SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Provide direction on Cleveland Street Shipping Container/Mobile Vendors.
Body
SUMMARY:
CRA staff met with city departments to discuss the feasibility of shipping containers and mobile vendors on the pedestrian corridor of Cleveland Street, with the goal of creating new commercial activity not within traditional storefronts. Shipping container businesses will not be allowed on the public right of way, but mobile vendors can be granted access to operate within this area as a new form of commercial activity. This commercial activity could be Airstreams, food trucks, and other businesses operating on wheels.
The following three ideas could bring new commercial activity to the Cleveland Street corridor:
1. Dedicated Commercial Activity
The road closure on the 400 block of Cleveland Street provides an opportunity for new commercial activity within the center turn lanes. This currently empty and unused space could potentially accommodate two vendors at Fort Harrison Avenue and one vendor at Osceola Avenue, creating up to three new business locations. Businesses operating from these locations could operate as their primary place of business. Although technically mobile, these businesses would remain within their designated location. The addition of parklets in nearby unused parking spaces could help further enhance these new business locations with outdoor seating and other public amenities.
2. Event Commercial Activity
Mobile vendors could be utilized during special events, such as food truck festivals. These special event vendors could operate out of the unused parking spaces and open areas along both the 400 and 500 blocks of Cleveland Street. This type of activity would generate an influx of activity during special event times, and it could become a monthly or seasonal event.
3. Hybrid Commercial Activity
A hybrid could be utilized with mobile vendors to establish regular dedicated ongoing new businesses. Plus, special events could be created to bring an influx of new commercial activity during those events.
These plans to enliven the Cleveland Street corridor do meet the following CRA goals and objectives:
Goal 1 - People
- Objective 1E:
Maintain Cleveland Street as Downtown’s Main Street which is valued for its historic character and pedestrian scale.
- Objective 1H:
Maintain, activate, and program parks, plazas, and recreational areas.
Goal 2 - Accessibility
- Objective 2B:
Strengthen Cleveland Street, Osceola, and Fort Harrison Avenues as local, pedestrian-oriented streets. Identify other local streets to be reinvigorated with active ground-floor uses.
- Objective 2H:
Support temporary techniques that improve the street environment, such as murals, temporary planters, sharrows, bike lanes, and painted intersections until permanent improvements are made.
Goal 3 - Amenity
- Objective 3G:
Create and activate space to work as signature destinations, including civic plazas, markets, and retail gathering places that promote economic growth for Downtown.
Goal 4 - Urban Design
- Objective 4A:
Encourage redevelopment that contains a variety of building forms
Staff Recommends a hybrid model to provide a mixture of opportunities for consumers and enliven the Cleveland Street corridor.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
2.1 Strenghten public-private iniatives that attract, develop, and retain diversified business sector.
2.2 Cultivate a business climate tht welcomes entrepreneurship, inspires local investment, supports Eco-friendly enterprises, and encourages high-quality job growth.