Historic Main Street Persona's

I love the idea of more festivals.

I would love to see Elk Grove become a more bikeable city. While we have some bike paths there are few areas to chain up bikes and many areas are still dangerous for bikers. Many folks have complained about congestion issues, which will continue to be an issue with our growing city. Encouraging biking will help to deal with some of the congestion, help the local economy, and reduce air pollution. Amsterdam is a great example of a densely populated bike-friendly city.

This looks like a great idea, and perhaps offering an annual mural contest to local high schools?

The relaxed persona fits the current atmosphere, with perhaps more space and offerings for community gatherings that boost connections with one another. The Farmer's Market, craft fairs, and community events ideas here can help do that.

As resident since childhood, I don't associate Old EG with "nightlife." If you're looking to make it more appealing to restaurants, wineries, bars and dance clubs, can that area sustain such as a vibe in terms of infracture and particularly parking?

The current businesses in Old EG are not "upscale," though, so this vibe does not fit the current offerings. I also don't think there is a draw for actual "upscale" businesses to come to that area if you're looking to make it "upscale."

We have a lot of chain restaurants and stores. It would be great to get some upscale stores and unique resturnts in this town so we do not have to go into Sacramento.

I agree with locals that are concerned with how narrow old Elk Grove streets are and adding to the strain of the traffic with the revitalizing of this area. There needs to be a conversation about how this will affect those who work and live in this area and their ability to navigate the traffic. Traffic is already ridiculous during business hours everyday. However, the Artsy Persona and Nightlife Persona are the ones I would prefer for Old Elk Grove.

One of the major issues with this entire idea is that EGPC is comparing Apples to Oranges. The narrow street of a half mile or less of Old Elk Grove cannot be compared to DT Lodi, or Tiburon or any of these other "personas".

If Old Elk Grove is to become a successful "go-to" location, you would have to plan a monthly street shut down, which will completely frustrate those who just want to get home at night. EG would almost be better to put money into expanding Railroad street and building up more of that area to create parking and options for eating and entertainment.

That being said, The divide between East and West EG is a hard one. West side folks will drive to SF for entertainment before they head to the East side (this is a slight exaggeration, but most of them will shop Delta Shores before they head anywhere to this side of town).

The planning committee needs to head over to this historical society, take a look at what made Elk Grove what it was, and try and incorporate some of those ideas into this whole "persona". Lean historical, keep it simple. We are not, and do not want to be Petaluma... we are Elk Grove, and another set of brick and concrete planters will not bring us in droves.

I will gladly bring margaritas and give some input.

I would prefer the relaxed and artsy vibes. Old Town should be a place for all; "upscale" will exclude lots of people. A relaxed space will be more inviting. An emphasis on the arts would be enriching for all and would help boost local artists / musicians. Have more public transit and bike / hiking trail options to get there instead of more parking spaces and congested traffic. Get rid of the parking spots along EG Blvd and install green spaces along the edges to make it more inviting. Please make use of outdoor spaces more. It is healthier and we have good weather for lots of the year. More public spaces (tables, chairs, benches, grass for everyone), more green spaces, more art, and more ways to get there instead of cars. I also love the idea of free-standing mural walls for *anyone* to paint or draw (i.e., Venice Beach).

Would most enjoy the Relaxed and Family-Friendly Personas.

Kudos to the City for continually improving the Historic Main Street SPA and asking for community imput! IMO, parking needs to be the #1 issue addressed, if you want others outside of walking distance to enjoy the SPA. On 10/17/25, we went to go eat at Prost Beer Hall. The public parking lot next to Tuli Restuarant was full. Luckily, there was 1 spot on EG Blvd. Otherwise, we, who were on our lunch hour, would need to go someplace else. Can a parking structure be built where the parking lot is or is it too small? I would suggest the City buy some houses to clear and make a parking structure. Maybe we could have an electric bus/van that makes a loop including SPA (EG Blvd) and Laguna Blvd.

I wish the who city was being planned as a SPA. Who approved the drive-thru entry for Starbucks and the new Jollibee drive-thru exit to be adjacent to each other by Costco off of Blvd in a very small parking area? This is an area that is going to be rife with frustrated drivers and accidents.

We need areas with shade to walk and sit.

I love the idea of public pianos, Denver has this and it makes the shopping stroll so nice!

As I stated above, nice signage should be included in any of the formats listed here. I particularly like the Lodi gateway sign shown here. It looks historic and lets you know there is something to be seen here.

Many towns in the central valley have signs such as this one for HIstoric Folsom, and I think in the plan Elk Grove should have one too!

love the idea for this revamp. if possible it would be great to put an over pass to go over old eg and the train. with the train the traffic backs up like crazy sometimes and if there was an overpass that would eliminate the issue. if that isnt doable or safe; it would be nice to install a few round abouts to keep traffic moving in that area. much more parking needs to be added. overall excited to see the updates, i remember when it first got improvements years ago

I think a blend of Relaxed and Artsy would benefit the community living near Old Town elk grove

Artsy persona. A diverse array of the arts has something for everyone. The arts help keep a city alive and thriving. Additionally, the proper mix draws revenue for the city.

I think a mixture of family-friendly and artsy. I like the idea of a variety of stores and activities for all ages, plus highlighting local artists and small businesses.

A balanced mix of vibrant nightlife and family-friendly activities would be ideal. I have teen kids and a 21-year-old who often feel there’s not much to do in Elk Grove. It would be wonderful to have more daytime options for families, such as arcades, ice cream shops, bowling, movie theaters, escape rooms, and laser tag, where teens can hang out and have fun in a safe environment. Adding a well-designed playground with water features would also be a great way to keep younger children active and cool during our hot summer months.

In the evenings, having appealing options for dinner dates and nights out with my husband and friends would make the area even more enjoyable for adults. Someone mentioned modeling the area after Lodi, and I completely agree, that type of vibrant, walkable community would be a fantastic addition.

However, traffic on Elk Grove Blvd is becoming increasingly congested, so incorporating alternative routes and transportation options is essential to make this project successful. Improved parking and safe, pedestrian-friendly walkways, should also be key priorities.

I used to live near San Antonio and really enjoyed Phil Myricks project Hemisfair / Civic Park. I would consider this a Family Friendly persona which was created for festivals concerts community celebrations, as well as water features and plaza with restaurants, retail, living, and hotel. The water feature was created from the local tradition of cooling off at a local creek. Some aspects I remember while walking around was a gigantic play structure, a central games plaza where there was giant chess and checkers , big blue blocks, and outdoor group fitness classes are held. An amazing water feature with Adirondack chairs scattered around under floral arbors. A Magic theater, a small community garden, a butterfly garden, small farm animal interactive area, sand play, small games area with cement pingpong and foose ball tables, corn hole, a space where people could safely throw around a football, frisbee, or kick around a soccer ball and have a picnic. restaurants included Bombay bicycle club(burgers), box street all day(all day brunch menu), common wealth coffeehouse and bakery, farm-fresh locally sourced pizza wit neapolitan techniques. A tap Haus, artisan ice cream, paletaria, winery. Example of October calendar of events Story time, funk fitness, Day of the Girl hosted by Girl Scouts, Oktoberfest, Free community Yoga, Sunday Brunch market, Muertos Fest, Diwali celebration, 5K fun run, Youth entrepreneur pop-up market. I found so much joy in being around so many people, and hearing and seeing "Joy" everywhere. The other persona I would incorporate is the Nightlife/Artsy persona which would feel similar to Crocker museums ArtWalk.

Yay to music and dance. Very inviting to visitors and locals.

Paved pedestrian streets , great upscale look and inviting to visitors

Light rail would be good

Like the live music ideas. Shouldn’t be limited to only inside restaurants. There should be in public places too like the railroad space today

I like the relaxed persona, with wine tasting rooms. Would like a local park with music events and other activities too.

Considering we have a large number of families in Elk Grove, the Family Friendly Persona feels ideal. I would love to be able to take my kids to a local skating rink in the winter, or cruise around the area on a Saturday afternoon and enjoy spots that are family friendly like Dust Bowl. However, I can also appreciate the Upscale Persona. There aren't a large number of options in town for date nights, so it would be nice to have a place that feels slightly upscale for in-town guests and residents. We always feel like we have to go to Sheldon Inn or Folsom or Lodi to get a "special meal". Although we have Boulevard Bistro, they aren't open every day of the week so that's not always an option for those that are off during the beginning side of the week.

Love the style of vintage or historic signage

I love this persona of wide side walks and producing an almost customized outdoor experience for select dining options.

Money can be better spent to improve traffic and parks, don't need this type of tax expense or even money from other sources on this type of improvement. More roads to support traffic and increase police to monitor traffic.

I can imagine a Christmas Night Market with festival lights draping or running across the rooftops over the pedestrian way, and the walkable row is lined with booths. I think of Paris, London, or Berlin Christmas markets as my most memorable time in Europe.

None of these will be successful without mixed-use combining commercial and residential. Bottom level retail with upper level residential has proven in many areas to keep businesses and nightlife alive and safe. Without residential considerations and increased density, we can just expect another abandoned strip mall in a few years time.

After nightlife, my second vote would be for family friendly persona. Much of EG households are families, it would be nice to have a place for them; in addition to the nearby new library.

I vote for the nightlife persona. EG needs more activities, attractions, and live entertainment. Before the casino, my friends and I had to leave EG for these items. We'd like to keep our money in EG, promote economic growth, but we need more things to do here.

Thanks!

Relaxed
Night Life

re-routing all traffic on EG blvd may be a viable option since we can't move the buildings. worth a discovery look. As a space planner by trade and lived here for 35 years, I've often wondered who in the heck were putting these ideas forward that we got stuck with!

It's about #@$%*& time. Can you really draw in new businesses and keep them? I surely hope so. I miss having the options we had 30 yrs ago in Old Town, but it's time for more options and new options for shopping. Parking is always a consideration: I don't want to see the parking lots [plural], but I want easy access to various locations along the full strip of Old Town. Sun protection is also going to be necessary in our area, everything can't be totally open to the sky. And, please, no ridiculous barriers on the actual main street for parking -- either figure out how to make it safe to park, or all a walking street or teach people how to park. And, yes, lots of benches. You need to go to San Luis Obispo's Historic Downtown Shopping District and check it out. This is the best one I've ever been to other than Carmel, but that's a whole town. SLO is a pure pleasure to stroll around. You also have Pacific Grove's Lighthouse Ave Shopping District with it's center of the road parking feature. It makes strolling along from store to store really easy. And don't forget restrooms for those who aren't local or plan to spend a long time. Trees, trees and more trees.

I think all of these personas are basically variations on a theme. The best versions of this around Northern California build on the character of the original old town and provide opportunities for local communities to gather without forcing it too hard. Look at Folsom, for example. The Paladio is an "upscale" mall trying to pass as a walkable community center. It's fine, but it's still a mall at the end of the day. I'd much rather hang out in Old Town Folsom, visit a coffee shop, go to the bookstore, etc.
Tule has done a great job so far of revitalizing a beautiful, existing structure and creating a place everyone wants to spend time. Follow their model! Also, convince A Seat at the Table to move in, and you'd have a built in community center and bookstore in one.
Last idea, you could prioritize bike access by building a main bikeway that is separate from EG Blvd, with a bunch of bike parking in the plaza. It could connect to other neighborhood/regional bike paths and lessen traffic a little.

Love the indoor/outdoor space idea.

Love the idea of entertainment venues with live music, drinks, and outdoor spaces! Elk Grove is missing these types of venues, and I have to travel to downtown or Lodi for any music events.

Even though this is "Artsy," people of all ages, including children, would benefit from more art and community events.

Love the idea of closed streets and more art, music, and events! I moved here from San Francisco and miss these types of city events.

Would love to see one of the new attractions be a mini golf course (with misters/shade). It would be really cool to tie it in with a railroad theme, but I love the idea of having this attraction added in the area, and it would certainly bring not just even families, but people of all ages to enjoy as there are not many mini golf courses in the greater Sacramento Area.

Instead of an ice rink, I'd like to see Elk Grove consider a permanent, accessible playground. It would be fantastic to partner up with Magical Bridge Playground to have them bring an accessible playground for all abilities of children to this area, making it a centerpiece of the new renovated area. It could be themed as Western or Railroad to tie-in with the area's theming (and make sure it has plenty of shade covering).

I love the idea of kayak rentals! I'm actually in disbelief that there is not already a boathouse in Elk Grove or near the area that could offer kayak rentals on the many various waterways. Many cities also offer free kayaking as community programming, like once a month, to get more people out on the water and provide accessible on the water opportunities.

I’d like to see an arched sign erected over the entrance of Historic Elk Grove like a lot of other cities have begun doing. These are most likely metal type signage and are unique to the neighborhood.
Also a more permanent ice rink for the winter months for public enjoyment.

Relaxed/Upscale! Many will agree that the places that draw people on vacation have quaint, walkable downtown areas with unique GOOD restaurants, and cute shops with unique items. Even if there is a national brand store included, it's not overbearing and blends into the feel of the entire space. EG has a lot of kid friendly spaces/parks/fields in every direction, there is NOT a lot (or anything) for young or active adults. We find ourselves leaving EG to shop / eat / experience. I do agree with the community member who brings up actual space. Old Town is not that big and when you consider that most of the buildings are not necessarily of the "old town feel", it seems even smaller. It would be amazing to transform the entire space from EG Florin to almost Bond, (and yes, a street or two back would help it feel more anchored) to the same relaxed/upscale/historic feel. Included: non-chain restaurants with indoor and outdoor spaces, boutiques and stores, wine tasting rooms for local, Lodi, foothill wineries, event space to host cooking classes, dance classes, anything fun and that does not involve yet another chain restaurant! (Honestly, isn't there some sort of moratorium the City can enact on another drive thru?). Thanks for listening!

The reality is that our town has a basically a 6 block main street area. Historically, we have not developed the streets behind main street (south and north of main street) with commercial or a mix of commercial and residential. Our "commercially viable" main street basically starts with Pinot's palette and ends with Tule. The one historical building that held the Candycraft was recently condemned because no one apparently maintained the roof. Restoring this historical building needs to be a priority. The Secret Garden house which belonged to one of the founding Elk Grove families has been allowed to fall into ruin because the company that purchased it did not stick to their agreement with the City and Historical association to protect it. The water tower issue (is it really a safety hazard?) needs to be addressed as this is a LARGE, centrally located parcel that could be developed into a building that complements the adjacent historical buildings with access to centralized public parking.

The reality is that we don't really have enough "quantity" to stick with any one development "persona" but we DO need to make sure that permitting and licensing of future businesses FILL and do an excellent rehab job, as Tule has done, that we make parking ACCESSIBLE so that these business establishments can flourish, that we do a marketing job to continue the good work started by the development of the plaza to attract families and events, that we restore our signature events like the Dickens Fair and the Western Festival and add more . . . .

We need to utilize/capitalize on the vacant historical properties we have. Like the grange hall? What happened to the plaque? Is it empty? What could go there? Can we move the Youth Center to the soon-to-be-vacated library building at Elk Grove Florin and Elk Grove Blvd so that it (the old library and courthouse building, which is a historical structure) could be turned into a commercial or artsy property that would attract walking shoppers/tourists/families- It would create another walking distance property to "extend" the business/active side of main street? And it has parking!

How far "back" into the adjacent neighborhoods do we want to go with new businesses? In Sonoma the somewhat "depressed" neighborhoods behind the main street have been "gentrified" and have a mix of light commercial (art studios, architects, realtors) along with residences BUT it does lessen our base of affordable housing.

I am concerned that all these proposed personas assume a downtown that is BIGGER than what we will EVER have, unless we decide to let that area get bigger. I guess what I'm saying is that our choices are more finite than we think and we can simplify and accelerate this development process if we just make sure our downtown structures are MAINTAINED (kinda iffy so far) and developed in keeping with the direction we are currently going EXCEPT that our businesses need more support so they don't fail, including better access to them. That may mean removing some of those planters and islands that make main street parking so challenging and the street visually so cluttered. New business development should seek out to fulfill unmet needs for adult and youth entertainment - the "Lumberyard" on the old Derr property could be a very cool venue that has a small concert stage or ampitheater, restaurants, a non-alcoholic dance club for youth and a bar with a dance club for adults, and cafes/shopping (like the Barnyard in Carmel, which is multi-story to incorporate a LOT of activities into a smallish footprint, with parking.

Access to light rail or a stop on the Amtrak would be VERY helpful.