Tag archives: State Street
I was one of many people who spoke in favor of the Miramar project at a recent Montecito Association Board Meeting. There were a significant number of residents who joined me, reflecting what I believe to be the consensus among many in the broader Montecito community; this is a great plan that will improve the […]
I went to the UCSB Santa Barbara Economic Summit held at the Granada Theatre. The place was packed and the presentations were great. The speakers, Gene Deering, a principal at Radius Commercial Real Estate, host UCSB econ professor Peter Ruppert, and real estate entrepreneur Rick Caruso, were informative and hit on some of the problems […]
Once again, our mayor has taken to the Independent to air his concerns over State Street, and as usual those concerns are at odds with the other council members, the general public, and all available facts and studies. But let me take a step back and talk about something positive. Over the last month, Strong […]
We all want a thriving, vibrant State Street, but we don’t have one. I first wrote about the decline of State Street in 2017. As I look back to those articles not much has changed. State Street isn’t actually dead, but it has been dying for years. I know that some folks deny this, but […]
The pandemic-propelled State Street parklets are still preventing the return of the Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade, but neighbors just a bit east and south are both staging their marching extravaganzas on Saturday, December 9. Carpinteria’s Holiday Spirit Parade begins at 3 pm on Linden Avenue, the seaside city’s main drag, with floats, marching bands, […]
Changes to Santa Barbara’s State Street – recently reborn as a cozy, sun-soaked pedestrian promenade – have transformed the palm-lined commercial-and-arts district into an almost park-like destination for calming and convivial holiday shopping, the salt-scented, sparkling beach mere blocks away. Seriously. How do we love State Street over the holidays? Let us count the ways… […]
“What Should We Do About State Street?” The Westmont Center for Dialogue and Deliberation (WCDD) hosts a conversation on this pressing issue and invites Santa Barbara residents to share their ideas for shaping and co-creating this special public space. When you RSVP to the free, public event held Thursday, October 26, from 6:45-8:45 pm, you’ll […]
Let me say this upfront: Of the three State Street designs presented to the State Street Advisory Committee by MIG Design at their meeting on May 24, the members of our local nonprofit advocacy group, Strong Towns Santa Barbara (STSB), support the “Flat and Flexible” option – the one most focused on the comfort and […]
If you’ve read anything about the State Street Advisory Committee meeting on May 24, it was probably about how tense the meeting was, how many committee members disagreed, and how public comment was a bit heated. Nick Welsh of the Independent called it a “bumpy start.” Councilman Oscar Gutierrez was a bit less delicate, stating […]
I am glad that “Robert’s Big Questions” are published regularly in the weekly Montecito Journal. The writer is among my most interesting friends (among other things, he’s the widely grinning high-brow guy cavorting about on his unicycle in parades and events around town), and I find it worthwhile to consider how and what he thinks. […]
With the pedestrian paths that now run down State Street, it is easier than ever to do some holiday shopping or just spend a day downtown with the family. In week three of our Home for the Holidays Guide, here are just a few of the fun events and spots to stop in along the […]
Pitmaster Kristi Bean recently debuted her barbecue eatery, Beans BBQ, nestled on State Street, just steps away from Granada Theatre. Bean said the eatery is the love child of Beans BBQ catering business, which she started in 2014, the same year she migrated to Santa Barbara. At the core of the success story that is […]
Santa Barbara City staff is recommending to the City Council to adopt an Economic Recovery Extension and Transition Ordinance, which would provide an additional 22 months until December 31, 2023 for businesses within city limits – including on Coast Village Road – to operate expanded outdoor business facilities and parklets. The ordinance also authorizes the […]
Mary Lynn Harms-Romo readily admits that at 5:30 pm every day, she plans to step away from whatever she is doing to take in the snow. Yes, the snow. It’s a holiday benefit to her role as senior marketing director and local leasing manager with Paseo Nuevo — and a welcomed sight after the pandemic […]
The return of live music has been one of the most anticipated events during these rough times. For many around the area, going to see a live show at SOhO was one of the most sorely missed experiences through the quarantine. While the Santa Barbara Bowl makes for a memorable outing, many locals have countless […]
From daydreaming in lecture to launching her own store in downtown Santa Barbara, Athena Wang is the queen of taking risks. The 20-year-old UCSB student is the face behind Watermelon Apparel, a lifestyle apparel brand. Watermelon Apparel promotes comfortability, trendiness, and affordability. It began solely online but shifted into the physical realm with its […]
With COVID freedom has come a return of hugging friends — or maybe strangers — and gathering at breathtaking art exhibits. Or maybe you’ve celebrated by buying a ticket to a comedy show at the Santa Barbara Bowl, a nice treat for anyone that participates in the Santa Barbara Triathlon at the end of August […]
Persona Pizzeria on State Street has reopened under new ownership, despite statewide stay-at-home orders that have shut down indoor and outdoor dining in the majority of counties in California. “We know it’s not the optimal time to open a new business, but we are super COVID-safe and looking forward to offering the same delicious, freshly […]
An earthquake a century ago shook Santa Barbara but united the city. Can today’s housing and economic crises coalesce to effect similar change? The retail closures of State Street and local housing crisis are familiar topics in the area and have been discussed for years. In 2017 the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Institute […]
When Jose Lobero expanded the old adobe Sebastopol schoolhouse and created his Opera House between 1871 and 1873, Chinatown was already established on the first block of East Canon Perdido street. At that time, the street was nothing more than a narrow dirt track and an article from November 1873 stated, “This narrow and disagreeable […]
