Survey: bookstores, restaurants needed in Vista's downtown
VISTA ---- Bookstores are what people would most like to see in the downtown area, followed by fine-dining restaurants, clothing stores and nightclubs, according to a recent survey of 175 people in Vista's downtown.
Karen Clay, executive director of the Vista Village Business Association, announced the survey results for the first time Monday at Vista's annual Brokers Luncheon, where city leaders pitched Vista as fertile ground for new businesses to set up shop.
The business association, which is funded by annual assessments levied against businesses in a special tax district, works to promote downtown commerce.
Conducted between November and January, the survey asked respondents to answer questions about their shopping patterns, as well as characteristics of downtown that could affect their experiences there.
While distributing the survey in both the historic downtown and Vista Village, the association approached every third person, Clay said. Respondents were split between male and female, and though they represented a wide range of ages, nearly 30 percent were 15 to 19 years old.
The survey provided baseline information, which the city could use to assess the progress and future needs of downtown, Clay said.
Asked to rate different characteristics of the neighborhood, including its parking, cleanliness, signs and business hours, most respondents gave numbers at or above the "average" mark.
Nearly 70 percent said downtown was their preferred location to see a movie. The area also ranked high as a spot for family dining.
Most people, however, said they preferred to shop elsewhere for retail items, such as jewelry, home furnishings and clothing.
Earlier in the luncheon, Beth Jarosz, an associate research analyst with the San Diego Association of Governments, told the crowd of approximately 125 that Vista's economy looked promising.
In 2006, the city should see an increase in population and jobs, low and stable unemployment and a moderate increase in home prices, she said.
"We don't see a recession in sight," she said.
Last year, the city had the highest unemployment rate in the county at 4.4 percent, Jarosz said, but it fared well compared to state and national figures ---- 5.1 and 4.9 percent, respectively. Between 2000 and 2004, Vista added an average of 1,300 jobs per year, and projections say the number will continue to climb at a steady rate, she said.
Home prices in San Diego County will likely see a moderate increase in 2006, Jarosz said, adding "we don't expect the bottom to fall out of the market." She estimated that Vista would add 150 to 250 new housing units and 700 to 800 new residents per year in the near future.
Contact staff writer Craig TenBroeck at (760) 631-6621 or ctenbroeck@nctimes.com.
RELATED LINKS:
http://www.ci.vista.ca.us/business/