The Town Clock and The Flatiron Building, and the intersection of Pacific Avenue, Mission Street, Water Street, and Front Street.The Downtown area of Santa Cruz includes borders of Front Street / River Street on the east, the "Downtown Santa Cruz" sign on River Street and Highway 1 / Mission Street on the north, Pacific Avenue / Front Street on the south, and Chestnut Street on the west. Downtown is generally compromised primarily of the major streets Pacific Avenue, Laurel Street, Chestnut Street, Front Street, and Center Street, as well as several less prominent streets, such as Maple Street, Cedar Street, and Locust Street. The area includes many historic buildings on the western side, and the historic districts radiate to the north, west and south. To the east is the San Lorenzo River.
Pacific Avenue and the surrounding streets are still often referred to by the name Pacific Garden Mall or simply The Mall, but since the Loma Prieta Earthquake and the subsequent redevelopment of the area, people mostly use the term Downtown.
The Downtown area includes many businesses, restaurants, city government offices and facilities, and residences. The area also features displays of a variety of public artwork, including murals, and street performers can often be seen and heard entertaining a crowd.
The east side of the downtown and the San Lorenzo River as seen from Laurel Street Bridge.
History
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Chinatown A
The Downtown skyline still reflects the big names of the past, From left to right: The Flatiron Building, The St. George Residences, the Cooper House, and the Palomar Inn history of downtown Chinatowns begins in 1850
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First volunteer fire department 1857-60
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The Flatiron Building First built in 1859-60
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Calvary Episcopal Church Founded in 1864, church building built in 1865 on Center Street
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Original Town Clock built in 1873
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First City Hall built in 1877 on Cooper Street
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Opera House built on Union Street and Center Street in 1877 (it was moved to Capitola in 1921)
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Santa Cruz City Volunteer Fire Department (later to become the Santa Cruz Fire Department) founded in 1877
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Octagon Building Built in 1882 and used as the Santa Cruz County Hall of Records
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Cooper House The original Cooper House was the County Court House and built after a fire in 1894
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St. George Hotel built after a fire destroys the previous hotel in 1894
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F. A. Hihn's mansion used as City Hall beginning in 1920
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Hotel Palomar Built in 1928
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County Jail built in 1936 on Front Street, it is now the McPherson Center
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City Hall Designed and built in 1937-8 on site of F. A. Hihn Mansion
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Santa Cruz Civic and Santa Cruz Firehouse built in 1939
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1955 Flood Flooding of the San Lorenzo River damages most of the businesses downtown
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The Cooper House is sold and opens in 1969 as an art gallery-restaurant-boutique-shopping center
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First Gay Pride Parade on Pacific Avenue in 1976
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The Town Clock dedicated on July 4, 1976
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Sudden Impact filmed in Spring of 1983
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Loma Prieta Earthquake October 17, 1989 - The first Flatiron Building is destroyed. The original Cooper House is damaged and eventually demolished. Many other businesses destroyed or damaged
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May Day 2010 - Rioters damage downtown businesses
Community
People often gather for protests and marches downtown. Photo: Save the Knoll March on Pacific Avenue, August 2011.
While the downtown district is comprised primarily of businesses, the top levels of many of the buildings are apartments and residences, and a delicate balance exists between public use of the area and domestic uses. The noise ordinance is one result of this balance. The downtown features a variety of regular events, such as the Santa Cruz Farmers' Market. When visiting the downtown, common sites include street performers, public art, protests, oddly decorated cars driving down Pacific Avenue, the homeless, street crime, tourists, locals, and just about any other urban human activity one can imagine.
Events
Weekly
Monthly
Annual Events
- Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
- Cabrillo Music Food Art & Wine Festival
- FashionArt Runway Show
- Festival del Nopal
- Fungus Fair
- Japanese Cultural Fair
- Last Night Santa Cruz DIY
- Santa Cruz Dyke March
- Santa Cruz Pride Parade & Festival
- United Nations Day Parade
Downtown Characters
- Bead Man
- Bruce Bratton
- Chip
- Neal Coonerty
- The Great Morgani
- Looney Balloony
- Mr Twister the Clown
- Robert Norse
- Tom Scribner
- Kirby Scudder
- Robert 'Umbrella Man' Steffen
- Mike Tomasi
The Downtown Ordinances
The City of Santa Cruz has quite a few city ordinances specific to the downtown area:
- There is a noise ordinance against loud music
- No smoking is allowed on Pacific Avenue
- Sitting and/or lying down on the sidewalk are not allowed in most areas downtown, see: Sit-Lie Ordinances
- Panhandling Ordinances
- The dog ban on Pacific Avenue has currently been lifted for a trial period, but there are fairly specific leash requirements, and panhandling with a dog is prohibited
- The time a person may spend in a public parking lot or garage downtown is limited to 15 minutes, for related info see: Ordinances Governing Conduct in Parking Lots
Law Enforcement
A private security bicycle patrol officer from First Alarm, riding through the Walnut Tree Parking Lot. Photo: July 2011.
- The Santa Cruz Police Department patrols the downtown regularly on foot, by bicycle, and by motorcycle and automobile patrol vehicles
- Private security guards from First Alarm also patrol the downtown
- Hospitality Guide Program - Private 'hosts' dressed in blue and yellow uniforms aid in law enforcement by warning people about possible violations and by contacting the police.
A guide from the Hospitality Guide Program (wearing yellow and blue) on Birch Lane.
Major Buildings
- 1010 Pacific Apartments
- 1200 Pacific
- 2030 North Pacific
- City Hall
- Cooper House
- Cooper Street Plaza
- Del Mar Theatre
- The E.C. Rittenhouse Building
- El Centro Apartments
- Fire Department Station No. 1
- The Flatiron Building
- Galleria
- Gularte Apartments
- The Hihn Building
- J. J. Newberry Building
- Laurel Street Place
- Leonard Building
- Locust Parking Garage
- Logos Building
- Louden Nelson Community Center
- McPherson Center/Museum of Art and History
- The Mill
- Octagon Building
- Old Theatre Building
- Palomar Inn
- People's Bank
- P. Neary Building
- Riverwalk Plaza
- San Lorenzo Park Plaza
- Santa Cruz Art Center
- Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
- Santa Cruz County Bank Building
- Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building
- Santa Cruz Metro Center
- Santa Cruz Police Department
- Santa Cruz Post Office
- Santa Cruz Public Library
- Soquel / Front Parking Garage
- The St. George Residences
- University Town Center
Businesses
See Pacific Avenue for businesses located on that street
Spiritual Organizations
- Calvary Episcopal Church
- Elm Street Mission
- Everyday Dharma Zen Center
- Progressive Missionary Baptist Church
- Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church
- Santa Cruz Revival
Parks
- Abbott Square
- Depot Park
- Friendship Garden
- Laurel Park
- Rincon Park
- San Lorenzo Park
- San Lorenzo Riverway
- Scope Park
- The Town Clock
Public Restrooms
- Public restrooms are located near Oswald on Soquel Avenue as well as inside of the Santa Cruz Metro Center.
- Restaurants are required by law to have a restroom available to the public, whether that be an in-house restroom or a nearby public restroom. However, usually you must buy something before being given access to the restroom.
- Bookshop Santa Cruz has a great public restroom. Please don't get it messy or graffiti on the walls— that just makes them mad.
Signage/Physical Features
- Imagine Positive Change Agressive solicitation by shiny, red painted, former parking meters
Transportation
Public Transit
The Santa Cruz Metro Center is located at the intersection of Pacific and Cathcart. This is the main bus Center in Santa Cruz County, and can get you pretty much anywhere in the county, as well as to San Jose. Greyhound Bus Lines is now located at the Santa Cruz Metro Center, and can get you to various places around California or across the US.
The Santa Cruz Beach-Downtown Trolley operates April 15 to Oct. 15 and costs $.25 for a ride from the beach to the downtown (or the other way).
The Santa Cruz Beach-Downtown Trolley.
Self-Propelled Transit
Skateboards and other roller-devices are prohibited downtown, especially on the sidewalks. Walking is encouraged, and jaywalking is the norm, which drives drivers insane. Cycling is fine, as long as you dont do it on the sidewalks. Also note that people have been given tickets for riding down Pacific Avenue in the wrong direction of a one-way street.
Driving
- There are several Zipcar locations downtown
- Hertz Rent a Car has a location on Center Street
Parking
For the most part, there is lots of cheap and some free parking— you just have to find it. There are several free parking lots and garages which allow parking for three consecutive hours, and the most the pay lots and garages charge is $1 for two hours.
Most parking meters cost $.25 for a half hour, but there are some that charge different rates. Many meters now allow parking for up to 12 hours at a time.
Visit http://www.downtownsantacruz.com/parking.php for more info and parking maps.
Downtown Parking Lots & Garages
- Cedar / Church Parking Garage
- Locust Parking Garage
- Police Department Parking Lot
- River / Front Parking Garage
- Santa Cruz Parking Office
- Soquel / Front Parking Garage
- Walnut Tree Parking Lot
- Also See: Downtown Parking
Streets
Major Streets
- Center Street
- Front Street
- Laurel Street
- Mission Street
- Pacific Avenue
- River Street
- Soquel Avenue
- Walnut Avenue
- Water Street
Smaller Streets
- Cathcart Street
- Cedar Street
- Chestnut Street
- Church Street
- Cooper Street
- Elm Street
- Lincoln Street
- Locust Street
- Maple Street
- New Street
- Union Street
- Washington Street
Alleyways and Lanes
- Abbott Square
- Angle Alley
- Birch Lane
- Commerce Lane
- Downtown Tunnels
- Pearl Alley
- Plaza Lane
- Rose Alley
- Squid Row
Bridges
- Laurel Street Bridge
- San Lorenzo Park - Foot bridge from River Street to the park
- Soquel Avenue Bridge
- Water Street Bridge
Maps
Unusual Items
Old style Wig Wag Signal by Chestnut Street & Walnut Avenue
References
- Institutions in Santa Cruz County -- 1850-1950, by Susan Lehmann, Santa Cruz Public Library, retrieved on June 28, 2011.
- More Than 100 Years of Service: A Brief History of the Santa Cruz Fire Department, by Jerry Ochoa, Santa Cruz Public Library, retrieved on June 24, 2011.
- Santa Cruz County: Parade of the Past, by Margaret Koch, Valley Publishers, Fresno, CA, 1973, page 21.