Early Saturday afternoon they were no longer accepting reservations at the Town & Country Café in downtown Tracy.
The crowd spilled over from a sidewalk dining area to a portion of street parking blocked off by bright orange K-rail style barricades along with extensive planters, tables, chairs, shade trees and patio umbrella shading that the café shared with the Jasmine Thai restaurant that had yet to open for the day.
Both are tenants in the same building that houses the popular Purgatory Whiskey Bar & Craft Beer with food service on West 10th Street.
This may or may not be a glimpse into downtown Manteca’s future.
But one thing is for sure, Tracy’s downtown would not be where it is at today without the umbrella organization provided by what is known as a property and business improvement district (PBID) complementing efforts of the City of Tracy.’
Tracy City Center Association has successfully branded and marketed the downtown that — as Tracy grew to the west, north, and south — was in danger of being forgotten in the community of 98,000.
Voting is now underway for Manteca’s downtown to form its own PBID.
Ballots have been mailed to the owners of 111 parcels that are part of the envisioned 19-block downtown district.
The tabulation of votes cast will take place at the June 4 meeting of the Manteca City Council.
If a majority of the ballots cast based on accumulative square footage favor the PBID, it will be approved.
And if that happens, it essentially puts the future of the downtown area as a whole into a collective effort controlled and financed by downtown concerns.
It would be the foundation of what is expected to be a major milestone in the evolution of downtown.
The fees collected would bring in $184,789 annually.
It would be used to address “civil sidewalks” — an umbrella term for beautification and security endeavors. Branding and marketing are also part of a five-year plan.
That plan is outlined in a management document by New City America Inc. devised on ongoing input since 2022 from a number of downtown players and paid for by the city.
The PBID process is a mechanism used in other successful downtowns throughout California, including Tracy and other regional cities from Lodi to Livermore and Pleasanton
The Tracy PBID — known as the Tracy City Center Association — maintains a website that lists dining options, stores, and services as well as available parking locations.
They also work on creating appealing sidewalk experiences that — when people are dining — often leads to drop-in business.
They work as an effective partner with the City of Tracy that programs its own “block party” style concerts in a plaza near the transit center.
Tracy has also leveraged the Grand Theatre as its downtown anchor of sorts.
The present-day reincarnation of the Grand Theatre featuring 37,000 square feet that included combining what were originally three adjoining hotels was completed in 2007.
It is now in its 17th season with just under 50 programmed concerts, theatrical productions and such in its current season.
The main theater seats 547 while the small theater accommodates upwards of 100. There is also a dance studio, kids art studio, music rooms and more.
The Tracy City Center Association complements the Grand Theatre’s offerings with a long list of ongoing downtown events that go beyond a weekly farmers’ market.
Among them are:
*Taps on Tenth Craft Beer Tasting in April and November.
*Vintage & Antique Faire in May.
*Fourth of July Parade.
*Social at Sunset in July.
*Blues, Brews & BBQ in September.
*Wine Stroll in September.
*Movies on the Plaza during the summer months.
*Downtown Art Walks during the summer months.
*Street Dreams Car Show in October.
*Halloween Candy Crawl & Festivities.
*Girls’ Night Out in March and October
*Holiday Ornament Stroll in December.
*Holiday Light Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony in December.
*Santa’s Workshop.
The events serve as fundraisers for the association plus do double duty of creating foot traffic for businesses.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
