans. Staff said entitlements for the structure are scheduled for final consideration at an upcoming council meeting.
Staff also reviewed residential projects in various stages: a townhome project with units under construction, the Packing House apartment site (owner not currently active on construction), and other approved projects seeking funding. Retail and adaptive‑reuse projects noted included a Better Buzz Coffee reoccupying an existing site, a new Starbucks at College Park, and a mixed‑use Packing District self‑storage project with commercial space.
Other items included a sanitary rehabilitation and landscape improvements planned for the historic train station using a Community Project Funding grant of $850,000, and preliminary discussions about a proposed seafood market/warehouse and event center near the Cable Airport. Staff also described early planning for Route 66 centennial events and Photo Boulevard streetscape improvements timed ahead of the celebration.
Councilmembers thanked staff for the update and encouraged coordination of infrastructure, parking and housing work to support downtown revitalization.
