Christmas Display 2023 –  Courtesy of Ali El Safy (Bistro Vida)

This public area has great potential of becoming the ONLY inviting public place on Santa Cruz Avenue between El Camino and University Avenue.

• It was created as a temporary public area during the pandemic in the summer of 2020.
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• In 2023, the city council decided to continue the closure with a 4-1 vote. (Note: the City declared in permanent).
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• No individual in the city is responsible for the design, implementation and overall management of this area. Orphaned, it remains unattractive, the seating is uncomfortable, and all components are generally in poor condition.
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• The area is popular with Hillview Middle School students who gather after school and on weekends; adults enjoy coffee and food, chat, read, and use their computers whenever the weather is favorable.
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• The Left Bank, Bistro Vida, Walgreens, Tilak and Starbucks all claim they benefit from being next to the public area.
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• Ali El Safy, the owner of Bistro Vida, has graciously provided the wooden picnic tables and umbrellas at his own expense and his employees clean the area six days a week. He has also planted flowers and installed Christmas decorations.
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• Affordable improvements would make this an inviting and very popular place. (See ideas in my Almanac blog.)
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• A recent informal survey (February 2025?) conducted by an opponent of the lane closure indicates a large majority of Santa Cruz businesses want the lane reopened. However, no evidence nor credible explanations of how their businesses are being harmed have been provided. (Note: every city that closes streets to create inviting public places receives some pushback. But the cities proceed because they are popular.)

Current Situation

The City Council will review the 600 block lane closure during its annual priority-setting session in March 2025.

My Recommendation: Make it a permanent inviting public place, perhaps a level plaza with an attractive surface.