The Campbell Redevelopment Agency’s revitalization strategy focuses on new development, historic preservation, and attraction of a cohesive mix of quality retailers and restaurants to energize and stimulate economic growth downtown. The Agency works closely with other City departments including Campbell’s Planning and Building Departments to ensure building design and construction standards are of the highest quality and craftsmanship along with enhancing Downtown’s architectural character. Whether it’s new housing, mixed-use projects, a public garage or restoration of a community performing arts theater, the Agency is at the forefront to ensure a clean, attractive, and pedestrian friendly Historic Downtown.

In 1983 the Central Campbell Redevelopment Project Area was created to eliminate blight and to capitalize on the under utilization of land within 260 acres in and around Historic Downtown Campbell. The goal was, and still is, to help Downtown Campbell recapture its place as the identity of the City, to return its status as a viable and economically successful commercial district, and to restore its place in the community as the civic and cultural center of the City. The Redevelopment Agency is working toward these goals by stimulating economic growth with new business development, business expansion, building and replacing infrastructure, assembling land for redevelopment, and encouraging cultural and civic events such as the Farmer’s Market and the Summer Concert Series that help bring the community together. In 1992, Campbell’s Redevelopment Project Area was expanded to include 101 acres in the McGlincy Lane area bringing the combined Project Area to approx. 360 acres.

Retail Development

Revitalizing Historic Downtown Campbell includes on-going marketing and recruitment to encourage partnerships with businesses, developers, brokers, and property owners to rehabilitate existing buildings or develop new mixed use projects. The Agency’s active business recruitment coupled with strategic site selection is a catalyst to attracting a cohesive desirable mix of retail, restaurants, residential and office. The agency works closely with City Departments to ensure the highest project design standards, craftsmanship, and quality construction to enhance Downtown’s architectural character and charm – creating a pleasant, clean and pedestrian friendly main street district.

Public Parking

Adequate public parking is a key component of an economically viable commercial district. There are approximately 850 public parking spaces in the downtown. Parking is free. There is a three level, 300-space public parking garage on Civic Center Drive between Second and Third Streets, a 300 space parking garage on First Street south of Orchard City Drive, and about 250 parking spaces on street and in surface lots in and around the downtown area.

Parking Areas in Downtown Campbell (716k pdf)

Storefront Improvement

In 2004, the Agency increased the grant amount eligible under the Storefront Improvement Program (established in 1997) and added a property owner loan component hoping to encourage more business and property owners to partner with the Agency to improve building facades and create a more architecturally attractive retail business district. Eligible property and business owners in the downtown can receive matching funds to help create a new retail or restaurant façade. To date, close to $200,000 has been granted to business owners retail/restaurant façade improvements. For details, please call 866-2192.

Financing Redevelopment

California law entitles redevelopment agencies to collect tax increment revenue – the property tax drawn on any increase in property value from year to year within the Project Area after a Redevelopment Project Area is created. The Redevelopment Agency uses the tax increment revenue to finance infrastructure, facilitate revitalization efforts within the Project Area, and create affordable housing.

Sales Tax Generation

Campbell ’s Redevelopment Project Area generates over $2 million annually in sales tax revenue for the City’s General Fund to help pay General Services such as Police and Fire protection and public park development and maintenance.