Monterey Park is the historic heart of the community. On weekends, downtown thrives as local residents and residents from surrounding San Gabriel Valley cities shop at the ethnic specialty shops. As discussed in the Land Use Element, downtown's economic future lies in increasing the diversity of uses within the district and attracting residential uses to create weekday activity and weekend evening / night time use, as well as active outdoor use areas such as plazas and sidewalk dining.
A level of demand exists for local hotel services not captured by the city. Extended stay and meeting room/banquet facilities are needed to accommodate local and community users apart from the business hotel atmosphere provided within the Corporate Center area. Downtown hotel facilities will capitalize on the existing ethnic commercial infrastructure in the district and provide a catalyst for additional business and residential development which serves a community focus.
Goal Five
Establish Downtown as a local serving mixed use district.
- Policy 5.1
Take advantage of Monterey Park's identification with the local Asian community to establish a local serving, small to medium scale hotel in downtown. - Policy 5.2
Pursue additional specialty retail and restaurant businesses that will complement existing medical office and future hotel uses. - Policy 5.3
Provide zoning incentives that encourage cohesive mixed use development projects. - Policy 5.4
Pursue mixed use, high density residential projects within downtown. - Policy 5.5
Develop marketing and promotional campaign to publicize downtown as a distinct district within the community. - Policy 5.6
Pursue development of a Downtown Master Plan that combines a strategic marketing plan with a physical and functional vision for downtown, as described in the Land Use Element.