I find the treatment of The Daisy to be appalling but not surprising. This is a very unfriendly city for business. I am in Portland OR at the moment scoping it out as a place for me to move my lighting and home store.
The bigger difference is that many European countries take strong pride in maintaining their cities and towns, and enforcing the laws that keep them beautiful and user friendly.
I would summarize this city government and all its departments’ performance as follows: No accountability, no oversight and no leadership.
Im encouraged by all your State St comments and the simple logic! I work downtown and if we walk to Paseo Nuevo for lunch I am always struck by how desolate it is! Its embarrassing and depressing! Time for some logical ACTION!
The Mediterranean mooring/docking method is always stern to the quay, and there is a scary passerelle, basically a narrow gangplank from stern to dock that one has to navigate. It’s a way to save space, and it’s complicated by two anchors and sometimes other necessities. Most def rent a boat next time.
P. S. Love your travelogues.
Anacapa and mission!!
It is very sad to see some great places go out of business in Santa Barbara and friends, colleagues moved out. With that being said the city and whoever else makes it so impossible for anyone to live in this community. They just want out of town people particularly to pay ridiculous money for school then graduated and move away then the circle keeps going on…
Tell me how fake and prejudiced most people are in this community especially the ones that think they’re helping out. The housing crisis in Santa Barbara is ridiculously prejudiced stating “we want people to make 3 times or 40% of income or more to rent a place here.” To be honest this is detestable, and inhuman to make this kind of rule by pretending they are for the people, so in fact they are really pushing good model citizens out of the city. Therefore everyone should be more genuine about the community to make it a better place for all.
Probably because the cars business model works pretty much everywhere in every city in this country.
Really, you posted a photo of cracked concrete. . . really????
Agreed Tammy - I have stepped into the street and been stunned to see cars approaching. Very dangerous!
I moved to the lower Riviera 7 years ago and one perk was to be walking distance to downtown. I really enjoyed that until 4 years ago when everything changed. Nowadays I rarely go downtown any more. I’ve had too many close calls with bikes side swiping me and honestly very few options left for shopping and merely so-so restaurants…I can support ones that are easier to access that aren’t on state. I’ve lived in SB for 22 years and fully agree with opening State Street up like before. When I wasn’t so close, it was so nice to cruise it and see what looked good then find parking and dine and shop and spend time just enjoying our town. I miss those days.
Not to mention that the one block with one way vehicular traffic is confusing and surprising to drivers, pedestrians and bikers. It feels dangerous and unexpected, a likely place for accidents. Sigh.
I just returned from a trip to Spain. Streets were lined with native trees that were beautifully maintained. And things were clean, no homeless hanging around, no speeding bikes or other wheeled vehicles competing with pedestrians. But it was definitely the trees that made it special. Quieter, inviting, cleaner spaces. And each business kept their sidewalks cleaned up! We need to make this inviting for all with lovely shops and restaurants.
Sidewalk in front of 1930 Anacapa Street. Cross street of Mission and Anacapa
Amen to comments below, in particular Todd's. The city is displaying contradictory behavior, professing to be working on revitalizing State St. but pursuing actions which make it harder for current and prospective businesses to operate profitably. Given the rise of shopping on the internet, retail establishments are not going to fill the empty commercial spaces. Food and beverage establishments are the best hope for revitalizing State St. The city should be helping them, not making it harder for establishments such as The Daisy to operate. Local residents need a reason to go downtown. Why do cars all of a sudden get priority on State St. when the city extolls pedestrian and bicycle traffic elsewhere?
Nooooooooooooo Caruso cheese.
Keep LA in LA!
Very well said!!
The Cold Springs bridge construction is a bad use of $3M in taxpayer funds. The beautiful iron bridge installed in 2020 was sturdy, beautiful, and slowed traffic at the trailhead - making the area safe. There have been dozens of emergency rescues in the past four years and the bridge hasn’t created any challenges (ask the Fire Department or Search and Rescue).
The new bridge will be a two-lane concrete structure. The benefit is enabling faster car traffic (as residents know, there are lots of joy riders on E mountain). E Mountain is closed until November and there will be significant construction activities for 4 months. Seems like the county is focused on the wrong priorities.
The city must focus on helping the small businesses succeed. When the businesses are succeeding the energy of state street will rise.
anapamu street? or the spot where a friend tripped and broke her hip?
Is this outside Casa Dolores on Bath Street?
It seems pretty clear to me that our city council except Randy Rowse, can’t fiqure it out, I say put it before the voters and let’s take a vote on what is best for our beautiful city, if the population votes open State Street OPEN IT, if they vote to keep it closed keep it closed, that will solve the problem, I personally want it OPEN ! City council please get out of your chairs and get off your as… and take a walk up State Street once a week and you will see the Blight that is going on !
Rick Caruso ? Do we want a Tuscan Disney Land now ?
The city should hire Rick Caruso to get his team to design and renovate State Street. He will take a measured approach to retaining the history and beauty of the architecture and mature landscaping, while designing the most appropriate looking and functioning infrastructure. It will be perfect.
State street, as it has been for far too long now, is so embarrassing and destitute. I agree with others who have commented here. Our City Council is a joke, they have wrecked the lifeblood of the downtown economy. All of the wonderful parades, festivals and businesses that we used to be able to have in our prominent downtown area on State are long gone. It is so shameful. I wish the city council would have to pay out of their own pockets for all of the lost revenue to the city and to all of the great businesses that used to be on State that have had to shutter. I never go down to State anymore. What a joke and an embarrassment. So much greed and ineptitude in our city and city council. It’s almost time to just pull up stakes and go to another small town on our beautiful coast. It is awful here. Please get it together and bring back State Street!!
