Grand Terrace Business Corridor Specific Plan

This Demonstration Project served to update the Barton Road Specific Plan with a focus on economic development in order to reduce congestion and improve the jobs-housing balance.

Goals

• Establish community gathering places
• Attract smaller or specialty stores rather than big box retail
• Energize the corridor to help create a destination district and attract new businesses
• Have a consistent Village theme throughout corridor and enhance street appeal with pedestrian amenities

The vision for the Barton Road Specific Plan centers on providing jobs and services, including retail and dining opportunities for local residents and visitors. Grand Terrace provides a pleasant environment for businesses and shopping, but this is not sufficient for a company to make a location decision.  Several opportunities exist for maximizing economic development within the corridor.  City residents on average have higher incomes than those of adjacent cities.  In addition, Grand Terrace’s existing retail is clustered primarily along Barton Road which helps the vitality of the retail area as shoppers often seek areas in which they can have a variety of shopping options.  Providing new developments in the corridor will breathe new life into the retail environment and will provide opportunities to capture residents from beyond Grand Terrace.

Results

• Connect commercial centers and improve shopping districts through physical streetscape improvements
• Seek out a non-commercial or institutional anchor; build niche industries; and cluster retail and service types in a specific district
• Create a destination district with a cohesive sense of place
• Create an Industry Recruitment Group to include merchants, restaurateurs, property owners/developers, lenders, commercial brokers, and Redevelopment Agency staff
• Consolidate and share access and parking; calm traffic on Barton Road; and encourage bicycle travel and transit ridership
• Design concepts for public gathering spaces