San Carlos Laurel Street Pedestrian Mall Gets Final Approval.

City Gives the Green Light.

In its most recent meeting on November 30, the San Carlos City Council voted unanimously to permanently convert the 700 block of Laurel Street into a pedestrian mall. The block, which stretches between Olive and Cherry Streets, has been closed since the pandemic to allow beleaguered restaurants to expand their seating to the outdoors at a time when indoor seating was not allowed. The concept has proved so popular with residents of the City of San Carlos that a big push has been underway for over a year to make it permanent.

This is clearly more of a win for the restaurants and bars, which make up probably half of the store fronts on the 700 block. Many retailers have voiced their opposition to closing the block down to vehicular traffic, believing that it will discourage shoppers from visiting their stores if they have to park a few blocks away and walk in.

When the street closure initially took place, the restaurants that opted to stay open with outside seating in “parklet” settings created solutions that varied widely in quality. While some opted for lower-cost temporary setups (orange barriers and a few tables), a few restaurants like Town went in with both feet and spent a small fortune to make their outdoor seating feel like an extension of the vibe of the indoor setting. Those restaurateurs are probably breathing a big sigh of relief now, knowing that the gamble they took will likely pay off — assuming that the City's grand plan for the pedestrian plaza incorporates their current build-outs with little or no modification.

It's not clear to me when work will commence on the conversion of the 700 block of Laurel, nor what the renderings look like. According to this article in the Daily Journal, it seems to be under the umbrella of the Downtown Planning Initiative, which is slated to be complete in late 2025.

What's Your Take?

How do you feel about closing the 700 Block of Laurel Street and creating a pedestrian mall? Register your vote in the poll below, and of course, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section.