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San B Downtow enit n Rev italiz o,t Supp ation Comp lement t Plan x o rehen sive P la
Plan Introduction The San Benito Downtown Revitalization Plan (the “Plan”) is an independent but related component of the San Benito Comprehensive Plan (2015-2035). It attempts to synthesize the efforts of the City and of all those who are interested in a culturally and economically strong downtown core through the identification of near- and longer-term goals and recommendations. More importantly, it lays out a vision and plan of action to achieve that vision. In this light, the Plan should be used more as a how-to strategy than a “plan” in the conventional sense. So why is the downtown important? Downtowns have often been described as the “living rooms” of cities. More than any other place, they represent a city’s collective history, identity, and place-quality. Downtown is a community’s image-setter and is a barometer of a community’s overall quality of life. Most curious visitors to the city will want to visit downtown and they will make inferences about the whole community based upon what they see or experience there. A shabby downtown may imply that the city lacks sociability, doesn’t value civic or public life, and has nothing to offer that cannot be found everywhere (e.g., chain stores in auto-centric strip centers). A lively downtown, on the other hand, says that the community is friendly and inviting, has depth and variety, and values its history. Essentially, a strong downtown indicates a community is vibrant and healthy, which oftentimes acts as the catalyst for attracting new talent and investment to the entire city.
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