Hopes for a renewed Miracle Mile are on the rise as local attorney and property owner Allen Sawyer unveils plans to purchase and revitalize the landmark Pacific Avenue building, bringing a glimmer of optimism to a stretch of Stockton that has seen better days.
For six years, the prominent building that once housed nine small businesses has been boarded up, its charm obscured by plywood and the ravages of vandalism and fire damage. The closure, due to cited code violations, resulted in a six-year-long legal battle, with a recent April settlement seeing the city pay the previous owner, Christopher Bennitt, $1.64 million.
However, Sawyer believes it's the perfect time to breathe new life into the Miracle Mile, a district he used to frequent as a student at the University of the Pacific. He aims to have design concepts ready for city council approval in the next couple of months, with a potential groundbreaking soon after.
The building, though partially salvageable, will require significant reconstruction. "There's a good chunk, the actual part where the movie theater is, that will have to be totally torn down," said Sawyer. "We would love to keep the sign if possible."
Plans include not only revamping spaces for small businesses but also the potential addition of new apartment units. This project is welcomed by the local community, many of whom view it as an investment in Stockton's future.
"That is such a key anchor to the classic Mile," said Tina Wells Lee, President of the Miracle Mile Improvement District board. "We are so excited about their potential plans for the future, getting that area back up and rehabbed and letting this area just shine as it has historically done in the past."
The excitement is shared across the street at a salon owned by Briana Buenrostro. "I'm excited for this new beginning on this street because I feel like Stockton needs more good stuff going on, and I feel like it's going to bring more good people," expressed salon employee, Alexa Mejia.
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK
