The Santa Barbara City Council has unanimously approved multi-million dollar plans to renovate the Paseo Nuevo shopping area located on State Street in Santa Barbara.
The project to remodel the shopping center will include a new exterior look of the 458,000 square foot property.
The plans will encourage a modern and revitalized experience of downtown Santa Barbara — including retail, entertainment, dining and art.
“We’re very excited to see a multi-million-dollar investment in the public areas of Paseo Nuevo, a central gathering place for people to shop, dine and spend leisure time downtown,” said Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo in a press release.
The first part of the development will be revamping certain areas of the shopping hub, including the implementation of art installations by local artists.
Following the first phase will be the enhancement of community spaces within the center, including group games, charging stations and gathering spots.
Another part of the plans include the commitment of $200,000 to find solutions and provide support for Santa Barbara’s homeless population.
The renovations are expected to begin sometime in 2019.
Paseo Nuevo is known as Santa Barbara’s top commerce destination and brings in around five million guests per year.
