South Santa Fe/Mercantile Corridor Revitalization

The revitalization of the South Santa Fe Avenue and Mercantile Street area has been a priority of the City of Vista for several years. One of the City's oldest, established commercial business districts, the area is currently underutilized and suffers from dated and inadequate infrastructure and a lack of private investment. The vision for the area is to create a mixed-use, destination oriented, pedestrian and transit friendly district that will be a showcase for the City of Vista.

Beginning in 2003, the City completed various activities, including the collection of baseline information, conducting extensive community outreach, developing street and streetscape alternatives, evaluating various land uses, densities, and building height limits, among other items, to develop a strategy to improve the area.

The primary purpose of the Santa Fe/Mercantile Corridor Revitalization Strategy is to encourage new private investment, assist in the revitalization of the Corridor, and facilitate the fulfillment of the vision to create a showcase mixed-use district. The basic concepts identified in the Strategy can be summarized as follows:

  • Update the Downtown Specific Plan to provide direction regarding land use, development regulations and design guidelines.
  • Complete a Master Environmental Impact Report or other environmental document to expedite processing of individual projects within the Revitalization area.
  • Design and construct various streetscape improvements such as, sidewalks, lighting, signage, street furniture, etc.
  • Address issues associated with portions of the area being located within a Flood Plain to facilitate development within the Revitalization area.
  • Address other infrastructure needs such as upgrading water and sewer systems.
  • Analyze potential street alternatives such as the realignment or elimination of Mercantile Street, the addition or modification of on-street parking on South Santa Fe, and the potential configuration of South Santa Fe.

Click here to read the IMPLEMENTATION PLAN for the Santa Fe/Mercantile Corridor Revitalization Strategy.

Click here for a MAP of the Santa Fe/Mercantile Corridor Revitalization project area.

For more information about the the revitalization plans for the Santa Fe/Mercantile Corridor, please contact Jeff Zinner, Redevelopment & Housing Manager, at (760) 639-6191.