Reimagining downtown Manteca.

It is the process the Manteca City Council could set in motion Tuesday.

That’s when they will consider retaining Ascent Environmental — working in conjunction with the community — to devise a downtown specific plan.

The endeavor carries a $993,292 price tag.

What is different about this exercise than the six other downtown “plans” vetted since 1963 that went nowhere or were partially implemented, are four things.

*The city is paying to put an entire package right down to adopting specific design standards and putting an umbrella environmental impact assessment in place that will speed up private sector revitalization efforts.  In the past, it has been phased approaches with the subsequent phases never being followed through.

*The downtown property owners have banned together to tax themselves for a downtown improvement association to create common marketing including events as well as addressing details to make venturing downtown more attractive whether it is security, stepped up cleaning, or little touches such as flower baskets hanging from street light standards.

*Passage of the Measure Q sales tax has helped improve revenue at the city to be able to more effectively address basic municipal making it possible to focus more effectively on downtown.

*The city is in the process of obtaining ownership of the iconic IOOF Hall on Yosemite at Main with an accompanying parking lot to allow it to direct the potential of downtown property by an actual example the city has a direct stake in.

The reimagining of downtown will also require getting past myopic approaches such as the public perception to be effective parking has to be adjacent to stores as it is in shopping centers or that downtown needs to channel 1950s retail sensibilities to become vibrant.

It starts with Ascent’s approach.

They will study downtown as a place.

That may reflect other mumbo jumbo of previous consultants, but it defines “the place” as everything within a five minute walking distance — or quarter mile radius — of the heart of downtown.

By not drawing arbitrary lines based on existing streets and uses, it allows the design of a master plan that is focused on what works well in other successful downtown transformations and not being so hung up on parking that it creates a chokehold.

Typically, other bustling and vibrant downtowns in the greater region from Livermore to Lodi are places where people will walk five minutes to their destination because it offers what they want.

That puts walkability on par with traffic circulation.

An example of what that means will be shared with the public Tuesday via a staff power point presentation.

They will go over a conceptual site “activation” vision for the parking lot on the northwest corner of Yosemite Avenue and Main Street.

The city, when the $1.2 million purchase closes escrow, immediately plans to make the asphalted space being brought up to parking lot standards by the seller into a public parking lot.

That will include eliminating driveway cuts in the sidewalk along Main Street.

It would allow more effective parking use of the space plus allow the city to create a right turn lane from southbound Main to westbound Yosemite.

The consultant sees that immediate step replaced in the relatively near future with a site activation plan dubbed “Manteca Meets.”

With decorative fencing, landscaping and minimum investment, the re-imagined space sans parking could be used as a play zone, street market, pop up art endeavors, roller rink, and movie nights.

The third step referenced as a “few years out” would involve a long-term investment.

Those concepts make it clear death-grip ideas about parking that would lead many not to eliminate it at Yosemite and Main — the prime downtown intersection — are keeping downtown from gaining new life.

The long-term concept could include:
*A pavilion structure for small community space of a café and a shaded patio and seating at the corner.

*A food hall with indoor and outdoor spaces and a central open space that flows into the existing city-owned parking lot next to the Deaf Puppy Comedy Club by eliminating the eastern end of the alley.

*The food hall and central plaza endeavored with a third level use for the roof of the IOOF Hall that could have a café with patio.

The transformation of the corner lot would be in addition to the city’s plan to partner with the private sector to rethink how the IOOF building can be used to create an entry point calling card for downtown by housing “meeting” and “gathering” places such as restaurants.

The price tag for the master plan is being covered by fees collected by development services in connection with growth that is earmarked for conducting planning studies.

As such, it doesn’t impact the general fund that supports day-to-day services such as police, fire, and street upkeep.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com