Anonymous
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By an edhat reader
The Arts Fund presented a light art exhibit last night at the Santa Barbara State Street underpass as part of the City of Santa Barbara’s “Experiment Weekend.” https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/business/downtown/experiment_weekend.asp
Experiment Weekend continues on the night of Saturday, April 20 from 7:30pm to 11pm with with art installations on the 400 and 500 blocks of State Street.
I’m not sure if I’m new in town. I’ve lived here full-time for two decades. I bought a house (ye olde money pit), planted a garden, removed my yard grass in favor of succulents, care for wildlife, worry about wildfires, volunteer, make small donations, search for the next great local restaurant, smile more than frown.
You need to be new to town to like the drastic changes that are making Santa Barbara something other than Santa Barbara. It is more crowded, congestion is worse, there are more homeless, there is more trash on the streets, there are fewer stores for residents and more stores for tourists, parking is a nightmare downtown and the Funk Zone, and there is a wine bar on every corner without any or enough. Meanwhile carbon emissions and rents are up as tourism increase and we push workers out with skyrocketing rents and homes are turned into short term vacation rentals. All while the City says BUILD BABY BUILD and it gets ultra luxury apartments for the VERY welled heeled or SBCC students rather than something workers can afford. – You can’t be from here to understand what residents and real locals have lost.
Take some tips from the Shanghai Tunnel – they also created an underground light show passage.
State Street looks so much better! I was thrilled to see almost 100% occupancy, and wonderful little stores. This art exhibit on the underpass looks interesting, and VERY creative. I do believe that Santa Barbara really is coming back from the brink. Not so many crazies there, too. Vibrancy has replaced vagrancy! Thank you all!
TWOSCOOPS, What a great optimistic comment. Thank you. We’ve been reading on Edhat lately about how awful downtown State Street is. Living in Carpinteria we have everything we need right here so don’t get into SB but rarely.
Im sorry but what? it is not better. it is just as bad as it has always been. it is NOT 100% occupancy there are still tons of empty stores. I have no idea what TWOSCOOPS is talking about.
Seconded…close to 100% occupancy, what???
Just spent a week in Seattle. Our parking is cheap and plentiful, our density not overbearing. Fight stupidity where it lives. In your keyboard finger.
odd because silicon valley, and the bay area have the exact same exodus happening where the engineers that work for google and apple cant afford to live there, it wont be any different here.