> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Getting down to business - URL: https://www.smdp.com/getting-down-to-business-20060731/ - Published: 2006-07-31T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T19:06:46.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Business, Promenade, #archive-import *Bayside members irked by consultants’ first day of meetings* THIRD STREET PROMENADE — If the first eight hours on the job give any indication as to what lies ahead for consultant Brad Segal, it’s going to be an intense, and possibly contentious, six months or more as he and his colleagues go about creating a new management plan for downtown to help it remain competitive in the region. That plan could include new special assessment or tax districts that could be funded by downtown property owners, businesses and residents to provide more revenue for the maintenance and redevelopment of the area. As soon as his plane touched down last Thursday, Segal — president of Denver-based Progressive Urban Management Associates — and his colleague Kristin Lowell were off and running, moving from one meeting to the next to introduce themselves and explain the process they will use to tailor a specific business management plan to serve the unique needs of downtown for the next five to 10 years. “It’s been a pretty hectic schedule so far,” said Kathleen Rawson, executive director of Bayside District Corp., a non-profit organization that manages downtown and is funded by City Hall through assessments paid by property and business owners. Hired by the Bayside board and City Hall for $59,920, Segal said he began the process with face-to-face conversations with his employers — City Manager Lamont Ewell, City Hall’s Finance Director Steve Stark and members of the board. Segal also met with members of the Greater Promenade Association, a group of property owners, commercial real estate interests and business leaders in downtown Santa Monica. The turn of events seemed to concern some Bayside Board members, who said they were unaware of the meetings and felt they should have been notified. “I’m a little peeved about the meeting with the Promenade Association without telling Bayside first,” board member Kelley Wallace, co-owner of the Promenade newsstand Above the Fold, told Segal. Board member Rob Radar also expressed displeasure with the meetings, saying he felt “disenfranchised” and “cut off” from the process. Others came quickly to Segal’s defense. “I don’t feel I need to know every single group that they are going to meet with,” said John Warfel, vice chair of the board. “I assume they will meet with merchants, community groups, property owners … They’ve only been here one day. I think we’re jumping the gun.” Rawson said the meetings Thursday were fairly informal and comprised of “broad, open-ended questions not meant to skew one way or the other.” Radar said he wasn’t going to assume anything and that he felt the board should give some direction as to which groups to meet with and when. Board member Patricia Hoffman, who also expressed concern about the lack of information provided about the meetings, said she didn’t want to seem like she was attacking Segal, “but I just want to make sure that this is an open process and that the residents feel they are represented in what is the management of a public space.” Segal said his only intent is to create a unified front supporting the process, which ultimately includes speaking with as many people as possible. But in doing so, Segal said no one group will be given more weight than another, except for his clients — Bayside and City Hall. “Part of the fun in doing this work is that every community’s sensibilities are different,” Segal said. “We are trying to balance everyone’s goals as best as we can … We do need the community to have ownership of this plan for it to succeed.” That could prove to be a challenge as there are many who are frustrated with the way downtown is currently managed, some pointing the finger at Bayside, Segal’s boss. In February, property and business owners gathered at Santa Monica Place and expressed displeasure that the millions of dollars they pay in assessments annually are not enough to keep the area competitive. They said maintenance on and off the Promenade is lacking, redevelopment is costly and City Hall’s funds are limited. Segal agreed at that meeting that Bayside’s revenue stream and the management of it isn’t as equitable as it should be. In addition, it doesn’t generate enough money for the downtown’s needs. A public/private venture may be needed. Warfel suggested Segal provide a list of groups he will speak to and then if the board feels more should be added, they will instruct Segal to do so. With that, Warfel asked Segal to speak with employees in downtown to gather their perspective. Having not received a significant makeover in 15 years, the Promenade is in need of some work, however, Segal said his focus will be on all of downtown, and could include bringing Santa Monica Place into the fold. Currently, the property is just outside of downtown’s boundaries. Over the next five to six months, ideas and suggestions will be brought to the attention of community stakeholders. Segal and his team said they will begin by studying the current structure of downtown’s management plan and review past plans and market studies. That is when the bulk of the community meetings will take place. While that is underway, Lowell will refine the Bayside District’s property database to make sure all are made aware of the process. Lowell will also comb over past budgets of Bayside as well as review the performance of former directors to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the management framework. Surveys will be distributed to assist in this work. Segal will look at other downtowns such as Denver, Seattle, San Diego, Sacramento and Pasadena. Each city has a different management plan, some of which include several layers of assessments to pay for specific improvements for residents, businesses and public transit. Denver does more than tax, Segal said. Their business improvement district, or BID, applies for grants and has an events production company to drive revenue. Bayside members suggested looking at West Hollywood as well. Once that work is completed, Segal and his team will conduct a series of up to six roundtable discussions with stakeholders in downtown. In these sessions, Segal said he hoped to identify priorities for downtown and see the willingness of participants to put their money where their mouth is. Each roundtable will consist of eight to 15 participants from particular segments of downtown, such as retail, food service and residents. Fifteen one-on-one meetings will also be held. If all goes well, a management plan will be drafted, complete with initiatives for the promotion of special events, parking management, environmental improvements, business attraction retention and incubation. Budgets will also be devised along with revenue streams. The plan will undergo a legal and engineering review to ensure compliance with state law, Segal said. That will be completed by Lowell, who has 17 years of experience in public financing. “I’ll be more on the technical end of things,” Lowell said. “I’m the therapist,” Segal added.“This process is very much going to feel as if we are going through therapy together. We want to hear from you what your dreams are for Bayside. We want to hear from you about what you like and don’t like.” The management plan, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, will still need to be adopted by the City Council and community stakeholders before it goes into effect. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 31, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/073106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)