Fresno Famous

if if if if

if young professionals wanted a variety of 3rd spaces
if artists wanted combined living/work spaces
if young families wanted affordable homes

there is an abundance of talent here in Fresno, just need to combine it & tap into it

an inc. or co-op is just a few people w/ an idea & the willingness to take risks

need $$$, get SBA loans, they help even w/ business plans & research, check it out
http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/index.html

we have people from over a 100 countries here, that make Fresno home, there's no reason that we can't have variety, I've to 3 of the Indian Restaurants (Marsala's too pricey for me, unless you're treating ;-)

if they had better parking, Fulton Mall would be ideal for a "its a small world" plaza; already has Mexican, Italian, American, Mediterranean, Chinese. There's Japanese, Brazilian, Armenian restaurants & 2 smokehouses nearby

& don't forget Kern St Sports Town & ArtHop

"It gets late early out here", Yogi Berra

part of the problem here is that Fresno is in the flatlands

they rarely had to build up, they just sprawled, if they would have kept early city models, of at least 2 story buildings w/ ground floor storeshops & up-stairs apt (owner occupied), we would be an urban setting like SF, but no, we paved over our farms & put LA-style suburban homes instead.

be honest, except for the diff colored street signs can anyone really tell N Fresno from new Clovis? LA's same diff, 100 cities packed into 1 county, which BTW was a #1 ag county at one time, till Ventura & Orange split from it, they stole Owens Valley water& then sprawl happened

" You can observe a lot by watching ", Yogi Berra

remember the Farmers Market on Divisidero, Tulare & 41?

where stands today the Office depot?

for a while it had a farmers market, restaurants (my favorite was the Indian cuisine), & late night bingo (too smokey though, one of many gamblers' bad habits)
it happened already once, now we need some bright people to pool their talents(abilities) & talents(money)

Legal Alien, care to start a co-op?

or contact Metro Ministry, it has a CSA program (Community Sustainable
Agriculture) for fresh foods (they would need a school campus, church grounds or parking lot available on a regular basis, ask for Reyna)
http://www.fresnometroministry.org/

" It ain't over 'til it's over ", Yogi Berra

The City of Fresno

The City of Fresno especially the Mayor's office and the Planning Department were interested in it. Part of the problem is finding usable parcels of land that is those that were not vacant because it was under an overpass or so tiny that it could not be used for anything really.
Some people associated with Creative Fresno and others were pursuing it but I have not heard what progress has been made if any on it.
I will try to find out what has become of it if I can.

The Peducah Plan

That Peducah plan sounded fascinating from the first time I heard it. Is anyone actually moving on this idea?

Artist relocation

Would these artists have to stay on the property of a certain amount of time? What would keep them just turning around and selling the property once the RDA helped them buy it?

Artist Owned Homes/Buildings

There is some talk around Fresno of helping artists buy old homes or vacant lots in order to attract them to the area ,especially downtown. The fact that the artists would own the building rather then rent them is a big deal because if the area becomes popular enough that rents and property values rise that is great because the artist's home increases in value and can sell if they want to at a profit, or, hold on to it and enjoy the new found desirable area and equity that comes with purchasing a home.
This artist relocation idea was begun in Peducah, Kentucky as a way of revitalizing their downtown. A local bank was used to help secure the loan for the artists who may not always have a lot of savings. In Fresno, city owned land or buildings or RDA held land would probably be used to entice the artist. They may be odd shaped land or an old building but at the right price could do wonders for an artist and eventually the city.
In Peducah artists from around the country moved to this small town in order to take advantage of this deal. It would be great to see it happen in Fresno as well. Even better would be a cluster of artists in an area such as the Lowell district north of downtown.

gentrificated vagabond indeed sir

wait a minute, the price of rent is going up on an apartment?

doesn't that happen to most apartments over time? i didn't consider it a punishment when my rent went up after a few years at my apartment in tower. it didn't push me to other parts. and, if you like your place and continue to afford it, it probably won't push you out either.

i mean, really, famous whitewater, it's not like the vagabond or h street lofts were cheap to live at. i looked at them, and considered moving, but it would have been an increase in what i was paying by a couple hundred bucks. this isn't to say that it wasn't a liveable or fair price, i'm just saying it wasn't cheap.

as for gentrification, i've been under the impression that it's usually used in terms of forcing people out through raised property prices, which you're saying, but the people being forced out were the poor. i just don't know how many of the poor were living up in the brand spanking new vagabond lofts. i think they were a few streets over.

this is really urban renewal 101 stuff

The reason why 'artist lofts' sort of places happen to begin with is that they (traditionally)
are squatters (
or) have opted to live in 'industrial,' 'warehouse,' areas that were usually unused,
NOT the prettiest,
QUITE gritty,
--and were large enough for multi-use (IE: stretch big canvases, paint, sculpt (whatever) get stuff on the floors

--where you could work on your stuff and then step fifteen to twenty feet to the left and crash out on their cot/bed and have a 'kitchen area,' near by when you woke up later on, (before getting back to work)'

Remember 'Dan Tanna' in 'Vegas' parking the TBird right in the same living space that he had as a livingroom?
(which, I guarantee smelled perpetually of gasoline from the carbs.)

or

Warhol's 'Factory,' (Which was fueled greatly by the dissaffected 'trust fund' kids who didn't realy need to do anything to eat, so they were 'artists,' and 'bohemians.')
(nope: they were either stoners, pushers, or businessmen who just so happened to market in the creative (or not,) and knew fish in a barrell when they saw them.)

or

The huge place the girl on rollerskates used to roll around in in 'Diva,'
-great movie, but (again) there's always big business somewhere funding shangri-la.

Look up 'Medici.'

But the 'space,' the 'loft stereotype --

-it was always this idea of a big 'non inhabitable,' place that was a workspace that folks lived in --(often because they couldn't afford NOT to and were so busy WORKING on their stuff. So they went for the 'workspace first,' --living space where necessary, --but workspace first.'

The 'hip and cool' were always attracted to that,
-but they didn't want to be 'so bohemian,' that they actually 'lived,'
-these places (many of which were cold water flats, often with critters and such, drafty, (etc.) Were NOT comfortable, --but again, they were often prefferable because you could do what you wanted, nobody really cared, (they were often zoned industrial,) --and were quite low rent.

So... you want to 'create this as a way to turn a neighborhood around..'
-you follow the vibe, wait for it to be more about the 'social gathering aspect,'
f the 'artist space,' (which, 'artists' always attract hangers-on (or other artists taking a break from their stuff,)

---and when things get desirable and enough wealthier kids want to be there all the time?
Boom...
---flip it to those who had the money to begin with, and who want to live where it's 'cool.'

(like: cool man, cool...)

-The artists,

-because they usually don't make enough money being just 'artists.'
(I mean, the coin: 'starving artist,' did not just happen last week,)

-and
-because they need to actually be ALONE to concerntrate and get into their art and actually MAKE stuff, (rather than party all the time,)
--again, retreat to an area that is
A.) affordable and
B.) allows them to focus.

So they get out of there... sometimes by choice...
(Psssst: I got a clue for ya:
If you're busy getting smashed all the time and partying? You aren't creating ANYTHING...)

Whole time?

The 'happening and hip,' area (known know as such via definition of the 'real estate and reputation.' -no longer IF there are ACTUAL 'artists' creating or living there any more or not.
--generates a whole new crowd.

They may not be creating 'art,' per se,
--but they like the environment,
may be actually buying work of the artists (maybe)
-Or they all just may happen to smoke clove cigarrettes...
(or)
now find it suitable in other ways,
--such as it being closer to work...

And they'll live there, in the 'upscale bohemian' atmosphere,
until they get each other pregnant and such, and start having families,
---and then realize

'...hmmm, maybe it's not a great idea having the baby around a bunch of partiers, and we might want a lawn (vs) cement lot full of 'urban authenticity, and crack pipes,'
---and they head out to some starter deal in the 'burbs' somewhere...

This thing basically writes itself.

But as to the
'artists staying in the artists area.'

...um, other than really as an initial catalyst and
'authentic flavor,'
that passes off the scene
(oft times quite quickly,)

--They DON'T stay there too long.

'...And that's the way the game is played, Bubby.'
-Al Pacino, 'Glenngary-Glennross'

Coming from someone who has

Coming from someone who has lived in H Street Lofts for about 3 months, I've already noticed some changes.

- Brenda, the manager who essentially was the one who promoted the apartments as something new and hip downtown has left, and now the girl running the show is less connected with the tenants. Even though she still puts up with a lot.

- The lofts are ran by a property management company, so if they see potential for increased rent I am sure they will do it.

- They are neglecting things like some pest control as well as our front gate being broke now for like 3 weeks.

I still love the place, even though my neighbors probably hate us because of frequent weekend parties. But hey, I have never lived in an apartment complex where I knew 75% of my neighbors by first name and most were my age :)

But raising the rent on on the tenants who were the first early adopters here is wrong. Especially when the price of rent in Fresno is FALLING.

well

We would be so fortunate to have a boring, bland, homogeneous but affluent influx downtown.

If the people who work downtown start living there, we're doing well. It's not that there's not rich (or white)-people stuff to do there, there's just not currently much reason to be down there unless it's where you work.

It's probably a little premature to worry about doctors and lawyers ruining the vibe! We'd be so lucky to worry about that.

Agree on the diversity

as well, let's not forget how the northern boundary of most cities tends to move north with time. The old north area, which at one time even includes the tower district, becomes livable for the people with lower income as the newer more expensive places get bought by the people leaving the old north side. The cycle seems to be coming full circle with people rediscovering the old.

The cultural aspect really needs to take hold as well. Not enough people appreciate other cultures here. (a leftover from some of the small town conservatism it seems like) Having a big mix of stuff downtown to go to that represent a culture from another place on the planet would really be cool.

I'd love a great place for PHO downtown... or something Ethiopian.... or something Korean BBQ-ish.... A market (all in one place) where the Indians, Hmong, Philipino, Mexican, you name it, can go to find produce they use to cook with at home, or even for you and me to try a different kind of vegetable/spice to cook with, or dried food. A real World Market... To me the bottom floor of the JC Penny's really wants those big open entrances that let you look inside and see all the lined up produce and market goods as you drive by. That'd be a great place for a market like that.

As I have understood the term, gentrification typically involves buying up land/buildings with people in it already. Then kicking them out to redevelop and make unfordable for those same people. I could be wrong though. I also understand that there is currently nothing on the land slated to be used. I could be wrong there as well. Correct me at will. Just thinking out loud here with ya. I would agree that it could be a sign of success.

Diablo

Gentrification isn't always a good thing

Getting people with more disposable income downtown is really important to re-energizing the area. People with more money to spend will bring more places to spend it. But when you start to push out the very people that made it an interesting place in which live in the first place then all you're doing is creating another boring, bland and homogenous neighborhood. The very thing that those moving downtown in the first place don't want. I know costs go up but in order for downtown to be truly successful (in my opinion) is to insure that we maintain a truly diverse (socially, culturally and economically) population there.