Merchants see transformation of downtown

Merchants along Main Street see the $93 million courthouse project as a catalyst for better things to come.

“I don’t just hope, I’m 100 percent sure,” said Subway Sandwich shop owner Avtar Basra of the positive impact the new South County Justice Center will eventually have on the downtown area.

Work is beginning this month on the nine-courtroom facility that will draw hundreds of people downtown every day. The courthouse is being constructed where the Porterville Fairgrounds called home for 65 years on Olive Avenue along the old Santa Fe railroad tracks.

It is slated to open in October of 2013.

The new courthouse is expected to employ as many as 200 people when it is in full operation. As many as 200 workers will be involved in the construction of the courthouse over the next 18 months.

But, it is not just the employees of the courthouse that has downtown merchants excited. As many as 300 people a day could visit the facility to conduct business or be jurors.

Everyone contacted by The Recorder agreed the facility should liven up downtown.

“I’m projecting a big boost for downtown. It’s going to give a life to downtown,” said Basra, who has plans to completely remodel his Subway shop at Main Street and Oak Avenue, making it a two-story building.

Porterville Chamber of Commerce CEO Donnette Silva Carter is also confident the project will revitalize downtown.

“I think we’re on the verge of something great, not just downtown,” she said.

Carter said the project, while bringing a lot more people downtown, will add dollars into the community and not all of that will be spent downtown. She sees the project’s benefits stretching throughout the city.

Her wish for downtown, however, is to see the vibrancy downtown that is seen in towns like Visalia.

“I want to drive down Main Street at say 7 o’clock and see no parking,” she said.

Georgia Goode of Calico Mermaid said downtown could once again become a destination.

“I think it (downtown) could be more of a community meeting place,” she said.

Ed Phillips said he would have pursued opening a restaurant downtown even if the courthouse wasn’t coming to town.

“But I’m glad I did,” he said of his new restaurant, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, which will open Thursday where the Screaming Moose was once located.

Phillips is bullish on downtown and its future.

“I think it's (courthouse) is going to make a huge difference. I just see the potential for us to be busy,” he said.

Brian Ennis and his partner Danny Garcia, new to the downtown area with Ennis Builders and Location 3 Realty, also see the courthouse bringing positive changes.

“I think it’s definitely going to bring in some new restaurants,” said Ennis.

Garcia said it will increase traffic, a problem he said they can easily accept.

Carter said she would like to see more restaurants and things to do downtown, as well with more variety for shoppers to chose from, such as more speciality boutiques.

“I’d love to see something with more cultural offerings,” said Carter, referring to the Barn Theater. She, like others, would like to see the old Porter Theater turned into a cultural center, but admits that could be a stretch because of the condition of the 1950s-style building.

“I’m confident change will occur. People are catching the buzz and what will happen with the new courthouse,” she said, adding the chamber is already getting many inquiries from businesses about locating downtown.

Basra said courthouse or no courthouse, he is sold on downtown.

“Anything I can do to make downtown look good, I’d do in a heartbeat,” he said.