How Should Walnut Creek Boost its Economy?

Roundtables with developers? Lure in new businesses? More high-end shops? Fewer? Better manage parking? Create a better brand for itself? Post better signs around downtown? Build that new hotel? 

These are among many ideas residents and business owners have, and among some up up for discussion among City Council members at a special meeting Thursday.

The city wants to create jobs, increase sales tax revenues coming into the city, and attract new businesses. But how to do that in a still challenging local, state, national and global economy?

According to a staff report by Assistant City Manager Lorie Tinfow, the city is proud of certain accomplishments, such as gaining new investment in the form of a new Neiman Marcus luxury department store and proposals to build a new grocery store on the long vacant co-op site on Geary Road. There also is strong interest in the former headquarters for Longs Drugs, Richmond-based Mechanics Bank is relocating workers to an office building on Civic Drive, and Dirito Brothers will build a bigger and better dealership in a new location on North Main Street. 

But the city wants to do more, and that includes considering ideas presented by Roger Brooks, the self-described destination guru hired by the Downtown Business Association to improve the way Walnut Creek markets itself.

Brooks made some interesting assessments of downtown, including asserting that Mt. Diablo Boulevard is Walnut Creek's "Mason-Dixon Line. He also suggested that we call the area north of this Mason-Dixon Line our "International District" because of all the "ethnic" restaurants operating there.  In a report, city staff noted that Brooks was "clear" that the names "International District" and "Plaza District" for Plaza Escuela "are just examples."

The council will meet at 5 p.m. in the third floor conference room, City Hall. Attached are copies of Tinfow's staff report and Roger Brook's assessment.