North Park Main Street
1998-1999 Annual Report

Fiscal year 1998-1999 was a very exciting year for North Park Main Street. We experienced many positive changes in the district including new businesses, developments, and storefront improvement projects. It was an award-winning year, and we received national attention for our revitalization efforts.

The year started off with the opening of The Mission North Park and City Bakery at 28th and University. This restaurant joins Claire de Lune as a cornerstone of revolving art in dining establishments. Other merchants like The Windsmith, Wendy’s Oasis, and North Park Studio are bringing a new level of activity to our Arts, Culture, & Entertainment district.

We won a coveted Orchid Award in the category of city and regional planning for our Development Criteria for North Park Main Street. This document encourages pedestrian-friendly development in our district. The Criteria were highlighted in the San Diego Union-Tribune, presented at both state and national conferences, reported in a national planning publication, and included on our Web site.

We made significant progress in the development of the North Park Theatre. North Park Main Street funded and assisted in the design of the brochure, advertisement, and Request For Proposal announcing the project. We funded placement of the ad in journals and magazines nationwide and donated Web space for the project. All this hard work resulted in the selection of a developer for this North Park gem.

These are just a few of the many successes we have had in the three years since Main Street came to North Park. Since 1996, we had a net gain of 42 new businesses creating 123 new jobs. There have been 9 completed public projects totaling $1,152,990 and 7 completed storefront improvements totaling $148,798. Exciting projects for this next year, currently in the planning phases, are expected to exceed the total investments of the last three years.

Ellen Yacovone, President

How Does "Main Street" Work?

Main Street is a coast-to-coast movement that has been successful in approximately 1,300 cities, towns, and neighborhoods. It is a system of community-based economic revitalization that was devised by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to save historic and significant commercial buildings within economically-depressed commercial districts.

The City of San Diego recently adopted the Main Street strategy for revitalizing three Business Improvement Districts. A Business Improvement District (BID), supported by its member businesses, funds business-related activities and improvements which will benefit the business district.

The Main Street Four-Point Approach

The Main Street program’s success is based on a comprehensive strategy of work in four broad areas: Design, Organization, Promotion, and Economic Restructuring.

Arts, Culture, & Entertainment

Linking to the rich art heritage that thrives in the neighborhood, North Park Main Street has adopted a plan to revitalize the district with an Arts, Culture, & Entertainment focus. Many of our businesses focus on the arts directly. Others occupy market niches that overlap with art such as camera sales or paint sales. Still others have begun to display art in their interiors. Galleries and art studios are expanding this concept. North Park Main Street is working proactively to cultivate and recruit businesses that achieve the vision of Arts, Culture, & Entertainment in the district.

North Park Main Street’s Highlights of the Year

July

• Celebrated the opening of The Mission North Park and City Bakery at 28th and University. This restaurant is a cornerstone of revolving art in dining establishments, bringing a new level of activity to our Arts, Culture, & Entertainment district.

• Awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for economic restructuring, storefront improvement architects, and program management. 

• Submitted to the City of San Diego a list of ten suggested short-term repairs and improvements to the North Park Theatre including repairing the roof, pigeon-proofing the front entrance, and removing the damaged awnings.

• Moved our office around the corner on Utah Street so that retail could be located in our former location on University Avenue.

• Supported the North Park Lighting and Landscape Maintenance District (LLMD), which passed in a re-vote with 64.7% in favor.

• Presented our accomplishments to the Greater North Park Community Planning Committee in celebration of our two years of revitalization in North Park.

• Organized a Merchant Mixer hosted by Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge.

August

• Elected Eric Bernhard the new Chair of our Economic Restructuring Committee.
  

• Reported favorably in McCormack’s San Diego 1998, a guide used by Real Estate brokers. “Money is being spent to add trees and benches . . . and install decorative tiles in the sidewalks. Effort is also being made to attract businesses, such as restaurants and cafés that will give North Park a congenial atmosphere.”
  

• Reviewed the progress of Inglewood Main Street in the Los Angeles area. Jay Turner was specifically recruited by California Main Street to be a part of the Inglewood assessment team.

September

• Provided funding and design assistance for the North Park Theatre brochure.

• Provided funding and design assistance for the North Park Theatre advertisement.

• Provided funding and design assistance for the North Park Theatre Request For Proposals/Qualifications.

• Invited to participate in a strategic planning for California Main Street. Jay Turner was one of 12 experts statewide recruited for this project.

• Invited to give a Main Street presentation to the Tower District in Sacramento. The idea of an Arts, Culture, & Entertainment District was being considered by the district, and they were excited to hear from Jay Turner about how this was working to revitalize North Park Main Street.

• Attended a two-day Advanced Fund Raising workshop offered by the National Main Street Center.

• Developed Alcohol Retail Premises Criteria for North Park Main Street to guide new licenses in the district.

• Participated in a tree planting on North Park Way from 30th to Grim streets. The trees were funded by Livable Neighborhoods and maintained by the North Park LLMD. Tracy Reed of the City of San Diego was instrumental in planning this event.

• Designed the sidewalks on University Avenue from 30th to Ohio and Ray streets with the assistance of volunteer architects and artists. The design included terra-cotta colored concrete, diagonal scoring in a 2 foot by 2 foot pattern, and colored tiles around the lamp posts.

• Requested that all of the lamp posts in the Main Street district in need of repainting be touched up with new paint.

• Repaired the lights at the base of the North Park Sign which were in need of complex rewiring. North Park Main Street coordinated the repairs which were funded by the North Park LLMD.

• Mailed approximately 260 sample business surveys to North Park Main Street businesses. This was used to test questions for a more extensive survey to be conducted by San Diego State University. 

• Began planning the North Park Spring Festival in May.

October

• Included the Development Criteria for North Park Main Street in the package for potential developers of the North Park Theatre. Any project involving the North Park Theatre must adhere to the Criteria which encourage pedestrian-friendly development.

• Assisted with the compilation of potential developers for the North Park Theatre.

• Donated Web space for information on the North Park Theatre.

• Seated the new Board of Directors for North Park Main Street.

• Funded repair of sidewalk tiles using Infrastructure Impact funds.

• Assisted Rapid City, South Dakota in their development of an arts and cultural district.

• Provided Main Street information to planners from the City of El Cajon.

• Hosted the North Park Days Sidewalk Celebration. Businesses sold merchandise outdoors and balloons were distributed throughout the district creating a festive, exiting environment. A coupon book and merchant directory advertised North Park Main Street businesses.

• Held our Annual Meeting at the North Park Lions Club, featuring a slide presentation and Halloween costume contest. Toni Atkins of Council District 3 presented Cheryl Robinson an award for her untiring efforts as Chair of the Promotion Committee and the Spring Festival Subcommittee.

November

• Awarded a coveted Orchid Award for our Development Criteria for North Park Main Street in the category of City and Regional Planning.

• Funded placement of the North Park Theatre advertisement in journals and magazines nationwide.

• Funded a news release on the North Park Theatre that was mailed to the local and national trade media.
  Funded distribution of the North Park Theatre brochures nationwide.

• Awarded a $1,000 grant from San Diego National Bank for business recruitment efforts including the development of a brochure.

• Registered the northparkmainstreet domain name for our Web site.

• Established Associate Memberships for those businesses or individuals wishing to join North Park Main Street in our revitalization efforts.

• Assisted with a tree planting on 32nd Street.
  Volunteered for the Light Bulb Bee sponsored by El Cajon Boulevard, a project that entails changing the light bulbs on each of 14 strings of lights for the seven bridges spanning Interstate 805. Toni Atkins, Representative from Council District 3, joined North Park Main Street and students from Hoover High School in the festivities.

December

• Hosted the annual Seasonal Lighting and Decoration Contest. Winners this year were R.C. Awards and ROK Enterprises for Best Window Display, Shooterz for Best Exterior, and Claire de Lune for Best Interior.
  Coordinated, with Council District 3, a special arson information meeting for all merchants and building owners in North Park Main Street. Christine Kehoe, police, and fire department officials spoke at the meeting and addressed concerns.

• Joined El Cajon Boulevard in presenting a holiday party in the Mississippi Ballroom at the InnSuites Hotel. Claire de Lune donated food and beverages for the event.

• Assisted ACCIÓN San Diego in the development of a Small Business Loan Program specifically for Mid-City businesses.

• Attended a free concert of Renaissance and English Country Dance Music at ZenKura Futons in our district. Local artists Isha and Donna performed, and many of Isha’s paintings were on display in the store. 
  ZenKura’s inclusion of art and music in their store was in line with the Arts, Culture, & Entertainment designation of North Park Main Street.

• Featured in San Diego National Bank’s Annual Report with a full page report on the North Park Main Street banner program.

• Featured in the National Main Street newsletter regarding the streetscape project on University Avenue from 30th to Granada.

• Selected graphic artist Jayson Arthur McCauliff to design North Park Main Street’s business recruitment brochure. Jayson designed the North Park Main Street logo, the North Park Streetscape brochure, and the San Diego Main Streets logo.

• Attended a scoping meeting for the Ballpark Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to express concerns about increased traffic in North Park. Local merchant and Board Member Ron Sperry with R.C. Awards made buttons for attendees that read, "North Park We’re Concerned!"

• Reviewed the storefronts at 3039 and 3041 University Avenue, which had burned last year, as a storefront improvement project. Warner Architecture + Design were the architects assigned to the project.

January

• Featured in a San Diego Union-Tribune article by Ann Jarmusch about our Development Criteria titled, "Neighborhood flexes its collective muscle over redevelopment."

• Provided information for a San Diego Union-Tribune article about the North Park Theatre.

• Elected Andy Hamilton the new Chair of our Design Committee.

• Generated a report of vacant spaces in North Park Main Street using the North Park Main Street database software. As the demand for available spaces increased tremendously, we assisted building owners in filling spaces and business owners in finding spaces.

• Formed the Ambassador Subcommittee under the new direction of volunteer Linda Guzzo to greet all new businesses that locate in the district. This committee delivers a welcome letter from the President, recent The North Park Way newsletters, and information about the neighborhood.

• Contacted by over 25 different companies and individuals interested in developing the North Park Theatre.

• Helped assemble at least 2 development teams for the North Park Theatre project.

• Made our debut on Cox Cable Channel 24 weekly on Sundays at 11:00 PM featuring Karaoke Jockey Mikey Jay and Karaoke performers at our North Park Spring Festival.

• Worked collaboratively with Professor Jo Messina of Grossmont College to create a PowerPoint presentation for North Park Main Street’s Development Criteria. The presentation brought together faculty from various disciplines and was the focus for students in the spring semester.

• Developed a business recruitment postcard with assistance from Brenda Crann of the Economic Restructuring Committee. The postcard was designed in preparation for a business recruitment brochure scheduled for completion in February. 

• Mailed business recruitment postcards to all businesses in the downtown Ballpark District.

February

• Informed that six development proposals for the North Park Theatre were received by the North Park Redevelopment Agency.

• Invited North Park Main Street business owners to attend a free presentation by nationally-known business consultant Kent Burnes who spoke on how businesses can compete in today’s rapidly changing business environment. This presentation was free for all Main Street members.

• Supported the establishment of a police walking patrol for North Park.

• Directed students at the NewSchool of Architecture and evaluated finished projects for the design of a hypothetical mixed-use project for North Park.

• Printed the business recruitment brochure that was underwritten by San Diego National Bank and designed by graphic artist Jayson Arthur McCauliff.

March

• Featured in a 12-page special pull-out section in the North Park News. Contributors included Council-member Christine Kehoe, Eric Symons from the Office of Small Business, and Jim LoBue from the City’s Community and Economic Development Department.

• Attended the National Town Meeting on Main Street (the National Main Street conference) held in San Diego and attended by over 3,000 people from across the nation. Education sessions focused on developing niche marketing, enhancing sense of place, attracting ethnically diverse markets, selling more sponsorships, and developing historic trolleys.

• Featured at the opening reception of the National Town Meeting. Our booth provided the Development Criteria, North Park Theatre brochure, business recruitment brochure, North Park News special section, and San Diego Union-Tribune article about the Development Criteria.

• Presented the Development Criteria for North Park Main Street to a large crowd at the National Town Meeting on Main Street.

• Hosted the semi-annual California Main Street Network Dinner at The Mission North Park.

• Received national recognition for excellence in the field of neighborhood revitalization by meeting high standards for performance set the California Main Street program and the National Main Street Center. Only 225 of 1,300 programs received this recognition.

• Received an Award for Excellence in Main Street Management presented to Jay Turner in recognition of a Decade of Leadership in the California Main Street Network.

• Formed a Streetscape Subcommittee to evaluate the district and develop a strategy for new sidewalks, trees, and street furniture.

• Advertised for architects for implementation of the Storefront Improvement Program in North Park. It was felt that a stable of architects selected by North Park Main Street would give more continuity and vision to our program. Ten architects were selected.

• Attended and spoke at a ballpark meeting regarding potential impacts of the ballpark on surrounding neighborhoods.

• Featured favorably in the San Diego Union-Tribune in two separate articles about the Main Street phenomenon in revitalizing neighborhoods.

• Gave a tour of North Park to the director of the city-wide Boston Main Street program.

• Began the process to include North Park Main Street in the Live/Work Ordinance that presently only includes downtown and Hillcrest.

• Selected trees for 30th Street to be Chinese Flame Trees within the district and both Chinese and Australian Flame Trees beyond North Park Main Street.

April

• Entered the "Growth Phase" of revitalization. According to the National Main Street Center, Main Street programs enter their second phase, the Growth Phase, in their fourth year following the Catalyst Phase of their first three years. This became evident by the substantial increase of interest in the district by businesses and developers.

• Mailed the business recruitment brochure to all businesses in the downtown Ballpark District.

• Developed a Business Survey and Shopper Intercept Survey using CDBG funds for Business Retention and Expansion awarded to Main Street by Councilmember Kehoe. The surveys were developed and administered through a professor from San Diego State University.

• Opposed the possible relocation of the North Park Post Office out of the commercial district. Began investigating postal service plans.

May

• Attracted an estimated 18,000 people to the neighborhood for the annual North Park Spring Festival.

• Supported the concept for the restoration of the three remaining historic San Diego Class 1 Streetcars and their installation and operation on Park Boulevard from Twelfth & Imperial to the San Diego Zoo as a first phase in a possible long-term strategy to bring the streetcars to North Park.

• Witnessed a dramatic drop in vacancy rates as new arts, culture, and entertainment-based businesses moved into the district.

• Approved, as a representative to the North Park Project Area Committee (PAC), the developer of the North Park Theatre selected by a 7-member selection committee.

• Supported the proposal by Councilmember Kehoe for a Community Service Center in North Park. 

• Suggested that the floor-area-ratio (FAR), a planning tool that limits building height, is too low for North Park Main Street since it only allows for one-story buildings. Began researching a higher FAR or an alternative tool that would result in more appropriate building heights.

June

• Dedicated, as we move into the redevelopment phase of revitalization of the district, that we will continue working to retain our older businesses as they establish the neighborhood character of the North Park commercial district.

• Reviewed the interior configuration and proposed operation of the North Park Theatre. It is important that the Theatre be revitalized as a performance space in a way that makes good economic sense.

• Attended a free, invitation-only Public Administrators’ Grant Network Meeting sponsored by SANDAG to enhance grant and funding opportunities.

• Featured on a bus tour by the Business Improvement District Council of neighborhoods making significant strides in revitalization.

• Invited to present at the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference in Los Angeles.

• Received the support of 23 business associations, planning groups, historical societies, and other organizations to date for the streetcar restoration project.

• Organized a meeting with post office representatives to express neighborhood concerns over relocation of the North Park postal carrier annex to Mission Valley.
  Hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Party for Spring Festival volunteers.

• Completed the Developer’s and Merchant’s Handbook, a publication spearheaded by Design Chair Andy Hamilton as a guide to commercial development and business enhancement in the North Park Main Street area.

Ellen Yacovone,  President, 

Washington Mutual

Ron Sperry,  Vice President, 

R.C. Awards

Van C. Kaump, Treasurer, 

North Park Postal & Business Center

Kevin Dearinger, Buster Daly’s

Patrick Edwards, Antique Refinishers

David Heinen, Shooterz/Club Odyssey

Joanne Kemp, Union Bank of California

Richard Miller, Lost Your Marbles, Too

Edward Osuna, World Trotter Collection Agency

Katie Rasmussen, The Windsmith

Joe Schloss, A & B Sporting Goods

Gwen Snyder, Wendy’s Oasis

Hal Thomas, Thomas Realtors

Richard Kurylo, Asst. Director