Martinez is no Emeryville

We saved paradise and tore down a parking lot, catchy little phrase isn’t it? Too bad that hasn’t turned out to be the case. So have you heard the latest? It seems in September the City was pretty busy spending money on consultants. But did you hear about the one who was hired to offer revitalization suggestions? Seems an expert who helped Santa Ana with the revitalization of their downtown business district told our city fathers that the cost of our quaint little downtown was being borne by the rest of Martinez.

So who’s been to Emeryville lately? When I first moved up from Southern California in ’93 I worked in Watergate Tower Two. At that time the view from our offices over looked wind surfers, diving pelicans and Charlie Browns.

Most mornings, my girlfriend Jeannie and I would stop into Denny’s for breakfast, catch a bite for lunch in one of the tower’s café’s and on occasion stop in at Charlie Browns for happy hour. When Trader Joe’s came in across the street in the Ross shopping center I was ecstatic, we had them in So. Ca. and I love their salads and fresh entrée’s. At the end of most days we could look out the windows that faced hwy 80 and decide if we’d take our chances or drive up Powell Street to San Pablo Avenue, bypass the Mac Arthur maze, and jump on 580 in order to shave a few minutes off our commute.

I know Emeryville, I’ve worked, shopped and dined in Emeryville, Martinez is no Emeryville. Emeryville has the distinction of being a gateway city to two major business hubs. It is bounded by major freeway arteries which, if you’re a business traveler on a tight per diem budget, you could get a decent rate at the Holiday Inn, Woodfin, Four Corners or Courtyard and still be within reasonable travel times for early morning meetings or flights into or out of Oakland or San Francisco. Like I said – I know Emeryville.

A few months back when Frenchy’s lease wasn’t extended the property’s owner, along with Main Street Martinez mentioned to the Gazette a vision they had for this particular parcel. Apparently the property owner really liked the Emerybay Public Market and felt that model would fit in well here. Forget about those things our town doesn’t have: business travelers, tourists, meeting or hotel space, easy access to major freeways or free BART shuttles; on occasion a few of us went to the Public Market for lunch and sorry but an indoor farmer’s market it ain’t – nor is it a Pike Place Fish Market.

But let’s review. If this whole retaining wall debacle was merely a foreshadow to the ultimate goal of the formation of a redevelopment agency, which I believe it is since reportedly the issue will be back on the table once November’s elections are held; well, Kennedy is on record saying one priority she sees for the redevelopment agency will be to enforce Martinez’ un-reinforced masonry ordinances, anyone else having an aha moment?

According to the city’s consultant downtown businesses aren’t carrying their own weight; I’d use the whole lipstick pig analogy but – it – like our quaint downtown may have seen its useful shelf life expire. Oh and that cavern we were all warned was undermining the retaining wall, well it was uncovered and apparently it’s like that bridge to nowhere we keep hearing about.