I think it would be a super idea! If any of you have been to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market building, you know what i mean (napa also opened next to Copia). We have enough local, petaluma or sonoma based, vendors that if it were made into a destination type place, it just might work.

Powell's :
I'm merely answering the question that was posed, "What would you like to see in that space?"

And I think that it would be lovely to have a scaled down SF FerryBuilding/Sonoma County Agriculture Farmer's Market/Copia kinda thing.
I think it just might work too!
Thanks for the vote of confidence mmmmfoood.

The question was not, "What do you think is financially feasible for that size of space"

Aren't we talking hypothetical here? It's not like I was planning on buying the building next week or anything, just "armchair development!"

Sure as shootin' Ol'East has probably hit it right on the spot with something like Elephant Pharmacy, just happens that it would be well reveived/needed and financially feasible.
So cheers to you Ol'East, when are you gonna hook Petaluma up?!

But really I'm much more partial to ANYTHING that involves local agriculture and FOOD!!!

I shot them an email yesterday- Halliday!
The spot is 19,000 square feet. I see a Ferry building type thing at the Line and Twine. I think the upstairs portion can serve as an "incubator" for local entrepreneurs. How about Laguanitas open a tasting room downstairs within the Farmer's Market? How about we give free permits to all businesses along Water Street desiring to create a rear entrance/ dining area on the river? Then we wouldn't need to increase the police presence there.
I want to be able to buy things directly from my neighbors, people who aren't going to sell toys painted with lead, people who have a vested interest in our community.
Oh and can someone open a Belgian fry, Belgian beer and crepe place?

I would like to see the Couches Etc. building given a face lift (more interesting architecture) and separated into multiple tenant spaces for retail and restaurant use, perhaps even a floor of residential flats. Cheesecake Factory is a little ambitious...national credit tenants look for a synergy (co-location) with other national players, fortunately that is not downtown Petaluma. I could see something like the Yard House in Irvine, perhaps an Elephant Pharmacy or Pharmica, Compo di Bocce.... a nice mix of entertainment and quality retail.

Sunset Line and Twine would make a great live/work location. An open market likely wouldn't survive because the site is to detached from downtown; no foot traffic.

I would put Lagunitas or another micro-brewery in the old Firehouse on D-Street...replace the engine bay doors with clear roll-ups add some planters and decorative railings and presto a nice indoor/outdoor dining and drinking environment.

A brewery sounds great- but I can't stand Lagunitas, sorry - for either the firehouse or silkmill, especially in combination with a restaurant. As far as Couches, there isn't a large kitchen in there as far as I know, so it probably will not be another restaurant unless the buyer wants to put a lot of money in it.
I vote for a casino, with the big corner window turned into a flashy neon screen..... KIDDING!!
(Oh, my, can't you imagine the uproar???)

No boring chain food. We don't want Petaluma to look like every entertaiment center in So Cal. Let's keep Petaluma unique and support our independent restaurants that have great atmosphere and food. Risi Bisi, Tres Hombres, Central Market to name a few.

quote:

Originally posted by KimberChristian:
A Cheesecake Factory would do great in Petaluma! There are some other great chains that I wish would come to P-town too...Red Robin, Claim Jumper, Elephant Bar, PF Changs

Yeah, why don't we let them build a giant Wal-mart with a McDonalds inside, a Home-Depot and a Lowes right across the street. All these chain stores care nothing about our local economy, returning little or none of the money spent in their monstrosities to the local community. They do not use local sources for any of their products, don't contribute to local charities, and close shop when some beancounter thinks the profit margin is to low. Keep Petaluma local!!!

Badidea, you are SO WRONG about Home Depot! They give millions of dollars to affordable housing programs, at-risk youth programs, environmental programs, City of Hope cancer research, the YouthBuild program, Team Depot, donations to build over 1000 KABOOM USA Playgrounds, donations and manhours to Habitat for Humanity, Christmas in April, Earth 911, the Homer Fund (for ill employees), money to disaster and hurricane relief funds, 70 tons of tools, paint and lumber to hurricane victims, USA Olympic sponsorship, etc. etc.

I'm sure Lowe's and other biggies have given a generous share of charitable contributions to local communities around the country.

I'm happy to have Home Depot Yardbirds here in Petaluma. It is a wonderful store and MANY of their workers were involved in Rebuilding Together. They are one of the best employers in Petaluma and Sonoma County.

Feel free to google the above information. You will eat your words.