Published online on Friday, Dec. 04, 2009  By Sanford Nax / The Fresno Bee

Some Fresno State students spent much of the fall semester crawling through dusty downtown buildings, talking to real estate agents and bugging landlords in a quest to create the perfect business for the area.

Those Urban Entrepreneurship students unveiled proposals Thursday at the International Trade Center in downtown -- 16 plans ranging from a comedy club to an indoor BMX and skate park to a laboratory for budding business people.

Whether the ideas become reality remains to be seen, but the class taught by Craig Scharton, director of Fresno's Downtown and Community Revitalization Department, always produces innovative and sometimes far-reaching proposals.

"These kids aren't looking at constraints," said Tim Stearns, a professor of entrepreneurship at Fresno State. "They are looking at opportunities. If all these were implemented, this place would be transformed."

And what a group of ideas they are.

Christopher Turley and Ty Simpson want to remodel Warnors Theatre into a lively dinner theater. Richard Salinas proposes the Central Valley Sports Museum & Restaurant at Inyo Street and Van Ness Avenue. Stephanie Roberts wants to turn the former Bank of Italy into the Amadeo Fresno Hotel and Resort, complete with rooftop bar and lounge.

Steven Herr, Chad Dettman and Erik Teran think Fulton Mall should be transformed entirely into "Central City," with the old JC Penney building at Fulton Street and Tulare Avenue the hub.

The former department store building would be remodeled at a cost of $15.5 million into Fulton Lofts and Bowling. It would contain a bowling alley in the basement; food court and restaurant on the first floor and mezzanine; three floors of housing; and a barbecue, minibar, pool and stage on the roof.

Pivotal Park, the BMX and skateboard park, and Panderia Dulce, a Mexican bakery that Gonzalo Aranda-Sandoval, Jennifer Wright and Thomas Flores want to take national, and Garrett Stone's Liberty Laundry Comedy and Improv Club would be within walking distance.

Only a few of the ideas pitched by students over the years have become reality, but that doesn't stop some of them from believing. In tiny type just below "The End" of Salinas' proposal for the Central Valley Sports Museum & Restaurant were these words:

"Investors meet me after class."

The reporter can be reached at snax@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6495.

 

I was downtown yesterday and witnessed a bulldozer tearing down the old building at Fulton and Amador where Fulton Village is set to be built.  Check out the before and after demo pics below.  

After doing some research, I found out the building had been a publishing house called Valley Publishers in the early 70's and later became an un-accredited law school...amongst quite a few other occupants over the years.

Does anyone remember some of the other occupants?

Live GV Urban

Plans are underway on the 619 sq. ft. floorplan to be built in the future Fulton Village apartment project and we'd like to know what you prefer, more living space (with one bedroom) or more sleeping space (with two bedrooms)?  Your feedback will help us decide whether to build more two bedroom units versus one bedroom units.  It's important to hear from you soon, so let us know how you want to situate your digs.

Check out the floorplans below and send us your comments.

Live GV Urban                                                         

There are plenty of reasons to visit downtown Fresno, and as Fresno's vivacious crowd is finding out, there are plenty of reasons to live in the downtown area.  With a variety of restaurants, entertainment venues and places to work, Downtown Fresno has become the hub for Fresnans of all ages to call home and enjoy the skyline views.

With this in mind, Granville Homes has staked its claim in Downtown Fresno wtih plans to build Fulton Village, a mixed-use apartment project with amenities inspired by local residents.  Fulton Village will be situated in the middle of the Cultural Arts District at the corners of Fulton and Amador and is set for completion in 2011.

Fulton Village will offer the sophisticated living much like what is found in a metropolitan city like San Francisco and blends it with a bit of edgy, artistic flair.  The main freeways are close in proximity and will provide students with a fast and easy track to Fresno State or Fresno City College.  Don't have a car?  No problem, the area is bustling with free transportation via the FAX Trolley service or the eco-friendly Pedi cab service known as Shuttlebugz.

Fulton Village amenities include:

• A park with doggy stations
• Granite countertops in all kitchens
• An open courtyard with common area and BBQ facilities
• Gated complex
• Retail and commercial space
• Swipe card laundry facilities

The official groundbreaking of Fulton Village is scheduled for December 7, 2009.  Stay tuned for more details on this project and don't forget to leave us your feedback.

Live GV Urban.      gvurban.com