To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vin Smith, Director, Community Development Department
Prepared By: Robin Klingbeil, Sr. Economic Dev Coordinator
TITLE:
Title
Downtown Napa Business and Construction Update for 2018
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Receive a presentation highlighting 2018 business and construction activity in Downtown Napa.
Body
DISCUSSION:
Each year, the Economic Development Division provides a presentation to the Council summarizing annual construction and business activity in the Downtown and Oxbow District areas. The geographic area is roughly the boundaries of the Downtown Napa and Oxbow business improvement areas. This report tracks commercial development construction and renovations, private and public investment, real estate sale activity, new and expanding business storefronts, and vacancy in the areas. During the 2018 calendar year, construction and renovation activity continued in retail, office and lodging sectors, as well as the 51-unit townhome residential project, “Register Square”. The following is a list of some of 2018’s most notable activities in the area:
• The 5-story Archer Hotel, which had a limited opening in November, 2017, fully opened in early 2018, with 183 rooms and 17,000 square feet of event and meeting space.
• Sky & Vine, a 7,000 s.f. open-air restaurant, opened in April on the roof of the Archer Hotel.
• Ten new storefronts opened in “First Street Napa” in 2018, occupying approximately 40,000 square feet.
• A new 70’ long mural of Beckstoffer Farm was painted by artist Morgan Bricca on the upper west side of the building at 1202 First Street.
• The earthquake-damaged Native Sons Building at First and Coombs completed a façade repair, and Rebel Tasting Room opened in its corner storefront space.
• At 1300 Main Street, a new 20,500 s.f. multi-story mixed-use office building (Wiseman Project) completed construction, began individual tenant improvements and opened some of its 2nd floor offices.
• Full exterior restoration and interior work was completed on the historic Borreo Building by Stone Brewing, which held a grand opening of their new brewpub and taproom in May.
• The “R Inn” B&B completed renovations and opened its doors at the former Treadway & Wigger funeral home on Coombs Street, and renovations continued at the Finch House, a 4-room B&B annex to the Blackbird Inn at First & Jefferson Streets.
• Construction was completed on a new 2,122 square foot restaurant at 640 Third Street that doubled seating space for Taqueria Maria.
• The 51-unit townhome residential project, Register Square, continued construction at Third and Seminary.
• Façade improvements and restorations were completed on the Lazarus Building at 1202 Main, and work began at 813 Main to restore the historic “Thomas” storefront.
• Restoration and repairs were completed by the City on the historic Goodman Library Building, 1219 First Street, which received awards of excellence in historic preservation.
• Two new self-cleaning public restrooms were installed in City parking lots at West and Main Streets.
Thirty-nine new businesses opened, relocated or expanded in 2018, and ten businesses closed - four of which spaces have been replaced with new tenants. Notable property transactions occurring last year include the sale of the Napa County Corporation Yard on Water Street, multiple parcels on Seminary Street to Blue Oak School, lodging properties Beazley House, Napa Inn, La Belle Epoque & La Petite Maison, and the Gelow property on Soscol Avenue.
In total, an estimated $56 million in private development projects were completed in 2018, with another $58 million now underway. Over the course of tracking downtown developments since 1996, total public and private construction and disclosed real estate investment in the downtown has exceeded $1.7 billion.
A chart of all new, relocating, and soon-to-open storefront businesses is provided in Attachment 1, and a summary of Downtown & Oxbow public and private investment is provided as Attachment 2.
Staff will provide a full presentation at the meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
None.
CEQA:
The Community Development Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1: Downtown Napa Business Activity Summary 2018
ATCH 2: Private and Public Investment Summary 1996-2018
NOTIFICATION:
None.