The Fruitvale Merchants web site is sponsored by the Spanish Speaking Unity Council�s Fruitvale Main Street Program. The Unity Council is a community development organization that was founded in 1964. Our mission is to provide leadership, community advocacy, social services, and economic development aimed at enriching the quality of life of families in the Fruitvale neighborhood, as well as throughout the Bay Area.

The Main Street Approach

Main Street is a comprehensive approach to improving commercial districts. It was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation - National Main Street Center - and has been implemented in hundreds of communities around the country. It involves the organization of community stakeholders to address the problems that plague traditional downtown commercial areas. The community-driven approach addresses the physical, economic, and social aspects of commercial district revitalization by planning and implementing projects in the areas of physical design, economic development, and promotion. The program has been so successful that California has a statewide Main Street program in the state Department of Technology, Trade and Commerce with 38 Main Street communities throughout California.

Fruitvale Main Street

In 1996, the National Trust for Historic Preservation partnered with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation to establish Main Street programs in six inner city neighborhoods throughout the United States. Fruitvale was chosen to participate in this pilot program due to its wealth of historic buildings and the capacity of the Unity Council to manage a Main Street program, demonstrated by its successful fa�ade improvement program and its development of the Fruitvale Village , a transit-oriented real estate project adjacent to the commercial district.

Once established, Fruitvale Main Street quickly began to have a positive impact in the Fruitvale commercial district. It brought merchants, residents, and other stakeholders together to develop a strategic plan for improving the neighborhood which was known for its boarded up storefronts, criminal activity, litter, and grime.

Fruitvale Main Street�s four point approach addresses

1. Safety and Cleanliness � crime prevention, pedestrian safety, clean-up, and graffiti abatement
2. Design � fa�ade improvements, streetscape enhancements, historical preservation, and landscaping
3. Promotion � festivals, advertising, and retail events
4. Economic Restructuring � business assistance, business attraction, market analysis

Some of Main Street�s major accomplishments include

• Organization of an annual festival, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), as a tool to promote the district as a unique shopping destination
• Installation of seasonal decorations to promote holiday shopping
• Development of improved relationships with the police department which has led to increased patrols
• Completion of over 100 fa�ade improvements
• Fundraising of millions of dollars for streetscape improvements and other revitalization projects
• Partnership with local artists to create public art
• Planting of approximately 70 trees in the commercial district
• Organization of business assistance seminars and conferences
• Recruitment of hundreds of volunteers who have assisted in market analysis, design, business assistance, event planning, and more
• Creation of 10 new jobs for low-income community residents

In January 2001, the property owners in the Fruitvale commercial district voted to create a Property-Based Business Improvement District (PBID) to further enhance the Main Street Program, particularly in the area of safety and cleanliness. The PBID funds have allowed the Main Street program to create two new services: the Fruitvale Ambassadors and the Neighborhood Cleanliness Crew. The Fruitvale Ambassadors patrol the commercial district to improve safety and to provide assistance to merchants and shoppers. They serve as a liaison with the police and carry cell phones to allow for rapid response. The Neighborhood Cleanliness Crew provides daily (except Sunday) sidewalk sweeping, graffiti abatement, landscaping, and other services to keep the neighborhood clean and attractive.

After six years, the change in the Fruitvale commercial district has been dramatic. The vacancy rate is less than one percent and property owners are investing in and renovating their buildings. The area is noticeably cleaner and there is a greater perception of safety. Residents throughout the region now recognize the Fruitvale as an exciting destination for shopping and dining. Several of our eateries have been reviewed favorably in regional publications such as the Chronicle and San Francisco Magazine. Our annual Dia de los Muertos festival attracts more than 70,000 people from throughout the Bay Area.

We have made a great deal of progress toward our shared vision for the Fruitvale neighborhood:

The Fruitvale Commercial District . . . the heart of the Fruitvale . . . Ethnically and culturally diverse groups of people working together, responding to a regional Latino-oriented market . . . A thriving, bustling shopping area that is safe, clean, and green, inviting and attractive . . . A fun and convenient place to visit with ample shopping opportunities, tasty eateries, and entertainment both day and night.

To get involved, click here.