Old Town Revival Plan to Be Presented

While some blame Camarillo’s new outlet centers for distracting shoppers from the Ventura Boulevard business district, Old Town merchants say it is the worn-down look of the place that keeps people from stopping and shopping.

“The outlet centers aren’t bringing more people to us, but they’re not taking any away either,” said George Kerrigan, president of the Old Town Assn. and owner of Camarillo Plumbing and Paint. “It’s the traffic. Now, the boulevard is almost a main artery between freeways.”

Rather than getting out of their cars and shopping, most folks just drive straight through, several merchants said.

Gina Sanchez, owner of Flower Power of Camarillo, agrees.

“The big issue is to get people to walk and to slow down the traffic,” Sanchez said. “We need seating areas, planters and different lighting to make it more quaint.”

And that is exactly what Mainstreet Architects & Planners of Ventura is working on. The city hired the firm in February to help decide the fate of the neglected strip. The architects recently gave four city officials a preview of the plans they will present to merchants July 31 at 7 p.m. at Los Primeros Structured (elementary) School.

“They have good ideas with providing awnings and widening sidewalks,” said Councilman Kevin Kildee, who sits on the city’s redevelopment committee. “One of the issues they have there is that people drop off their kids at school or go to the farmers’ market and then just leave. If it could be made more pedestrian-friendly, the farmer’s market could really become a focal point there.”

After the plans are viewed by merchants July 31, the architects will take them to the Citizens Advisory Committee in mid-August and then to the Camarillo City Council for approval in late August.

The approximate cost for the architectural firm is $42,000, which will be covered by a community development block grant.