I recently read an article regarding the closing of Downtown Java and Cafe.
The owner, Kathleen Saxer, is closing shop due to impacts from adjacent construction. Kathleen’s business was negatively impacted (lack of visibility and access, removal of parking, missing dumpsters, dust, noise) resulting in a loss and reduction of business which ultimately means that the place is closing down. The article states a reduction of business of 60-75%.
Kathleen’s little shop is great. Their Yelp reviews are great. Their presence in Downtown is part of the fabric and vibrancy of the area; this location has had a cafe in it for as long as I can remember – I was raised in Redding and lived there for 40 years of my life. Kathleen is a wonderful person, a mother of two, a recent widow. She’s put her heart and soul into Downtown Java.
The fact that Downtown Java is closing reveals a serious misstep in the City’s oversight – especially since Downtown has been the focus of the City’s revitalization efforts for many years now.
I am writing because I am appalled that the City would not do more to protect and support Kathleen’s small business and others during downtown revitalization construction projects. This shows a lack of leadership at City Hall, and it’s a shame. Failure by the City Council, City Leadership Team, the McConnell Foundation and K2 Development Company has resulted in crushing, negative impacts to Downtown businesses and I am angry as hell about it.
It’s easy to draw a line between the ongoing construction and the resulting impacts to adjacent businesses. One can’t help wondering if the City could have done more to protect small businesses like Kathleen’s.
I believe that the City should have comprehended the construction impacts, and made a plan to prevent and mitigate the impacts so that small businesses could continue to function and thrive despite the construction impacts. McConnell Foundation should have ponied up the cash via grants to mitigate business loss. K2 should have done more to limit their construction impacts.
The City is paying the City Manager and Assistant City Manager big bucks ($112,000 Steve Bade) and ($226,000 Barry Tippin) to take care of business and to make the right decisions.
I wrote to City Manager Barry Tippin and Steve Bade, Redding’s Assistant City Manager. Steve deferred responsibility to the contractor, stating that they failed to follow through with a communication plan. Steve indicated that a relocation option was presented to Kathleen. But I beg the question, why should Kathleen have to move her business location after 11 successful years to accommodate downtown growth? I opine that this is ridiculous. Kathleen didn’t cause the impacts, therefore she shouldn’t have to pay the price to move and she shouldn’t have to bear the loss of her livelihood as a result of the City’s project.
I argue that the City bears the burden to proactively consider needs of existing downtown businesses and to make and implement a plan to make sure that impacts are reduced and mitigated; whether that means ensuring visibility (signage, promotions), ensuring adequate parking and access, limiting hours of construction and noise, and/or providing financial mitigation. The buck stops with city leaders, and it’s their responsibility to fight for small business owners like Kathleen, who put everything they have into taking a chance on entrepreneurship in Redding. In this case, City leaders have failed miserably.
I would be very interested in reviewing the City’s plan for protecting businesses as part of the Downtown renovation projects. I would presume that the City put some serious thought into how to protect and preserve small businesses during construction. After all, Downtown depends on exactly these types of businesses in order to achieve its goals of revitalization. However, I don’t believe there was any plan, I don’t believe that the City leaders took the time and effort to consider how redevelopment of the old parking garage would affect adjacent businesses. I also lay blame at the feet of the McConnell Foundation and K2 Development Company – since they are also responsible parties.
I just can’t accept that the City did its best here; because I believe it’s the results that matter. And the results show that the adjacent businesses are failing. Market Street Uniforms has moved, Downtown Java is closing, and I’ve been told that the Post Office Saloon is also suffering.
Redding has an insidious history with Downtown, from the failed 1960’s mall redevelopment project through today’s projects designed to fix the problem that was the old, enclosed downtown core.
Redding’s efforts to revitalize the downtown area should not come at the cost of local businesses. I believe that Redding’s leaders have failed to honor, recognize and protect the folks who were brave and resourceful enough to invest in downtown businesses.
As a disclosure, I worked for the City of Redding from 2006-2012 as a City Planner and for REU. For the past 10-years I have been a City Planner for the City of Portland, Oregon.
Brando Green
Portland, Oregon
