TEMECULA -- Consultants from one of California's largest real estate advisory firms, Keyser Marston, will add their thoughts Monday on how Old Town could and should grow.

Paul Marra, an associate with Keyser Marston, will present an overview of Old Town development trends and the market potential of Temecula's downtown district during a community workshop scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall, 43200 Business Park Drive.

The city has contracted with the firm to review the market that exists in Old Town and what kinds of businesses are needed in the area.

Monday's meeting will mark the fourth time residents will have been asked for their opinions on Old Town's future.

"Many of the cities we work with are trying to create an urban environment for their residents," Marra said. "Cities in California are struggling with sprawl and are seeking to create a downtown district. Temecula is unique because it is a relatively new suburb with a downtown that is more than 100 years old."

While Old Town Front Street used to be home to primarily antique shops and a few small restaurants, development has ramped up in the district in the last two years. With more people than ever interested in getting a foothold in Old Town, including the opening of Baily's restaurant and the three Dalton buildings mixing residential, restaurant and retail space -- city officials decided it's time to take the community's pulse.

Marra said that while there is a good mix of businesses in Old Town, his firm sees the area ultimately defined by speciality shops and becoming an entertainment district. Also needed in Old Town are hotels as the demand for rooms exceeds the number of lodging opportunities, he said.

There is certainly room to grow, he said. Old Town now has 386,000 square feet of developed space. In 20 or 30 years, when the area builds out, it is expected there will be about 3 million square feet of development in the district, said Marra.

Since June, Assistant City Manager Bob Johnson has conducted town hall-style meetings to educate the public and solicit opinions from residents and business owners who have an interest in how the district grows. The information gathered at the community forums will be used to revamp the Old Town Specific Plan, which will dictate the parameters for the area's development.

"This has certainly been an educational process for everyone involved and we're learning about Old Town together," Johnson said.

Jimmy Moore, a member of the Temecula Valley Historical Society, has attended two of the last three meetings for Old Town.

"I think this is a very smart way to discuss the issues of Old Town," Moore said. "The city has hired an unbiased consultant who can look at all the issues of the area."

In May, the City Council hired a consultant, Frank Miller of Inland Planning and Design Inc. in Anza, to lead the Old Town review. Miller has created three urban design concepts that take into account varying building heights, parking arrangements and total projected buildout of the area -- all of which will be reviewed at community meetings in hopes of reaching a consensus of what types of development will be acceptable in the future.

Moore said the historical perception of Old Town is a bit skewed, as Temecula's original downtown was located on a section of the Vail Ranch property, near Margarita Road and Temecula Parkway, as Highway 79 South is now labeled in the city. He said there are really only five historical buildings in Old Town. The others, built after the 1930s, only look historical because of their facades.

"A lot of the buildings in Old Town that look old are no more historic than I am," said Moore, 72.

While Moore would like the city to maintain a western theme in the district, he said Old Town could be home with a multitude of architectural styles.

At the last Old Town meeting Sept. 24, community members were asked to evaluate three types of development scenarios that ranged from low-density development of only two-story buildings to high-density development that included three- and four-story structures.

"We asked a lot of direct questions about how people felt about three- and four-story buildings or having a hotel in Old Town," said Patrick Richardson, principal planner with Temecula. "The response was that as long as the development is done in a professional manner, a lot of these concepts were welcomed."

Richardson said most of the 35 participants at that meeting favored taller buildings, as long as a historical core was maintained in Old Town.

"People didn't want a hard and fast rule allowing only two-story buildings," he said. "But they wanted clear development standards for four-story buildings."

Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.