The City of Temecula’s gaze is always steadily fixed on the ultimate goal: fulfilling the future community-driven vision for the Jefferson Avenue Study Area. The City of Temecula recently conducted six visioning workshops, dubbed “Envision Jefferson”, bringing together a diverse mix of property owners, business owners, real estate brokers, and other interested community members to image the future possibilities for the Jefferson Avenue Study Area.
Recently dubbed Uptown Jefferson, a name that defines its prospective identity, the Jefferson Avenue Study Area is located immediately north of Temecula’s Old Town. It is bordered by Cherry Street and the City of Murrieta to the north, I-15 to the east, and Murrieta Creek and Diaz Road to the west. The study area is characterized by some of the city’s oldest commercial development. Nevertheless, the area still remains as an important economic asset to the community, which has affirmed that future efforts should be made to spark its revitalization and ultimate renaissance. But how do we get from where we are today, to where we want to go?
Looking toward the future, meeting attendees forecasted that the area will have an expanded mix of land uses including residential and mixed-use neighborhoods, more robust employment options, as well as expanded cultural arts and higher-educational opportunities. Community members also expressed their desire to have a range of safe and efficient mobility options, including ways to get around–not only by car, but by foot, on a bicycle, or via transit. Green spaces, public plazas and recreational opportunities have also been identified as important features, and are anticipated to be intricately interwoven into the urban landscape. Additionally, cultivating a distinctive branding and identity for the area has also been deemed important by workshop attendees.
The community vision, which has emerged as a result of the public visioning process, will drive what will ultimately become Uptown Jefferson: a unique metropolitan experience, rivaled by no other place in the city or region. Uptown Jefferson will soon emerge, driven by a strategic, community-based vision, well-designed and built from the collective efforts of public participation, private development, and public investments. We can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
For more information about the Jefferson Avenue Study Area or this planning effort please visit the project website at: www.envisionjefferson.com or contact Katie Innes, Associate Planner.