Downtown Gets High Marks in Survey

By Jorge Casuso

Jan. 23 -- Those who live in or near Santa Monica make frequent visits to the heart of Downtown and find little wrong with an area that has been the target of official criticism and a number of proposed policy changes, according to an in depth survey released Thursday night.

The survey -- conducted in October -- found that residents Santa Monica and the Westside, who were interviewed by telephone, frequent the Downtown an average of more than once a week, up from a similar survey in 1997. Visitors interviewed in the Downtown area, who were mostly from Los Angeles County, said they went there more than twice a month.

Members of both groups -- who have boosted their spending in the area -- said they predominantly go Downtown to shop, although many of them also eat and enjoy the entertainment once they are there.

Presented at Thursday night’s Bayside Board meeting, the findings heartened Downtown officials, many of whom have long contended that the City shouldn’t meddle in an area that is vibrant and healthy.

“The proof is in the pudding,” said Board Member Bill Tucker, a Downtown property owner. “More people are coming here. They’re finding it more desirable… Tweaking this Promenade right now is dangerous.”

Both area residents and visitors described the Downtown ambience as “nice/pleasant/friendly” as well as “festive/vibrant/exciting.” Visitors interviewed on the Promenade -- who tended to be younger than area residents interviewed by telephone -- said the ambience was also “relaxing/cool/casual” and “young/trendy/hip.”

Members of both groups -- about 80 percent of whom drove Downtown -- said they would visit more often if parking was more available and convenient and the area was cleaner, particularly the restrooms.

Those interviewed by telephone (28.8 percent), as well as those interviewed on the street (34.8 percent) identified “people/homeless” as what they liked least about Downtown.

Conducted by the San Diego-based firm CIC Research, Inc., the study is based on 405 “intercept surveys” conducted with visitors in the Downtown area, including Santa Monica Place, as well as on a telephone survey of 400 area residents who had previously visited the Downtown.

Those interviewed by telephone averaged 45 years of age, had a median income of $74,600 and were mostly women (63 percent). Those interviewed on the street were younger and less affluent, averaging 33 years of age and having a median income of $47,500. Women made up slightly more than half the sample (51 percent).

The proportion of LA County residents has greatly increased since a similar survey was conducted in 1999, doubling from 29 percent to 58 percent, while the number of foreign visitors dropped from 13 percent to 7 percent over the same period.

“That represents trends since 9/11,” said Kathleen Rawson, executive director of the Bayside District. “Foreign visitors have gone down and regional visitors have increased.”

No matter where they’re from, those visiting the Downtown are spending more money. Visitors interviewed on the street said they spent or planned to spend $77, up from $64 in 1999 and only $24 in 1997. Area residents interviewed by telephone said they spent $40 on their most recent trip Downtown, up from $33 in 1997.

On the day they were surveyed visitors interviewed Downtown went or planned to go to stores for “clothing/shoes/accessories” (66.3 percent), “eating & drinking places” (55.4 percent) and “eating places only,” which is generally fast food (34.4).

By comparison, more than seven in ten respondents on the telephone survey had visited “clothing/shoes/accessory” stores (77.5 percent) and “book stores” (72.7 percent) in the 30 days prior to the survey. Most of those interviewed had visited stores on Third Street (81.6 percent), 4th Street (44.4 percent) and 2nd Street (32.4 percent), results similar to those in the 1997 survey.

In a question that already has triggered different interpretations and is bound to be used in an ongoing debate over whether chain stores should be discouraged or restricted, the survey found that most respondents felt the mix of stores Downtown was “about right.”

Of those interviewed on the street, 59.8 percent thought the mix was “about right,” while 31.4 percent would like more independent stores and 8.8 percent would like more chain stores.

Nearly half -- 49.8 percent -- of those surveyed on the telephone thought the mix of stores was “about right,” while 39.1 percent would like more independent stores and 11.1 percent more chain stores.

When it came to street performers, the telephone survey found that 29.3 percent of the respondents derived a “great deal” of enjoyment and 51.3 percent some enjoyment from the performers. Of those interviewed on the street, 59.7 percent said street performers provided a “great deal” of enjoyment.

Shopping areas near Santa Monica offered the stiffest competition for those surveyed on the telephone. Given a list of six shopping areas, the highest proportion of respondents said they had visited the Westside Pavilion shopping area (with nearly 68 percent visiting at least once in the three months prior to the survey), followed by Century City (with nearly 58 percent) and the Grove (nearly 43 percent).

By contrast, the same six shopping areas were seldom visited by those interviewed on the street. The Beverly Center topped the list with less than 30 percent visiting the indoor mall in the past three months, followed by Century City (less than 28 percent) and The Grove (20 percent).

Bayside officials said they were pleased with the survey’s general findings, but there is always room for improvement.

“The issues haven’t changed and the people who visit the Downtown are generally satisfied,” Rawson said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t have to improve.”