Excerpts from the Downtown Plan
Introduction, Page 2:
First Principles
The Basis for Change
This vision for the downtown is one that must evolve in a gradual way. Rather than a static plan or a fixed picture of an end-state condition, the Recovery Plan is intended as a creative framework that will guide the ingenuity and efforts of a wide range of participants – public policymakers, architects, developers, merchants and residents – over an extended period of time. The Plan, therefore, is structured to be definitive where specific approaches are necessary to achieve public objectives and more general where multiple approaches can be considered.
Before embarking upon the description of the Plan, it is important to emphasize that the downtown is not a "blank slate" upon which change will occur. Although the 1989 earthquake was devastating, it did not erase the underlying structure and form of the downtown. In addition to the community's vision and the specific principles outlined in this plan, the following factors provide a strong basis for future change:
Executive Summary page 4:
Planning Principles and Strategies
As recognized by the "First Principles," the downtown must continue to function as a place of commerce, culture, and recreation: a place that people choose to go to meet friends; a place that naturally and spontaneously accommodates civic events as well as informal gatherings; and a place where people live and work. The creation of a rich environment and a balanced mixture of land uses that are mutually reinforcing will be critical in achieving such a place.
Executive Summary page 5:
More Than a Place to Shop
The downtown must be more than a place to conduct business; it should also be a place where Santa Cruzans naturally gather to meet, to see live theater and movies, to hear music, to enjoy museums, to be entertained, and to eat. The perception of downtown in general, and Pacific Avenue in particular, should be a place of diverse activity. If carefully orchestrated, this diversity will contribute significantly to the success of the retail activities within the downtown. The land use pattern and street design should accommodate these activities and be made visually prominent. To this end, the Plan recommends that Pacific Avenue and the east-west streets be designed to maximize opportunities for outdoor eating, to give the area a strong identity as an active and festive place. In addition, entertainment and cultural uses (theaters, galleries, nightclubs) are encouraged to provide a richer and more diverse experience to the visitor, and to allow the downtown to be the principal "stage" for the artistic expression of the community. Pacific Avenue is the "main street" of Santa Cruz, and serves not only as the principal retail spine of the city, but also as its central social gathering space. Therefore, it must be attractive to all sectors of the community and allow for spontaneous gatherings and public seating.
Executive Summary page 6:
Enhance the Open Space and Pedestrian Network of Downtown
Nestled at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, on the coast of Monterey Bay and at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, the City of Santa Cruz has a powerful relationship with its physical environment. The downtown itself is defined by natural features, including Mission and Beach Hills to the north and south and the river to the east. The Recovery Plan calls for the creation of a strong and varied network of active and meaningful urban spaces that reinforce the unique pedestrian environment of the area, and that link the downtown with its natural setting.
Creating Meaningful Open Space in Downtown
Creating Meaningful Open Space in Downtown
Open spaces within downtown Santa Cruz should have value and meaning; they should be carefully located where people want to be and in locations that take advantage of the unique resources, heritage, and traditions of the community. They should not be contrived or created from "leftover" space. The most meaningful open spaces within cities have emerged out of natural features (e.g., the hilltop parks of San Francisco) and from places that have a historic cultural and/or civic significance (e.g., the church, the market, the crossroads). Downtown Santa Cruz has a meaningful system of such open spaces that should be built upon; these include the San Lorenzo River, the Post Office and Town Clock intersection at Pacific Avenue and Water Streets; the Civic Center; and the downtown streets themselves.
Executive Summary page 7:
Open Space of Historic and Civic Significance Downtown
While the Civic Center is a highly appropriate location for spontaneous or formal public gatherings, there is little provision for such activity. Although the majority of the Civic Center is beyond the boundaries of the Downtown Recovery Plan, the potential for this area to be reinforced as a civic gathering place should not be ignored. Currently, the City Hall has an attractively landscaped garden and court facing Center Street that is largely passive in nature. Modifications to this landscaped area could be considered to allow for larger formal and informal gatherings, while maintaining the unique scale, character, and garden-like qualities of the City Hall. In addition, or alternatively, the Church Street frontage adjacent to City Hall and the Civic Auditorium could be redesigned to create a stronger visual and civic identity and, with the periodic closure of Church Street, allow for major gatherings.
Cedar Street Park
The Plan also identifies the opportunity to create a park and public space of approximately 15,000 square feet immediately north of the planned Locust Street parking garage along Cedar Street. This park, which would enjoy sun throughout most of the day, would gain significance because of the heritage walnut tree on the site and its linkage to Pacific Avenue by way of Plaza Lane.
The Streets as Public Open Space
In reinforcing a strong open space network, it must be emphasized that the streets and sidewalks provide the principal public space opportunity within the downtown. The streets function as an extension of the larger open space system, providing key linkages to the river, the beach, and the surrounding neighborhoods; they also reinforce the commercial function of the downtown and accommodate much of the activities that make it a vital and memorable place to be. As such, the design of the streets needs to maximize their contribution to the overall open space system.
Pacific Avenue, as the city's "main street," should be designed to allow for periodic closures to accommodate major civic events; on an everyday basis, the street should continue to serve as a comfortable and active public place for a wide range of people, including students, residents, employees, and visitors. Other streets, including Cooper Street, Cathcart Street, and Front Street between River and Water Streets, should also be designed as key open space resources, capable of being closed for special occasions and events and providing direct visual and pedestrian linkages to the downtown. The use of sidewalk extension zones (e.g., outdoor cafes, markets, etc.), setbacks at key points, courtyards, and passages will also reinforce and enrich the overall open space network of the downtown.
Executive Summary page 11:
A Balance Between Pedestrians and Automobiles
It is important that streets and sidewalks be correctly sized and programmed to accommodate pedestrian activity and movement. Pedestrian spaces that are too big can evoke a sense of inactivity, emptiness, and insecurity, and as a result discourage pedestrian use. A careful balance needs to be established between the automobile, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The complete elimination of the automobile is not desirable because it can result in pedestrian spaces that are too big and inaccessible. This has been proven in small and medium-sized cities throughout the country, where pedestrian malls have failed to create the desired pedestrian or commercial environment. On the other hand, streets should not be dominated by the automobile to the point where pedestrians and bicyclists feel secondary. The correct balance should include: wide sidewalks for promenading and pedestrian-oriented activities; narrow roadways with slow-moving traffic; continuous, safe bicycle routes; ample accessible, at-grade pedestrian crossings or ramps, and appropriately textured surfaces for access and safe movement of persons using mobility aids and devices; and curbside parking or bike lanes to offer a separation between pedestrians and moving cars and to slow traffic further. Trees should be used to reinforce the pedestrian environment by giving scale and definition to the public walkways and by promoting a visually attractive and comfortable street.
The Relationship of the Public and Private Realm
A downtown pedestrian district like Santa Cruz need not establish a hard edge between public and private uses. Activities should flow back and forth between the public and private realms. The extension of the pedestrian environment into private parcels is encouraged by means of passages and courtyards that have a strong tradition in Santa Cruz. Conversely, retailing activities (e.g., cafes, flower stands, produce markets) are encouraged (within carefully prescribed limits) to "spill out" into the public right-of-way to reinforce the life and vitality of the street.
Executive Summary page 12:
Preserve and Enhance the Distinctive Scale and Character of Downtown
The image of downtown Santa Cruz is rich and complex, distinctive and memorable. Within the central city, new and rehabilitated buildings have developed individual character while retaining qualities of an historic townscape. The underlying cadence and structure of the built environment continues to express the scale and texture of a pedestrian-oriented downtown.
Introduction, Page 2:
First Principles
- Open Space and Streetscape. A strong network of public and private open spaces (streets, sidewalks, public parks, plazas, passageways and courtyards) that creates a socially active and pedestrian-oriented downtown core should be emphasized.
- Circulation. Downtown should be predominantly pedestrian in nature; movement should be carefully structured to reinforce the character of the place. Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access to the downtown should be enhanced.
- Parking. Parking in the downtown core should continue to be provided by the Parking District in a centralized fashion, to maximize shared use and minimize the quantity of stored vehicles.
The Basis for Change
This vision for the downtown is one that must evolve in a gradual way. Rather than a static plan or a fixed picture of an end-state condition, the Recovery Plan is intended as a creative framework that will guide the ingenuity and efforts of a wide range of participants – public policymakers, architects, developers, merchants and residents – over an extended period of time. The Plan, therefore, is structured to be definitive where specific approaches are necessary to achieve public objectives and more general where multiple approaches can be considered.
Before embarking upon the description of the Plan, it is important to emphasize that the downtown is not a "blank slate" upon which change will occur. Although the 1989 earthquake was devastating, it did not erase the underlying structure and form of the downtown. In addition to the community's vision and the specific principles outlined in this plan, the following factors provide a strong basis for future change:
- The Pattern of Downtown Streets and Blocks, which provide the principal organizing structure for public life and private activities within the downtown.
- The Pattern of Public and Private Ownership, which establishes the texture and "grain" of the downtown fabric, and the boundaries within which public and private sector participation will take place.
- Buildings of Architectural Significance, which provide for a strong continuity with the past and a context for future development.
Executive Summary page 4:
Planning Principles and Strategies
As recognized by the "First Principles," the downtown must continue to function as a place of commerce, culture, and recreation: a place that people choose to go to meet friends; a place that naturally and spontaneously accommodates civic events as well as informal gatherings; and a place where people live and work. The creation of a rich environment and a balanced mixture of land uses that are mutually reinforcing will be critical in achieving such a place.
Executive Summary page 5:
More Than a Place to Shop
The downtown must be more than a place to conduct business; it should also be a place where Santa Cruzans naturally gather to meet, to see live theater and movies, to hear music, to enjoy museums, to be entertained, and to eat. The perception of downtown in general, and Pacific Avenue in particular, should be a place of diverse activity. If carefully orchestrated, this diversity will contribute significantly to the success of the retail activities within the downtown. The land use pattern and street design should accommodate these activities and be made visually prominent. To this end, the Plan recommends that Pacific Avenue and the east-west streets be designed to maximize opportunities for outdoor eating, to give the area a strong identity as an active and festive place. In addition, entertainment and cultural uses (theaters, galleries, nightclubs) are encouraged to provide a richer and more diverse experience to the visitor, and to allow the downtown to be the principal "stage" for the artistic expression of the community. Pacific Avenue is the "main street" of Santa Cruz, and serves not only as the principal retail spine of the city, but also as its central social gathering space. Therefore, it must be attractive to all sectors of the community and allow for spontaneous gatherings and public seating.
Executive Summary page 6:
Enhance the Open Space and Pedestrian Network of Downtown
Nestled at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, on the coast of Monterey Bay and at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, the City of Santa Cruz has a powerful relationship with its physical environment. The downtown itself is defined by natural features, including Mission and Beach Hills to the north and south and the river to the east. The Recovery Plan calls for the creation of a strong and varied network of active and meaningful urban spaces that reinforce the unique pedestrian environment of the area, and that link the downtown with its natural setting.
Creating Meaningful Open Space in Downtown
Creating Meaningful Open Space in Downtown
Open spaces within downtown Santa Cruz should have value and meaning; they should be carefully located where people want to be and in locations that take advantage of the unique resources, heritage, and traditions of the community. They should not be contrived or created from "leftover" space. The most meaningful open spaces within cities have emerged out of natural features (e.g., the hilltop parks of San Francisco) and from places that have a historic cultural and/or civic significance (e.g., the church, the market, the crossroads). Downtown Santa Cruz has a meaningful system of such open spaces that should be built upon; these include the San Lorenzo River, the Post Office and Town Clock intersection at Pacific Avenue and Water Streets; the Civic Center; and the downtown streets themselves.
Executive Summary page 7:
Open Space of Historic and Civic Significance Downtown
While the Civic Center is a highly appropriate location for spontaneous or formal public gatherings, there is little provision for such activity. Although the majority of the Civic Center is beyond the boundaries of the Downtown Recovery Plan, the potential for this area to be reinforced as a civic gathering place should not be ignored. Currently, the City Hall has an attractively landscaped garden and court facing Center Street that is largely passive in nature. Modifications to this landscaped area could be considered to allow for larger formal and informal gatherings, while maintaining the unique scale, character, and garden-like qualities of the City Hall. In addition, or alternatively, the Church Street frontage adjacent to City Hall and the Civic Auditorium could be redesigned to create a stronger visual and civic identity and, with the periodic closure of Church Street, allow for major gatherings.
Cedar Street Park
The Plan also identifies the opportunity to create a park and public space of approximately 15,000 square feet immediately north of the planned Locust Street parking garage along Cedar Street. This park, which would enjoy sun throughout most of the day, would gain significance because of the heritage walnut tree on the site and its linkage to Pacific Avenue by way of Plaza Lane.
The Streets as Public Open Space
In reinforcing a strong open space network, it must be emphasized that the streets and sidewalks provide the principal public space opportunity within the downtown. The streets function as an extension of the larger open space system, providing key linkages to the river, the beach, and the surrounding neighborhoods; they also reinforce the commercial function of the downtown and accommodate much of the activities that make it a vital and memorable place to be. As such, the design of the streets needs to maximize their contribution to the overall open space system.
Pacific Avenue, as the city's "main street," should be designed to allow for periodic closures to accommodate major civic events; on an everyday basis, the street should continue to serve as a comfortable and active public place for a wide range of people, including students, residents, employees, and visitors. Other streets, including Cooper Street, Cathcart Street, and Front Street between River and Water Streets, should also be designed as key open space resources, capable of being closed for special occasions and events and providing direct visual and pedestrian linkages to the downtown. The use of sidewalk extension zones (e.g., outdoor cafes, markets, etc.), setbacks at key points, courtyards, and passages will also reinforce and enrich the overall open space network of the downtown.
Executive Summary page 11:
A Balance Between Pedestrians and Automobiles
It is important that streets and sidewalks be correctly sized and programmed to accommodate pedestrian activity and movement. Pedestrian spaces that are too big can evoke a sense of inactivity, emptiness, and insecurity, and as a result discourage pedestrian use. A careful balance needs to be established between the automobile, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The complete elimination of the automobile is not desirable because it can result in pedestrian spaces that are too big and inaccessible. This has been proven in small and medium-sized cities throughout the country, where pedestrian malls have failed to create the desired pedestrian or commercial environment. On the other hand, streets should not be dominated by the automobile to the point where pedestrians and bicyclists feel secondary. The correct balance should include: wide sidewalks for promenading and pedestrian-oriented activities; narrow roadways with slow-moving traffic; continuous, safe bicycle routes; ample accessible, at-grade pedestrian crossings or ramps, and appropriately textured surfaces for access and safe movement of persons using mobility aids and devices; and curbside parking or bike lanes to offer a separation between pedestrians and moving cars and to slow traffic further. Trees should be used to reinforce the pedestrian environment by giving scale and definition to the public walkways and by promoting a visually attractive and comfortable street.
The Relationship of the Public and Private Realm
A downtown pedestrian district like Santa Cruz need not establish a hard edge between public and private uses. Activities should flow back and forth between the public and private realms. The extension of the pedestrian environment into private parcels is encouraged by means of passages and courtyards that have a strong tradition in Santa Cruz. Conversely, retailing activities (e.g., cafes, flower stands, produce markets) are encouraged (within carefully prescribed limits) to "spill out" into the public right-of-way to reinforce the life and vitality of the street.
Executive Summary page 12:
Preserve and Enhance the Distinctive Scale and Character of Downtown
The image of downtown Santa Cruz is rich and complex, distinctive and memorable. Within the central city, new and rehabilitated buildings have developed individual character while retaining qualities of an historic townscape. The underlying cadence and structure of the built environment continues to express the scale and texture of a pedestrian-oriented downtown.