Progress Report: Bell Rooms Purchase Approved

On September 16th,  the second amendment to the Purchase & Sale Agreement for the Bell Rooms was approved by the board of Redding Area Bus Authority.

Overview

• Located at the corner of Shasta & California Streets in downtown Redding.
• Adaptive reuse project: taking an old building or site, and reusing it for new purposes.
• Designed by local architect, Trilogy Architecture
• 3 key components:
  • bike-friendly café/restaurant
  • gated courtyard
  • bike depot, (site of bikeshare program operations)
• About bikeshare:
  • Bikeshare is a service in which bicycles are made available for shared use to individuals on a short-term basis.
  • Anticipated users include downtown residents for commuting purposes, for recreational rides for locals, and well as tourists.
  • Bikeshare program helped make Redding’s application competitive in our successful pursuit of $24 million state grant funding for downtown (funding source for bikeshare: Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities, together with grant co-applicants: K2 Land & Investments and the City of Redding).
  • Bike depot will also include safe bike parking, which is one of the #1 barriers cited for why people don’t bike more downtown.
• Development links to forthcoming Downtown Loop bike path:
  • Located along planned route of Diestelhorst to Downtown cycle track (construction by City of Redding to begin in 2020)
  • Connects to funded, but not yet built cycle track which is also funded through the same AHSC grant, to connect downtown Redding with the Sundial Bridge/Sheraton/Civic/Rodeo/Shasta EDC area.

Architectural renderings by Trilogy Architecture https://trilogyarch.com/

Timeline

• We intend  to commence construction November 2019.
• Fall 2019 The McConnell Foundation to release public Request for Proposals for bike-friendly café/restaurant
• Mid-way through construction, cycling encouragement programming to begin in partnership with nonprofit organization, Shasta Living Streets.
• Anticipated completion May 2021.

Big picture, vibrant downtowns are bikable and walkable. This development is intended to signal: Cyclists welcome–Downtown is a place for you!

Want to learn more? Here are related posts:

• Sharing Downtown Updates with the Trails & Bikeways Council (September 10, 2019)
• Chico Delegation Visits Downtown Redding for “Lessons Learned” (August 20, 2019)
• Sharing Downtown Updates at Planning Commission (August 14, 2019)
• Sharing Downtown Updates with Kiwanis Club (August 8, 2019)
• Sharing Downtown Updates at Elks Club (July 17, 2019)
• Indy Cultural Trail: Learning from an Exemplar (June 21, 2019)
• Connecting with Downtown Neighbors (June 12, 2019)
• Presentation at State of Downtown 2019 (May 9, 2019)
• KQMS Interview: The Foundation’s Work in Downtown Redding (April 24, 2019)
• Connecting with Realtors about the Future of Downtown (March 6, 2019)
• Downtown Field Trip with Leadership Redding Class (December 7, 2018)
• Connecting with Caltrans about the Future of Downtown (October 12, 2018)
• The Buzz: Downtown Redding’s Big Week. Here’s Why. (November 24, 2018)
• Record Searchlight: McConnell Foundation Moves to Safeguard Two Downtown Redding Landmarks (November 21, 2018)
• Foundation Purchases Landmark Odd Fellows Hall & Former Bell Rooms (November 20, 2018)
• Jefferson Public Radio: Interview about Downtown Redding (July 5, 2018)
• It’s Official: Redding Competes at State Level, Brings $24 million to Downtown Redding (June 29, 2018)
• Connecting with Young Professionals about the Future of Downtown (June 14, 2018)
• Field Trip to Learn about Bike-Friendly Cafes (June 4, 2018)
• SCAC-TV: Redding Revitalization with the League of Women Voters (May 30, 2018)
• Presentation at State of Downtown 2018 (May 22, 2018)
• Pasts & Futures of California Street (February 1, 2018)
• KCNR Free Fire Radio: Interview about Downtown Community Plans (January 23, 2018)
• Cyclists Welcome! Bell Rooms Early Stage Concepts (October 12, 2017)