Walk with Weber

Posted on February 17, 2019 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Begin the Walking Tour

Downtown Stockton has a rich and interesting past. However, many who work, live, and play in the downtown area are unaware of the history behind Downtown buildings they walk past every day. Fortunately, that history is being preserved for any who wish to learn it with a self-guided walking audio tour, Walk With Weber, scheduled to launch on the DSA website Feb. 17th – Captain Weber’s 205th birthday!

About the Tour

Narrated by retired DSA Ambassador and historian, Manuel Laguna, Walk With Weber will provide users with the historical background of Downtown Stockton’s oldest buildings, including the B&M Building, St. Mary’s Church, the Bob Hope (Fox) California Theatre, and many more. There will be audio clips for over 20 buildings in Downtown Stockton, accompanied with historical photos dating back to the mid-1800s!

Tour Narrator: Manuel Laguna

Certified Tourism Ambassador and former DSA Ambassador, Manuel Laguna, has given historical walking tours of Downtown Stockton for over 11 years. During his time at the DSA, Manuel was devoted to researching downtown’s past in order to preserve the area’s history for the future.

After his retirement, the DSA was determined to develop a way to continue sharing his great work with new generations; the Walk With Weber tour was conceived as the vehicle for commemorating Manuel’s tremendous love for and knowledge of the downtown area.

When approached with the walking audio tour concept last fall, Manuel eagerly agreed to voice the tour, and easily compiled the list of historical buildings along with their accompanying narratives.

All Hands on Deck

The entire DSA team has been working to ensure that this unique project becomes an informative and entertaining resource people will enjoy using for research or simply for satisfying their own curiosity. Courtney Wood, DSA’s Economic Development Coordinator, has been responsible for most of the project’s planning and execution, while Marketing Director Alex McBride and CEO Michael Huber have contributed significantly to design and project promotion, respectively.

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a Stockton native, if you have any interest in history or architecture, check out Walk With Weber to learn something new about Downtown Stockton’s buildings. It’s fascinating to discover how much the area has changed over the years, but also intriguing to see how much it has stayed the same. As time goes on and people come and go, many of Downtown Stockton’s historic buildings still stand. They serve as a reminder that no matter what happens, the city will continue to stand proud.

How to Listen

On your smartphone, open your browser.
Type in www.downtownstockton.org/walking tour
Click the audio clips and start walking!

Economic Development

Posted on January 27, 2019 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Downtown Stockton is a lively place with people coming and going to live, work, and just enjoy themselves. To support such a community, a lot of time and effort has to be put into many different aspects and areas so that it will continue to thrive. One of these areas is in economic development. At the Downtown Stockton Alliance, Courtney Wood works as the economic development coordinator and has been serving in that role since Autumn of 2017.

What is Economic Development?

But what is economic development? Courtney Wood explained, “The economic development aspect at the DSA is aimed at fostering economic growth, which fuels the community’s well being. With more economic growth, there will be more disposable income downtown. This means better resources and quality of life for those who live and work here. What I do is basically keep track of who owns what property, get in contact with them, see what they are trying to do with the property, and then based on what they tell us about what their plans are, we try and see if we can support them in anyway. “

In her position, Courtney Wood ensures that those property owners have the full support of the DSA. This includes having access to resources needed to succeed in their endeavors. One recent example is with the Bearpaw Group, who purchased three buildings downtown. “We wanted to see what their goals were. It turns out they bought the three buildings and were interested in turning them into mostly residential units.” Courtney Wood shared, “Some of their spaces are live and work spaces, so that means people are getting a great deal. Because they can have their working and living space for a rent that would be half of what they would pay for two separate spaces. So that was neat and we were there to listen to what they were doing and support them.”

Enhancing Economic Development in Downtown

For Courtney Wood, being an economic development coordinator has been a positive experience. She has learned more and grown while serving the downtown Stockton community. In addition, she has taken initiative to improve the area for property owners. “I have had a lot of thought about things that we could do. For instance, I did see that our communication with property owners had been poor. We didn’t have very much outreach with them at all. So I gathered phone numbers and emails for as many property owners as possible. I compiled them all so we could send out regular notices to them.” By maintaining a close relationship with property owners, Courtney Wood has made property owners more comfortable in downtown Stockton and aware that there are resources available to help.

As Economic Development Coordinator, Courtney Wood is making a difference in the district. As downtown Stockton continues to strive toward new heights and grow as a community, it is economic development that will play a large part in facilitating a bright and prosperous future.

Downtown Banners

Posted on January 20, 2019 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Whether they are working hard or hanging out and having fun, people love downtown Stockton and are proud of the progress the district makes every single day. It’s easy to notice the sense of the pride the district has by walking around and seeing banners posted along the streets, letting everyone know that they are in downtown Stockton.

Many are probably already familiar with the All-American City Award banners around the Stockton Town Hall. An award that Stockton has received several times and is an award given by the National Civic League that is the oldest community recognition program in the United States. There are also the banners along El Dorado Street that highlight Stockton’s sports teams such as: the Stockton Ports, Stockton Heat, and the Stockton Kings. These serve as a reminder to everyone that this is a city with a sports legacy and culture, which is an integral part of downtown Stockton.

Creating a Downtown Brand

New Downtown Stockton Banners went up before the end of 2018 along Weber Avenue catching everyone’s attention with a light blue, dark teal, and unique logo. The banners aim to create a brand that identifies the downtown district. It is something that everyone and every business downtown can associate with themselves. In fact, the light blue, Downtown Stockton logo on the banners can be used by any local business or organization that is interested. It is a brand for anyone who loves downtown Stockton.

And the new banners are definitely a welcome addition by the community. “Since we’ve come back from holiday, I’ve had at least ten to twelve people say they’re amazing. They really pop and show pride for downtown.” said Mike Huber, the executive director of the Downtown Stockton Alliance, “I’ve had a lot of citizens tell me that they like the sports banners being up and the designs on those. They show that we’re a major sports city.”

Matt Amen, executive director of Huddle Cowork + Create, shared a similar sentiment, “The new banners along the Weber corridor bring more color and life to Downtown Stockton! Looking forward to seeing more businesses represented on these throughout the district.”

Not only is downtown Stockton a district that is making great strides in business and creativity, but it’s outward appearance is reflecting those efforts. It is a great place to live and work and the banners let anyone who visits know immediately that people take pride in downtown Stockton and want everyone to know it.

DSA Banner Program

The Downtown Stockton Alliance’s banners are just one method to liven up the area with color! But it’s not just for the DSA and the sports teams! If you are a downtown businesses and/or organization and would like your own banner displayed within the district, we’ve put together a short summary on how to apply for your own banner!

Choose how many banners you want to purchase
Choose the banner sizes
Choose the banner locations
Sign a 3-yr. contract with the DSA for the leasing of the poles and pay the annual fee
Send DSA artwork to be printed on the banners (or work with DSA to design the artwork if needed)
Approve the digital banner proof
Watch the banners go up!

For the complete, detailed list of steps to follow, visit our website at downtownstockton.org

One Year on to Another

Posted on January 9, 2019 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

2019 has arrived, but before diving into all the fun and adventure that the new year has to bring, it is good to take a moment and look back at everything that happened in the year before. Though it may not be obvious, 2018 was actually a great year for downtown Stockton with so many changes and great projects that really made the area an even better place to live and enjoy.

2018 Hires

In 2018, Mike Huber came on as the executive director of the Downtown Stockton Alliance. Before joining the Downtown Stockton Alliance, Mike Huber worked as the executive director of the Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin County.
Alex McBride became the Marketing and Communications Director for the Downtown Stockton Alliance. A Stockton native, Alex McBride uses social media and design to promote the growth of the downtown area.
Andrew Rocha became the Copywriter for the Downtown Stockton Alliance. Another Stockton native, Andrew Rocha writes blog posts that promote and highlight local businesses and organizations.

Mike Huber
Alex McBride
Andrew Rocha

2018 Marketing Recap

The Downtown Stockton Alliance went through a rebranding after the marketing committee decided to update their logo. The new logo is not just a brand for the Downtown Stockton Alliance, but also representative of the entire downtown area.
An audio tour detailing the history of downtown Stockton and some of the older buildings has been in the works through 2018 and should be complete early this year.
#PropertyMondays became a trend on social media for the Downtown Stockton Alliance. On Mondays, the Downtown Stockton Alliance highlights local properties and spaces for sale or lease.

2018 W.E.B (Walkable, Entertaining, Beautiful) Updates

In collaboration with local business owners, the Downtown Stockton Alliance helped clean up Budd Alley and installed a shared trash compactor with recycling and compost units.
Shopping carts have also been collected, cleaning up the downtown area and making it a more appealing place to live and work. In four months, the Downtown Stockton Alliance has cleared over 260 shopping carts from the streets and sidewalks.
The Downtown Stockton Alliance has also expanded their power washing team and gotten new vehicles for the maintenance team. In June, they also employed Apollo Private Security. Apollo patrols 24/7 in the downtown district and is also available if you would like an escort to your vehicle.
Our Maintenance team planted flowers in 25 planters within the downtown district, which were purchased by the DSA in 2018.

And that is just a small glimpse into all the work and accomplishments that came from downtown Stockton in 2018. Despite the negative stereotype some have of downtown Stockton, it is a great place that is constantly improving. With the help and effort of local residents, organizations, and businesses, the downtown community is sure to continue to grow and thrive throughout 2019 and the years to come.

Downtown Stockton Alliance

Posted on December 21, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Downtown Stockton has come a long way in such a short amount of time and continues to improve and attract more visitors all the time. What used to be an area people would actively avoid, is now where people come to eat great food, hang out with friends, and just enjoy their community. We here at the Downtown Stockton Alliance are so proud to see how far we have come as a district.

Then & Now

Charisse Lowry, our office manager of the Downtown Stockton Alliance, remembers how much the downtown has changed for the better in just the last twenty years. “When we first started in ‘98, we would have people who called us ugly names…It was real bad. It was dead and there was hardly any life. Now, it’s a thousand times better. By putting on different events, working with investors and property owners to get buildings leased, it’s a thousand times different than when we first started.” Just by driving through the downtown area, it is obvious that the area is not a dangerous place and is actually kind of charming. It’s hard to believe that it has changed so much from being once nearly barren.

And the Downtown Stockton Alliance has some interesting projects in the work right now. “By February 1st, we’ll be launching an audio tour that will be tied to the website. So if you want to go to any of the historic buildings, there will be a code on them and you can flash that and it will show you what that building looked like during the 20’s and 30’s and then it will give you an audio narrative of the history of the building.” shared Michael Huber. Through this audio tour, the Downtown Stockton Alliance is working to preserve not just buildings and streets, but their history.

What We Do

We get asked a lot, “So what exactly does Downtown Stockton Alliance do?”
Our executive director, Michael Huber, explains that we are, “A property-based improvement district that works for the property owners. So we try to keep the streets clean, and beautiful, and walkable, and safe…we have a thirteen man maintenance team, two powerwashing teams, and then we hire a private security company to patrol.”

As the downtown area continues to thrive and become more recognized for its culture and life, you can be sure that we here at the Downtown Stockton Alliance will continue to provide our support and care to the district. You can learn more about the Downtown Stockton Alliance through our website www.downtownstockton.org and following us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Downtown Alliance Office Staff & Maintenance Team

Downtown Stockton – Home Away From Home

Posted on April 20, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Johnny Palacios, Hospitality Ambassador

Hello, my name is Johnny Palacios and I am a Hospitality Ambassador for the Downtown Stockton Alliance. I think, I have one of the best jobs ever!

Looking back after ten years of working in Downtown, I have so many memories. I moved to Stockton in 2003 to live with my Mother and special needs Uncle, after being laid off from Apple Computer where I had worked for 15 years.

My Uncle and I would come to Weber Point during the summer and got a kick out of watching the kids playing in the fountains. I also still remember the Stockton Arena being built and it was interesting watching the progress week after week.

In 2007, I started working part time at the weekly Farmers Market in Downtown Stockton. I met so many nice people and was drawn to the Downtown atmosphere. Later that same year, I started working for the Downtown Stockton Alliance. It’s been a fabulous 10 years and counting!

I have met countless people from all over the city and even abroad. The staff here is like family with the majority having many years of service in the Downtown area. Every day is different and there is always something new happening. I have learned so much about Stockton and its rich history. I have seen new businesses and growth year after year. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but when you are here nearly every day, you see all the good things that are already here and still coming.

I have been involved with so many Downtown events and the logistics leading up to them. Among some of my favorites are Pub Crawls, Waterfront Fridays, Full Moon Riders, Farmers Markets, Love You Baby lunches, Art Walks, Taste of San Joaquin, and Stocktoberfests. I was able to recruit so many wonderful local volunteers who teamed up with us during most of those events.

Today I am regularly greeted by many of those people while out on my Downtown route. I even joke when talking to them that “it’s not easy being popular.” I am so proud to know Downtown like I do. I appreciate the beauty of the waterfront, the old buildings and locations that have been brought back to life through the years. I look forward to working many more years in Downtown and being a part of all the great changes coming here. So if you see me on the street, be sure to say hello and perhaps give me a high five because Downtown Stockton is my home away from home!