I agree we need food and drink in all price ranges. Tuscon has an advantage because The University of Tuscon is near downtown as well, and, students need cheap places to eat and drink. We could have had UC-Merced in downtown Fresno if we had pushed for it instead of trying to put it in the foothills above Fresno.

Y'know, all the 'solutions' I keep hearing for downtown involve upscale crap that will struggle mightily to survive downtown. Even things like lotts that cost $400k when you can have your own damn house in the Tower for 250k. What's the matter with a few joints that have live music, an artsy-hip-college-oriented scene, and some taquerías and pizzerías that stay open at night, all within walking distance of each other??? Your dinner needn't cost $20 for it to be good, and your beer needn't cost $4 either. Take a look at downtown Tucson, Arizona: it's just a stone's throw from the bar district and everything is reasonably priced, and NO bar closes before 2am, thanks to all the people in there, even midweek. People keep thinking that you have to put a Landmark downtown for downtown to succeed. B.S.! You don't need overpriced beer, bad fusion jazz and spectacularly expensive food to give downtown a chance!

I agree with you that the city needs to make some changes...We own a business downtown, a restaurant...Joe's Steakhouse & Grill on Van Ness in between Kern and Inyo... and your right the city has done NOTHING to help bring businesses downtown... although I think that this whole fagan's closing deal has made people believe that there is nothing else downtown. We have been here almost two years... and we have GREAT FOOD... and EXCELLENT SERVICE... we are open for both lunch and dinner and provide a welcoming atmosphere... starting in February we will be offering night time entertainment as well... for example... a wine bar, Karoke night, and open mic night. It may take the city years to finally decide to do something with downtown... and we will continue to struggle with that and hopefully fight to make a difference for all of downtown but for the meantime while the city does nothing we are here and we are doing things!!! Fagans wasnt the only thing downtown.... businesses close their doors everyday... and they had to deal with what every other business dealt with and all we are asking for if for the city's support.
JOES STEAKHOUSE & GRILL
831 VAN NESS AVE
(559) 486-3536

Yes the City does own the building.

looks like Fresno City might own it? Call them
http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1073/files/santa%20fe%20depot.pdf

Photos:
http://www.texhoma.net/~trainman/fresno/05fresno.html

http://www.johnsonarchitecture.com/pages/depot.html

I think you helped me with my point in trying to stay away from relying on the 8 to 5 office crowd. That's why the retail space over in Vagabond seems like a better location. I still need to see how many of those lofts have rented out, also see where his next residential developement will be located.

I'm also looking at some spaces near Tulare and R St.

Now that I'm at it , does anyone have any info on the space in the train station facing Tulare Ave.

in the building I work at on the Fulton Mall, if you're heading in the wrong direction @ 5PM, you get run over, no kidding, last Friday, I had to wade through people @ a choke point, (a wide area turns into a narrow corridor toward the exits)

so, to stop people from running away @ 5, you have to have a good concept, great planning & do a good job of advertising, maybe a grand opening during arthop?

some of the younger girls @ work, said there used to be a great bar with music near the Masten Towers several years ago, but the noise ordinance killed it (old fogies, may not hear very well, but they sure complaint when they hear something they don't like)

as far as an internet cafe, 1 lasted about 3 months where Bedazzle Salon is now, corner of Van Ness & Merced. so, it'll have to be @ a better location. also, just a note here, something's going on @ the old Athenian (I think a BBQ place?), across the way from Mezcal, so competition already?

BTW, the kids that started Cafe Fulton, got help from the SBA with loans, after it got running, they sold it. which reminds me of when I lived in Whittier (down by LA), there was this older lady that started businesses & sold them after they took off, I asked her why? she said she liked starting them, not the day to day grind of running them, so, any adventurous entrepreneurs out there?

I agree with the last two comments, its time for all of us that are pointing out what is wrong to start making things right.
That is why I bought a condo downtown, sure its not much but it is a start. I do my best to buy in my neighborhood, but the pickin's are slim. So sometimes I have to head north to find what I need.

As for starting a business, its looking more and more appealing everyday (I better do it while I'm young, more time to recover if it doesn't work out) I've actually been thinking of leasing one of the retail spots in Vagabond lofts or maybe down the road near Club Jinnaka(sp? I'm sure I'm way off on that.). An internet cafe that would be open till the wee hours of the morning. Nothing fancy mainly a place for young professionals to hang and do some surfing. I'm trying to stay away from having to rely on too many of the office workers downtown. I want it to be close to the residents that are still around after 5 o'clock.

I'm sure there other people out there that have the desire to be their own boss.

Right now the Fresno downtown has all the the business appeal of an empty lot. Because it is a series of empty lots that happen to have really large buildings on them. Businesses are built where the people live not where they don't.

I think a downtown Fresno with thousands of residents in all of those tall buildings would become the 800 pound economic gorilla of the Central Valley. Fully developed it would be ten times the size of Riverpark.

But without the developers, government and finally residents nothing will happen.
I'm getting frustrated by the lack of action on this.
Can we squat?

if partying, pubs & good food is all that Fresno needs, WOW that's easy. we can fix that right away

me, as an old-timer, I just need a few hobbies, a library, some bookstores, theaters, some art, music & poetry venues, Yosemite & Pismo & I'm fine
Also, I'd rather eat with friends & family than go out on the town, hey, but that's me

my advice, if you're going to wait for something to happen, maybe it's really time that you & a few friends get together & make things happen, you have your friends, family, FF, MindHub, for starters
http://www.mindhub.org/

http://www.creativefresno.com/index.html

my suggestion is, that several groups need to get some good business plans, locations (& if in Downtown, lots of free parking), money, advertisement, word-of-mouth (via all media), & get started, no reason to bemoan the lack of what you want or feel that you need, there are enough smart, young people to do things that will benefit you as a group, if you're going to wait for old people like me to help you out or start things, you're sadly mistaken, I'm comfortable where I'm at, with my routine, you on the other hand, have other goals, plans, needs, that's where you come in

you have to put down roots somewhere, if its here, fine, if its in Wash DC fine, but no matter where you end up, you need to (or should) help make that place better or at least enough so for you, your family & social circle

there are a lot of people here that have a stake in the status quo, that control a lot of the strings, they don't want things to change; or like me, that fit in a nice, well-worn rut, those people have no stake in making changes that will benefit you. That leaves you with the awesome task of fulfilling that phrase in the 'Declaration of Independence', which I think is the only promise it has as our unalienable right, "life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness"
my only point being, personal responsibility, yours, so get started

the problem of respect for young professionals, an exiting & thriving work atmosphere, that's a different matter, again, try those 2 links provided above, go from there

also, ever thought of starting your own company, & up-staging your older, oppressive nemesi?

happy hunting

Probably Uranus...

There you go with Cow-way again. I just want to know when Exit-er was named; where were they coming from?

Yes, Broadway was quiet this past Jan. Art Hop...but for the first time EVER. Let's not base trends upon 'first time EVER'----and,it had been rainy.
BUT INSPITEOFTHAT---the POST Art Hop Party at Tokyo Gardens that VERY night. was swingin'======thanks be to Rademacher and all for keeping that swingin' night..well...um...swingin'===I mean...on a THURSDAY night for heaven's sake...to have a packed house at like...11:30 at night.....let's see Calwa do that! (laughs...woops...I love Calwa..and Exeter...I DO!)

me too

A very correct statement. Someone from Inc. magazine reported that Fresno will never be become "cool" by marketing "image" to professionals a few months ago. Astone can do "whatever" with that $120K, it will not make any difference.

If the "Santana Row" style mixed use project in SE Fresno works, kiss a downtown nightlife goodbye.

The Jan. Art Hop at Broadway Row also looked like a morgue, half the doors were closed/blank (and they finally paid to be put on the Art Hop map).

As a 2007 prediction, this site will also fade in glory. The time was perfect to sell out to the Bee before the decay set in.

I couldn't have said it better myself!

Anthony