Month: December 2013

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Downtown Update: Peeve’s, Broadway, Fulton Mall

On By jamesinclair

I did some rounds downtown this week, and took some (but not enough) pictures. I decided to combine them into one update.

Peeve’s Public House, the successor to the Fresno Brewing Company on the Fulton Mall had their grand opening for a small market which sells only local goods. There’s a good selection of items, and prices range from attractive to ludicrous.

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The bar area hasn’t changed much from the FBC days, although they have a larger menu of drinks. Hooray for cider on tap. On the other hand, their non-alcoholic drink menu (coffees, teas) has shrunk.

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Outside, they’ve decorated their tree. In the past, I’ve said that the “Downtown Fresno Partnership” should do more to make the mall a holiday destination, especially by investing in lighting. It’s a shame that they’ve done no such thing – there’s nothing festive about the mall. Click to read more!

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Groundbreaking for new downtown apartment building this weekend

On By jamesinclair

This project has flown under my radar. It’s called “South Tower” and will be on Fulton, just north of the 180 freeway.

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TFS Investments will be putting up this new building directly across from another property they own. It’s going to be in the art deco style which is really interesting, because it respects the architecture of the area, and is something you rarely see going up these days.

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The building will replace what used to be some badly run-down home, and pop up the density of the area.

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I wish it was a floor or two higher, but it’s still great for the neighborhood – and great to show that GV Urban isn’t the only game in town when it comes to downtown residential. Click to read more!

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Three minor trail updates coming to area

On By jamesinclair

Some small trail news from Fresno and Clovis.

Fresno will be adding five new drinking fountains on the sugar-pine trail that runs along Shepherd. I’d prefer lights, but it’s something. While Clovis has many amenities along the trail, Fresno does not.

Fresno will also be adding in another new section of trail along Herndon.  A couple of months ago, they approved an addition between Fruit and Palm. Now it will be between Marks and Valentine. Green is existing, orange is new.

Google Map

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Clovis will be adding a new half-mile trail on the far east side of town, along the Enterprise Canal. The trail will connect from nothing to nothing. Makes no sense really. Click to read more!

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Fulton Mall Alternate Analysis Reports Available for Public Comment

On By jamesinclair

The city has used the Thanksgiving weekend to put up the massive “Alternate Analysis Report” for the Fulton Mall on their website. The choices of course, are to keep the mall, or to destroy it.

The public comment period runs until January 13.

It’s 382 pages of fun, so I haven’t made my way through it yet, but the folks at “Save the Fulton Mall” have pointed out something quite bothersome:

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That doesn’t make sense. The plan is to bulldoze a park and turn it into a standard road. That doesn’t have any aesthetic impacts? Turning a pedestrian mall into a street doesn’t have land use/planning impacts? It doesn’t affect recreation, transportation or traffic? Huh? The plan involves bulldozing playgrounds to add parking spaces, that by definition is an impact on recreation and transportation… Click to read more!