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Mitre - Ramirez, Norma From: Huizar, Maria Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 6:08 PM Cc: Cavazos, David; Lawrence, Mark; Flores, Alma; Garcia, Jorge (CMO) Subject: FW: Wellness District Categories: Correspondence Correspondence received and entered into the record. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Thomas Shimanek [mailto:tlshimanek @me.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 5:35 PM To: eComment Subject: Wellness District As a downtown Santa Ana resident and business owner, I would like to express my thoughts on the "Wellness District" proposal. It is my belief that rebranding the downtown area as "La Calle Cuatro" and branding it as solely a Latino marketplace area will be devastating to the progress we have made in recent years in bringing new business to the area that is actually successful, generating profits, and bringing new visitors to our downtown. The attempt to bring in younger Latino residents to shop here and away from big box stores is fruitless and will not work. These stores cannot compete with the big box retailers in price or in quality of offerings. The best economic future for our city is in embracing the artisan food hub that Santa Ana is becoming. This has fueled recovery from the Great Recession, and helped our property values (and your property and business taxes!) soar. If we are going to improve Santa Ana in other areas, like the much needed education, we need this income from the upscale eateries. It is not my hope that Latino culture be erased from Santa Ana, by any means. But I would love to see our downtown as a multicultural hub of life and activity. I believe there is a middle ground and a balance to be found here that will encourage new growth, leaving behind outdated business models, but keeping the Latino culture alive and well in Santa Ana. This proposal is not that middle ground and will hurt the future of Santa Ana. Sincerely, Thomas and Sarah Shimanek