SACOG 'Civic Labs' - Shot in the arm for beleaguered, aging strip centers on Elk Grove-Florin Road?

December 18, 2018 | 

During the Wednesday, December 12 Elk Grove City Council meeting, the city's interim manager announced that the city has been selected to participate in a regional project to help strip center along one of Elk Grove's older retail corridors.

In his administrative comments, interim city manager Jason Behrmann said the city's application with the Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) to participate in their Civic Lab. The particular focus of the program will on commercial corridors.

Although most of Elk Grove's strip centers are less than 20 years of age, there are several commercial developments along Elk Grove-Florin Road in Old Elk Grove that predate the city's 2000 incorporation by decades. While strip centers in the city's Laguna area enjoy relatively strong demand from national retail chains, these strip centers are generally populated with locally-based businesses that are often at a competitive disadvantage, and vulnerable during economic downturns.  

"The city will be partnering with the chamber of commerce to connect with property owners and residents to explore opportunities to improvements for the Elk Grove-Florin corridor from Elk Way to Elk Grove High School," Behrmann said at the Wednesday meeting. 

According to information posted by SACOG, the program "will focus on creating vibrant commercial corridors throughout the region." Funding is provided by The State of California.