Salinas heritage‑tourism partners press city for signage and depot work ahead of Caltrain service

Denise Estrada, a representative of the Salinas heritage partnership, and Craig Kaufman of the Salinas Valley Tourism And Visitors Bureau told the Historic Resources Board at its November meeting that visitation at the California Welcome Center has climbed and that private partners are ready to underwrite remaining tenant improvements at the depot if the city grants approvals for signage and banners.

"We're creating points of destination that share our stories, honor the legacies of our diverse ancestors, and inspire new opportunities for economic development," Craig Kaufman said during a 40‑minute presentation on regional heritage tourism and the Valleys of Anza program. He said the center recorded a roughly 28 percent increase in visitors last year and that, "for everybody that walks in, roughly they'll stay in the area about 1.6 additional nights," which helps generate bed‑tax revenue for the tourism improvement district.

Kaufman and Estrada described a package of work the partnership wants to complete at Heritage Park: (1) new banners and smaller directional signage that would route visitors from West Market into the depot area; (2) tenant improvements and exhibits for the unused portion of the depot building, for which private donors have pledged roughly $2 million in fundraising commitments; and (3) stabilization and marketing tied to regional events including the 250th anniversary of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition and the future arrival of Caltrain service.

The presenters said some tasks are already grant‑funded but that other items—most notably visible signage along arterial routes and on the depot site—require city permission. Kaufman said the depot is currently used for storage, though about $500,000 in state and federal grants funded eligible improvements; he said storage is not an eligible activity under some of the grant language.

Board members and staff pressed for clarity about which city office should approve banners, signage and depot tenant improvements. Kaufman said property management and project approvals had shifted from Community Development to the city manager's office. Grant, a city staffer, told the board he and Yesenia would coordinate with the city manager and continue discussions with stakeholders.

A board member suggested the Historic Resources Board prepare a short recommendation for City Council to support the partnership's proposed signage and depot work. The board formed a small drafting group of volunteers—Eloise, Sal (a resident who spoke during public comment) and Larry—to prepare a resolution or recommendation and deliver a draft at the board's next regular meeting.

Board members also discussed branding language. Kaufman said the partnership uses the trade name "Salinas City Heritage Park" as a brand rather than seeking a formal park designation, which he said raises different regulatory concerns. He added the private sector is ready to "pull the trigger" on banners and tenant improvements but that approval delays and changing priorities at the city level have repeatedly postponed implementation.

The presenters asked for political support and expedited review so the private funds and volunteer effort can be paired with timely municipal approvals. "We don't need words. We need action," one presenter said, urging the board and community to press the city for decisions.

What happens next: staff told the board it will follow up with the city manager's office and that the volunteer drafting subcommittee will prepare a short resolution to bring to the board at the next meeting. The board discussed the city's ongoing ITC master‑plan work and agreed to coordinate the heritage recommendation so it aligns with the staff's forthcoming opportunities-and‑strategies memo.