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!!
Open the street. It’s a Main Street of what was a charming town. New restaurants will fill vacant spots. Look at Carp it has open street, great restaurants, no urine smell. Same with Montecito. New development. SB is a tragic story while all other towns are booming.
The Daisy is a well-loved restaurant that is finally a different option than all the other Italian and Mexican spots that line State. The city needs to step up and stop playing favorites. Other restaurants are afforded huge parklet and sidewalk spaces (Chase, Mizza, Satellite), come on!!
The Mayor has made it eminently clear that he would rather have cars on State than outdoor dining. Not very business-friendly of him.
The city and the old guard have their favorites and promote and help “their own.” Anyone from out of town, like the Daisy owner, will not get equal or special treatment. It seems like they purposely try to harm and destroy as a cruel hobby. I’ve been unfairly deleted, forgotten, or ignored as well, even though my venture brings in a steady stream of tourists and out of town guests. It’s hard enough to make it in this town but to have active forces against you is disheartening and unfair.
It’s a brilliant idea to take out the crappy vegetation and replace with dining. Dining brings energy and fun out onto the sidewalks. There is plenty of room. Mayor Rouse- you were a restaurant owner- cut these guys some slack!!
Thank you for sharing Dominic Schiach’s letter. This is why we can’t have nice things.
The city of Santa Barbara should focus on actively supporting small business not continuing to talk about a “better” state street.
Outdoor dining brings life and joy to Santa Barbara. A community blessed with beauty should have more spaces to enjoy it. Yet, the city would rather create a desolate wasteland that is increasingly in hospitable to residence and visitors a like.
How, pray tell, do moves like this, increase the value of Santa Barbara? How to they attract visitors? How do they attract business? How does it support residence?
It’s shameful that this restaurant now has harder economics is an already hard business. It’s sad that a family can no longer share a meal in the sun.
It’s small things that make us. It’s small things that break us.
We have to remember we live in a community.
Exactly. It was never a promenade no matter how many times people kept calling it that. Just an ugly closed down street
