West Broadway Advisory Committee Final Report

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~ , ~i Survey of Tenants in Redevelopment Area August 15, 2007 Page 5 4. WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR HOW THE CITY MIGHT HELP YOU AND OTHER BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THE POSSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT ON WEST BROADWAY Out of 1'8 respondents, only two chose not to respond to question 4. We organized the responses into four categories: Process recommendations, Development suggestions,, and Opposition to the redevelopment project, Process recommendations i • Keep all the tenants in the loop. Give us ample time and notice to relocate if we have to so we can close one night in the old location and open the next night in the new location. Provide resources and financial assistance for the businesses that have to move. Waive any SDC charges that might be incurred if a new location doesn't have ample plumbing, infrastructure, etc. • Assist in relocating businesses. in locations with good access and comparable rent. • Waive some of the outrageous fees for licensing and development, with being displaced; 2. Help locate existing properties which would be appropriate, adequate, and affordable for the type of business; 3. Buy out the existing business and equipment if the business cannot be relocated. 4. Act like you care. This [location] was opened approximately 15 years ago. It has struggled waiting for something to happen to improve downtown so that people would be drawn to the area and help .the business. Now, when something is finally being done, it seems [our business] will be just one of the casualties of this renovation, instead of being able to finally benefit from the move to bring people downtown. ~ i • Provide us with an alternative space. Facilitate our move. Compensate us. ' • I have been promised that there will be some kind of assistance to relocate the business, I would want to see that happen. • Educate tenants on how to access funding through existing programs. • ' Compensate fairly for relocation. Three different.demonstration rooms, offices, warehouse, telephone system, new signage... for our business, would be approx 50-100 ~ thousand. This is just to build the infrastructure for the business. We are currently coming to the end of a 20 year lease, we put lots of money into the building so that it could be occupied. We have a lease way below market rent. Also, we can sub-lease to other entities, which is a source of income from time to time. Currently difficult to sublease because of the possible redevelopment. • Don't limit traffic during the changes, give ample lead time for us to fmd other location. Development suggestions • Depends on what the final product is supposed to be. Residential...who wants to live next to a bar?? If it's a few blocks away, then no biggie. Older folks or single young folks, ~ depends upon who is drawn to the area. • The City could be a hero on all fronts if it .secured a building (space) for non-profits being displaced. Perhaps the Symantec building I i