Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Downtown Revitalization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Consultants urge proactive town role to jump-start downtown; council accepts findings
Summary
Urban Design Associates (UDA) presented findings that downtown revitalization is unlikely to happen organically at the needed scale; UDA recommended targeted incentives, a part-time economic development coordinator, pilot activation projects (pop-up/food-park/adaptive reuse) and a marketing brochure. Council received and accepted the report as guidance for further policy work.
Urban Design Associates (Barry Long) told the council May 12 that downtown Paradise is still recovering and that a "critical mass" of private investment is unlikely without some public facilitation. UDA’s analysis identified three project typologies — market-rate infill, adaptive reuse/pop-ups (for faster activation) and town-centric civic or park projects — and concluded a funding and implementation gap prevents new construction from matching achievable rents.
Barry Long recommended the town consider a menu of actions: create a developer-incentives framework, hire a (possibly part-time) economic development coordinator to write grants and act as a business concierge, test incremental activation projects (food parks, market halls), and prepare marketing materials for prospective investors. He emphasized phased approaches and external funding for larger civic projects.
Council members thanked the consultants and voted to receive the findings (no action to fund specific incentives was taken at this meeting). Staff said the market brochure and economic development tasks would proceed in concert with the incoming town manager.
What happens next: staff will integrate consultant recommendations into the long-term recovery and economic strategy, pursue grant and partnership opportunities, and return to council with specific incentive proposals and funding scenarios.
