The Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center project in Santa Barbara has undergone some significant changes. Recent presentations to the City Council and Planning Commission propose 235 units, approximately half the originally proposed 500. Several other reconfigurations have also been proposed for the project, including a focus on expanding retail and reducing parking spaces while building an urban design-focused project.
Highlights
- The most significant revision in the Paseo Nuevo project is the drop in the number of residential units from 500 to 235.
- The updated concept aims to make Paseo Nuevo pedestrian-friendly and largely car-free, in alignment with the State Street master plan.
- Parking spaces have also been reduced to accommodate the city’s overarching goals.
Revised Project to Include Retail Spaces
While the most notable revision to the Paseo Nuevo project has been the reduction in proposed housing units, the focus of the project remains retail. Over 100,000 square feet of retail space has been allocated within the project. This change was enforced to encourage retail activity along State Street and attract both local residents and tourists.
This is also in tune with Santa Barbara’s larger effort to renew the downtown corridor through mixed-use development and experiential retail. In fact, Pacific Retail Capital Partners – the developers of the Paseo Nuevo project – are working to create a retail footprint that includes a healthy mix of local businesses and larger tenants.
Furthermore, the revised plans also propose reconfiguring parking plans and focusing on pedestrian connectivity. The project revision includes fewer overall parking spaces along with open-air paseos and plazas, in addition to a commitment to integrate with the State Street Master Plan…