Finding the magic, a mix of ingredients

Sparks City Council may have hit upon the magic combo for the city's Victorian Square area.And it was a simple one: mixed use.

The city has been through more than a few development concepts for the area, says Randy Mellinger, Sparks assistant city manager in charge of development.

"Way back," he recalls,"there was the plan for arenas and roller coasters."

Then came the idea of a major retail center.A mall.

And the problem with that, he says,was and still is the competition.

Previously that came in the form of the Meadowood Mall.

Now, add to that the upcoming Sierra Summit Lifestyle Center, the Wal-Marts moving into the area, the new shopping on Pyramid Highway, the possible addition of Cabela's in Verdi, and the proposed retail destination center in east Sparks.

That's a lot of competition.

The city has taken, instead, a road to mixed use that other downtown areas are finding successful.

And mixed use is proving a draw to developers, too.Maybe it hasn't been exactly an automatic response, says Mellinger.

His department, and Armando Ornelas, Sparks redevelopment manager, in particular, have been pounding the pavement, presenting the city's strategy and opportunities to developers.

Courting investors.

Like Reno,many downtown revitalizations have looked to residential development, followed by retail, to bring them back from the dead.

The Sparks plan, too, is geared toward a traditional downtown, with people living, shopping, and working there.

Mixed use is a hot topic these days, one that seems to work and is developing a track record.

It starts with people."Whenever you have people somewhere, you attract more people," Mellinger says."No one wants to go where it's dark and empty."Residents add early light.

The Sparks City Council approved the mixed use designation for Victorian Square, along with its three-phase concept, last week.

With approval in its pocket, the city staff is focusing now on a fast track to making something happen in the Square, says Mellinger.

"We'd like to see it all done in a few years."

Other things on the city's wish list: for phase one, it's looking for multi-family residential, with highest hopes for a condominium development."And I want two name restaurants in front of the cinema,"Mellinger says.

"Something new to the market,maybe an upscale one and a themed one."

Included in phase one is approximately 26 acres, and the city is hoping for 200 to 300 units on the land,with perhaps a three- to five-story building design.

The timeline on that: Now.

Sparks is planning to send out the request for qualification packages in June, requiring return by July or August.

"We think there are some developers out there who are ready,"Mellinger adds.

The city has invested in a retail consultant, Linda Congleton of RTKL AssociatesInc., to make it easy.

The conceptual work is done.

Phase two, which includes retail and restaurant space along Victorian Avenue and Victorian Square Plaza, as well as city hall and civic space,will go out hot on the heels of phase one construction, he adds."We are planning and hoping to break ground on phase two by 2008," says Mellinger.

If all goes as planned,within three years, downtown Sparks will be a thriving center.

And then comes phase three.What happens then is open for discussion could be a mix of retail, residential, civic space along with public gardens and parking.

Or something else.

The hope? Phase three will be driven by the overwhelming and promising success of phase one and two.