Carlsbad City Council Approves $242K for Downtown Project

An effort to improve Carlsbad's downtown village is moving forward after the City Council approved a $242,000 contract with Urban Place Consulting Group Tuesday night. 

The entire project is expected to take three years with an estimated cost of $726,000.

The city’s vision for the Village is as a family-friendly destination that is both pedestrian and bicycle oriented—a place where people’s jobs, homes and recreation are within a short walk of each other.

“With many years of high-quality experience revitalizing downtowns, and with the ability to take a fresh look at the current environment, Urban Place is in an ideal position to help re-energize the effort to create a sense of place and further enhance the Village through partnerships with property and business owners,” said Village business owner, Richard Zall. “I am very excited about this new partnership and have great expectations for a bright and exciting future for the Village.” Zall was a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee appointed by the Housing & Redevelopment Commission to recommend a private partner to help the Village continue to move forward in its revitalization effort. 

Startup funds will come from the Housing & Neighborhood Services Department through set-aside redevelopment or other funds, but ultimately the organization must become self-sustaining in its operations and finances. “The goal is to bring someone in who's going to work their way out of a job by establishing a self-sustaining private organization that will stand on its own within three to five years,” said Zall. Urban Place will work hand in hand with the Carlsbad Village Association, which has served downtown businesses for many years. Urban Place was selected by the review committee from among seven proposals after a six month process.

The Village Area represents approximately 200 acres of the City of Carlsbad and is located within the oldest part of the city.