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Stores at East Cliff Village in Live Oak Still Empty
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Stores at East Cliff Village in Live Oak Still Empty
Developer Looking for Big Tenant to Anchor New Center
By Judith Wellner
Several stores have closed down and are now standing empty at the East Cliff Village Shopping Center in Live Oak. Plans to rebuild the complex and turn it into a lively neighborhood plaza have been underway for years.
The developer, Barry Swenson Builders, purchased the property over eight years ago. Since then, they have been working out plans and looking for the right businesses to host in the complex.
“We need to find a big company, one that is financially stable,” said Jesse Nickell, vice president for Barry Swenson Builders. “Our lenders want to see that it’s going to be a good investment. They drive a little bit of what we are going to do. If we had an anchor, we could make it happen.”
Nickell said they have been in negotiations with several businesses in the last few years. They are talking to a company currently as well.
“We were hoping it would happen a lot sooner,” he added.
The complex was built in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Over the years, a number of its businesses have closed down, including Polivios restaurant, the Village Market grocery store and Crown Drug. But there are still many open businesses, including a tattoo shop, a bakery, a liquor store, a video store, a yoga studio, a laundromat, and a coffee shop.
Balancing Act �" County and Developer at Odds
Since Barry Swenson Builders first approached the County and discussions began about the best use of the premises, there have been some disagreements. Neither party feels, however, that a solution can’t be found.
Developers would like to make sure that the new structure will serve the people in the area well and, at the same time, will be financially viable.
“It’s a balancing act. We have to consider what the neighborhood wants, what the government wants, and we also have to make sure the economics will work for us,” said Nickell.
The County would like the new complex to have as much retail space as the old one.
“It’s a commercial property. We have a lot of housing in Live Oak, and not as much commercial space. I’m not in favor of putting a whole lot of housing there, a small amount would be okay,” said Santa Cruz County First District Supervisor Jan Beautz.
“It’s still in limbo. We haven’t figured it out yet,” said Nickell.
At a community meeting held by the developer earlier in the planning process, Live Oak residents expressed their need for a shopping area they can easily access.
“People wanted commercial use. They wanted a grocery store, a drug store. So, that’s the way it has to be planned,” said Beautz.
Nickell said that their concepts are not too different.
“We’d like to put more residential, we think it could be more like a village with the residential on the top,” he said.
More Housing Could Pose Problems
“Housing would create a huge amount of traffic,” said Beautz. “The County is trying to keep our commercial area commercial. We don’t want people to have to go to Capitola to get a carton of milk.”
Beautz added that even though developers originally talked about building lots of housing in the complex, no plans have been submitted yet.
“In the long term, if they want to do some major remodeling, they’ll have to come to us,” said Beautz.
That is if Swenson wants to build a new center. They could just rent the space they have. Nickell said they are considering that option but haven’t made a decision yet.
All parties agree that no matter what the final solution will be, the building that used to house Polivios will have to be demolished.
“It’s an old, damaged building. It’s in really bad condition,” said Beautz.
Nickell said that based on discussions with the owners of current businesses, most merchants want to stay in the complex. However, some also intend to relocate.
Craig Young, owner of Pleasure Point Tattoo, said that he found a new location and will move in two months.
“I had a great time here, but I found a new, better location, closer to Pleasure Point. I don’t want to be around when they are doing all the construction.”
Nickell emphasized that nothing can happen before they find the anchor for the project.
“First we need the anchor, then we’ll do schematic drawings,” he said. Once the preliminary plans are ready, the developer will have to go back to the County and get the Planning Department’s approval.
“We also have to go back to the community again, make sure they are supportive of it. Then we’ll do the real drawing,” Nickell said.
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