Making Downtown Beaumont A Thriving Hotspot: Efforts Underway

BEAUMONT, CA — A "vibrant and dynamic" downtown has been planned for Beaumont, and efforts are underway by city leaders and some local business and property owners to push efforts forward.

On Feb. 9, the Beaumont Economic Development Committee continued its discussion on promoting business growth and development in downtown. It was announced that a 6 p.m. March 24 meeting has been set at The Craft Lounge Taproom & Bottleshop, 690 Beaumont Avenue, to gather ideas and share thoughts on the vision for downtown. Local business owners are hosting the event, and city leaders will be present.

"Hundreds" of letters have been sent out to business and landowners inviting them to next month's event, Beaumont Economic Development Manager Kyle Warsinski told committee members.

The Beaumont General Plan adopted by City Council currently provides a vision for downtown, but next month's meeting will be an opportunity to discuss it further.

"Downtown Beaumont will be the heart of the city, providing an exciting diversity of economic, residential, and cultural opportunities," according to the city's General Plan. "It will be a vibrant and dynamic place to work, live, shop, and gather for special events. It will also be a pedestrian-friendly environment with comfortable sidewalks and an inviting streetscape."

The plan calls for a mix of residential, office, retail and civic uses that "create a lively and dynamic environment" day and night.

The plan also calls for public gathering spaces and parks for civic and cultural events, as well as roadways that are safe for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles.

Sixth Street and Beaumont Avenue provide the potential for development as the city’s center, according to the plan.

"With the Civic Center as its anchor, the vision is to create a walkable, active, pedestrian-oriented retail core with a mix of supporting residential uses," the plan continued. "Few cities have such great downtown potential and, with a rise in experiential retail and entertainment, downtown is being reinvented as the civic, retail and entertainment center of Beaumont in a mixed-use setting."

Implementing the plan is the next step. Speeding traffic, lack of parking, lack of foot traffic, city fees, local ordinances, and other issues were cited as barriers to progress in downtown during the Feb. 9 meeting.

For more information about next month's meeting at The Craft Lounge Taproom & Bottleshop, call the city's Economic Development Department at 951-769-8527.