April 3, 2007

Downtown Campbell comes alive

New businesses increase traffic as customers flock to shops and restaurants

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

It used to be that on Sundays, after Stacks closed, so did most of downtown Campbell.

The Onyx development at 1815 Bascom Ave. takes up at least one city block at Bascom and Campisi extending nearly to Creekside. The building will house 45 luxury condominiums as well as commercial space on the ground floor.

No one is rolling up the sidewalks now at 3 p.m., instead there are people walking their dogs, window shopping and chatting at several outdoor restaurants and cafes.

“All the new buildings appear to be coming on board in roughly the same time frame,” said Mayor Dan Furtado. He noted that even though many new stores and restaurants are opening—not just on Campbell Avenue but throughout the city—Campbell is able to maintain its “small town character.”

And, adds Francine Principe, the city’s redevelopment coordinator, “downtown is becoming quite popular,” as are the new stores like Kohl’s and Bed Bath & Beyond on Hamilton Avenue and several smaller stores that have recently opened in that complex.

Besides the new buildings and condos in the historic downtown area, there is a condominium complex under construction on Bascom, at the old location of Fung Lum Restaurant, near the Pruneyard.

Foot traffic in downtown Campbell has increased and is expected to increase even more as new restaurants Aqui and Quiznos open this month in the new, mixed-use building at 201 East Campbell Avenue, across from Sonoma Chicken Coop. The Campbell Center has retail shops going in on the ground floor and two floors of condominiums above. The design stands out, with it’s sandy colored molding and red-orange brick façade.

The actual square footage of the center is 53,400 square feet. The building, when complete, will contain 22 luxury condos with 11,239 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. The developer, Campbell Avenue LLC, has leased more than half of the building, and only two non-food retail shops are currently available for rent.

Just down the street, at 191 East Campbell is the new Gelato Classico. All the new restaurants will feature outdoor eating inviting patrons to soak up the sun and breezes along with the popular Sonoma Chicken Coop, Starbucks and Campbell Roasting Company, which are farther down the street.

But that’s not all, in late January Slice, which is adjacent to the Cardiff Lounge at 260 East Campbell Ave., opened. Like the lounge next door, Slice is owned by Sam Ramirez and features Chef Joe Cerrone’s thin crust pizza, Stromboli and salads. It also will be getting a roll-up door to the patio for indoor and outdoor dining. Slice is open from 11:30 a.m. seven days a week and closes at 11 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday and 2 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Also expected to open this spring are The Olive Bar and Café Campbell. The Olive Bar, located at 232 East Campbell Ave., is a gourmet shop featuring fresh extra virgin olive oils, flavored vinegars, assorted olives, dipping spices, sea salts and various other gourmet specialties. One perk at this shop will be offering samples of the fresh olive oils.

Café Campbell, at 260 East Campbell Ave., is the brainchild of restaurateur Pino Sparnu, who owns two other eateries in downtown Campbell. This European style bakery/café will be open for breakfast and lunch and offer gelato and fresh baked Italian pastries and desserts into the late evening.

Tigelleria and Dutchess plan to open this summer. The former, located at 76 East Campbell Ave., will specialize in Italian Tigelle (fresh baked flat-bread) served with assorted spreads, sliced meats, cheeses and/or grilled vegetables served in a “Tuscan villa” atmosphere.

The Campbell Center is a mixed-use building containing 53,400 square feet. Twenty-two condominiums will be located on the two upper floors and there will be 11,239 square feet of office and retail space on the ground floor. Two restaurants, Quiznos and Aqui Cal-Mex are scheduled to open this month.

Dutchess, at 346 East Campbell Ave., is a boutique carrying women’s fine lingerie, bathrobes, pajamas, candles, lotions and other goodies. It will be housed in one of two buildings scheduled for renovation on the south side of E. Campbell Ave. The two buildings at 346 and 350 E. Campbell Ave., adjacent to the Celtic Shoppe, will be remodeled and receive new retail facades. The 1,500 square foot plus space at 350 E. Campbell, is available for a retail tenant.

Near Campbell’s water tower at 300 Orchard City Drive is Park Town Place, 24 new condominiums that were completed in February. The new homes are behind Hyde Park and the old Water building and are proof that Campbell residents can use mass transit, such as light rail, to get to work.

“We’re working to increase housing on the transit corridor,” said Furtado. In addition, the mayor noted that the planning for these areas fits into the Campbell community quite well.

Another well-traveled transit corridor is Bascom Avenue where Onyx is under construction. The four-story mixed-use building will house 45 luxury condos and 4,850 square feet of commercial space. Located at 1815 South Bascom Ave., the new building was just a large hole in the ground last year, but it is expected to be completed in September.

Finally, all development is not business or housing in Campbell, there is a lot of work going on to enhance the city including roads, sidewalks and parks. One of those is Ainsley Park, which was recently refurbished with new landscaping, a built-in seat wall and public art incorporating designs from the city’s agricultural heritage. The pocket park offers a curved seat wall with copper plaques set into the concrete base. It features a 14-foot tall sculpture that is lit at night allowing people to use it on warm summer nights.