G Street transformation will begin soon
Plans upset some restaurants and bars; Also, news on a new Davis housing/retail proposal, Calicraft expansion, kabobs in Woodland and a used golf equipment store
→ G whiz: The public has been anxious for the city of Davis to beautify G Street. A section of the road between Second and Third streets has been closed to vehicle traffic since early in the pandemic, allowing restaurants, bars and cafes to provide outdoor seating.
The City Council voted to make it permanent, and final bids for construction will be accepted as late as Friday. Work should begin later this month. The goal is to create an area that is more inviting and harmonious than the temporary patios set up by businesses.
But several restaurants and bars are unhappy with the city’s design and plans. Originally conceived as a business plan that would lease public space to adjacent merchants, it evolved into an entertainment zone for community events, according to city documents. There is space for a stage and public art. At the city’s virtual meeting I attended on Wednesday, city leaders said they may not allow alcohol outside of the local businesses, or restaurants to set up tables outside.
I spoke Thursday with Laura Ambrose, an owner of Woodstock’s Pizza. “I feel really bad for our customers,” she said. “In two weeks, we will have to tear everything down (outside). In (the city’s) plan, we won’t have any option for selling alcoholic beverages outside.”
She said she is happy to pay to lease the space, but would need more than the modular blocks that the city plans in front of her business.
This spring, a city representative went door to door on G Street, handing out a letter to affected businesses. It asked the business’ interest in leasing space on tile platforms that will be built on each side of the street. Only one business – Molly Jasmine tea and juices – responded by the May 24 deadline.
“None of us got it,” Ambrose said. “Businesses that have something out there right now are obviously interested.”
Nu Yungvanitsait, an owner at Red 88 restaurant and bar, said she never received the letter, either. “I saw the letter via (the Davis Downtown Business Association) newsletter. However, it was cut off. The second page is where they were asking us to express interest in leasing, which I didn’t see.”
A July 9 report from city engineering, public works, economic development and transportation staff said, “After the majority of businesses did not respond to the letter, Engineering and Transportation staff working with the Economic Development Director and City Manager discussed pivoting from a lease model along the boardwalk to a publicly shared model where the City will maintain the G Street boardwalk and anyone can use the space and rent it for events. Businesses would not have exclusive use spaces and patrons will not be permitted to drink alcohol outside, even if they bring their own picnic, due to State ABC regulations.”
At Wednesday’s meeting, Jenny Tan, Davis’ director of community engagement, said the meeting was to discuss technical design construction, not business use of the space. The city plans a similar meeting next month to discuss the latter. The date of that meeting has not been set.
The project’s timeline calls for the work to be completed by late fall or early winter, with an event to celebrate. Before construction begins in a couple of weeks, businesses will have to remove all outdoor seating, including the tables on the sidewalk that abut their buildings.
Ambrose said Woodstock’s works with other college towns like Chico and San Luis Obispo to create attractive outdoor seating at its restaurants. She hopes the plan can be amended to create a hybrid that serves as a community plaza for entertainment and business uses.
Meanwhile, she said the pizza company is going on the offensive. Woodstock’s plans a daily poll on its Davis Instagram page asking people to choose “this or that.”
Learn more about the project on the city’s web page for the G Street Activation.