The Economic Development Board (EDB) will review the city’s most recent Business Walk and go over plans for the next one at Wednesday’s meeting.
The EDB hosted its first Business Walk in September to gauge the concerns of local business owners. EDB members and city officials split off into teams to visit local establishments in Solano Square, Davies Square and on First Street to talk to owners or managers bout their businesses and how to build relationships with the community. The two teams focused on three specific areas: how business is doing, concerns owners have about their business climate and suggestions for building a stronger business community.
At the most recent Business Walk on Feb. 15, team members wore green “Benicia Business Walk” vests and broke into two small teams to visit the shopping centers on Columbus Parkway and Rose Drive, which previously received postcards alerting the businesses of the scheduled visit so they could be more prepared to speak. Of the businesses, nine provided input: CVS, Daily Donuts, Golden Gate Staffing, the Law Offices of Dirk Fulton, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Napoli Pizza & Pasta, Rose Market, Spa Nail Salon and Spa, and Starbucks Coffee.
According to a staff report, an overwhelming number of businesses said they enjoy doing business in Benicia but felt business was only fair early in the year. Additionally, many of the businesses reported crime in the community, one business said worker training was needed, and most businesses were favorable to the possibility of cannabis retail in the area, although some expressed concern about the close proximity to KinderCare on Rose Drive.
The next Business Walk is slated for April and will take place in the Southampton Shopping Center. Businesses will receive postcards ahead of time.
In other matters, the EDB will review and update new business license applications, and will discuss the board’s goals and responsibilities.
The Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 28 in the Commission Room at City Hall, 250 East L St.
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I have to BZ the EDB for transparency on their survey of Rose Drive/Columbus commercial activity with regard to the cannabis issue. I was surprised to read some businesses were concerned about cannabis retail being close to Kindercare, but basically nobody expressed alarm about impact to commerce.
I am looking forward to the Southampton results, especially the position of Raley’s on retail cannabis, since they dispense opioids and sell cannabis products. A favorable view all around like at Rose Drive/Columbus will lead to opening up this area as well. More cannabis, less liquor and cigarettes.
The transparency exhibited by the EDB stands in stark contrast to the cannabis-specific survey of the downtown area that Benicia Main Street refused to release the identities of participants to me upon request, citing privacy concerns. That survey flopped big time, most did not participate and there was little objection to retail cannabis in the area. I believe a lot of voters have formed an opinion on who was behind trying to whip up an anti-cannabis frenzy downtown that resulted in two productive businesses getting the shaft, for now.
What two businesses got the shaft. Please let the reside4nce know who those businesses are. That would be very helpful. Thank you.
EDB apparently does not consider the Industrial Park as containing any businesses. Hmm, I wonder what they think a business entails. Of course, maybe if they actually did a walk in the industrial park they might realize just how EMPTY it is because of Benicia’s anti-business climate.
I’m not sure if the BIP has been provided with infrastructure for optical fiber communication, or other high speed high bandwidth options yet. I know they were talking about it. Point being, if it has not, businesses are becoming ever more dependent on high tech business tools and communication, and I can see businesses rejecting moving into the BIP purely for this reason.
Thom Davis, please rest assured EDB will meet with merchants in the Benicia Industrial Park. The program is a multi-month event going district to district in Benicia.
Good luck with that. You might find a few merchants if you are willing to hike the miles between the vacant buildings.
Thom; I am not aware just how empty the BIP is. Do you know the occupancy rate of the BIP. Maybe even more important is square footage occupancy. The BIP as far as spaces or buildings available may be at close to 100% but any empty spaces or buildings could very well be a big portion of the square footage available. A good example could be Solano Square. If Safeway was to leave they still could have say 90% ,occupancy per space available put 50% of square footage not occupied. So my question to you is just how empty i9 the BIP. Thank you.
Bob, take a drive through the park. Every corner has an Available sign. We’re not talking square FOOTAGE, we’re talking vacant ACRES of business buildings lying vacant. Most of the signs list the square footage available and I think the smallest sign said 25,000 square feet available.
Thom, Just my two cents, but, I don’t think anyone in real estate talks about vacancy rates in terms of square footage, aside from perhaps for internal purposes.