I recently met the developer of the Socowalk project, Tony Bushala, in Fullerton. He had an interesting tale to tell about Socowalk. He said that he started to buy the properties involved in that project piecemeal and eventually he had 26 lots. That included an abandoned Union Pacific Right of Way and surplus property from the Harbor Blvd. and Lemon St. grade separation – these were leftover remnants.
The area was clearly blighted, but Bushala saw the potential. His vision for the area was a transit-oriented development. The original development concept for the area began in 1985. It took twenty years to see it through.
The Socowalk project did not use any redevelopment money. It was fully funded by private money. Bushala bought the properties and conducted an EIR. The zoning was already for multi-family use. Six homes were deemed by the developer to have historical value and he paid to move them to other properties in town.
The developer gave relocation assistance that was not required to each of the residents in the project area. They were rental tenants and each of them received $3,500, in 2002, to relocate. Many of them used that money as down payments to purchase homes elsewhere.
Once the properties were razed the development was sold to the Olson Company. They then hired architects and designed the eventual development.
The “soco” aspct of “Socowalk” was the brainchild of Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby who previously served as a Fullerton Councilman. Norby, according to Bushala, was a big inspiration to pursue this development without resorting to help from the City of Fullerton.
A recent article in the O.C. Register slammed the Socowalk development and quoted a resident who was unhappy with crime in the area and with the fact that the locals don’t appear to be mixing with the Socowalk residents. However, according to Bushala, there are plenty of residents that love the neighborhood and are very happy to be living in downtown Fullerton.
There are numerous restaurants, bars and other venues within walking distance of Socowalk. The downtown Fullerton area is quite vibrant and filled with a diverse crowd of all ages most weekends and evenings.
I personally visited one of the downtown Fullerton bars a few weeks ago. It was quite a scene. That area used to be quite dead – and now it is thriving. Clearly this type of redevelopment can work – particularly when the public sector gets out of the way.
Another good example of why govt. should NOT be managing the economy. Let the private enterprise system work for itself. Let the govt. do what it should be doing, insure a level playing field for all.
Carl, I want my government to participates in the economy rather than manages it. It seems that often efforts at ensuring a level playing field are sometimes spun into a charge of managing the economy. Perhaps its just a matter of degree. I tend to look at redevelopment areas as “managers” because they go on forever and while their goals is often to stimulate economic development (make a level playing field?) it can happen when they get out of the way and don’t micromanage like in the situation described in Fullerton.
I want a government that understands their impact on the economy and their responsibility as the largest employer in the community to the smaller businesses in the community and how their actions can impact them. We need to make sure our government’s actions allow for speculators and developers to make an honest living.
Carl, only thing wrong with your argument is that neither of the points you make are happening. Private enterprise is running the economy into the ground, and the only playing field the government is helping is the one that the powerful and connected play on.
galactic squirrell here! just walked home from drinks at brannagans, nachos at rockin’ taco, and dessert (ok….really another drink) at bourbon street and this lifer fullertonian loves the vibrant and bustling downtown. santa ana can and should have such a gem; and in my opinion there is not a more deserving city in the county. c’mon santa ana – vote with knowledge and awareness!
Annon,
And your point is?
I’m never sarcastic when I make a point, am I?
But do appreciate your input 😉
The lax rules on money lending and investing are ruining the economy. As is the continuing manipulation of more wealth in the hands of fewer people, makes it all the harder to level the field. Those who have political clout can and do carve themselves special deals, and that isn’t fair. The more power we invest in the govt. the more opportunity there is to slop at the trough of both govt. money and power, like eminent domain and insured institutions. Gee can I play with your money with no downside? What a racket!
If we would just step up to the plate and stop demanding the govt. do everything for us, perhaps they would have time to do what they should do. Like police the rules they make. I’ve been saying for almost two years, that there should be a lot more criminal investigations in the mortgage markets. Well they’re shaking out now aren’t they? As well as the energy markets.
What we need is the damned govt. to do what they say they will. They don’t, do they, most of the time?
Free enterprise IF held to basic fair rules will adjust and usually get it right. Everyone should be able to understand the rules. They should be fair. They should be enforced. Are any of those things really being done?
Your crappy publishing platform ate my well-thought out (polite) comment that I just spent the last 20 minutes writing. So I will summarize less politely:
SoCo is failing right now for a million reasons that a resident of the city who doesn’t have a financial interest related to it could explain to you. I have the feeling you have either a monetary interest or a personal one. Maybe you have both.
Your conclusion that SoCo is the reason for increased activity around downtown is ridiculous.
Two years later, is the verdict in?