By BRIAN WHITEHEAD | bwhitehead@scng.com | The Sun PUBLISHED: October 14, 2020 at 2:07 p.m. | UPDATED: October 14, 2020 at 11:38 p.m.
A Starbucks, 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station and two drive-thru restaurants are bound for the north side of Fifth Street just east of the 215 Freeway in downtown San Bernardino.
The highly-anticipated 5th Street Gateway Project has been touted as a major step toward the city’s renaissance, and on Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Planning Commission approved the first phase of development across Fifth Street from the popular In-N-Out Burger.
Plans to use the undeveloped 6.56-acre site to attract folks downtown have been in the works for nearly three years.
“This’ll bring some eyes to downtown, and it’ll show investors they can make money here,” developer David Friedman, who co-owns the popular Viva La Boba cafe with girlfriend Tansu Philip, said Wednesday. “There’s a lot of vacant buildings that need repairs, and the more developer money, the better at this point. But it needs to be smart development, good, strong projects.
Redlands-based applicant Thatcher Engineering & Associates intends to bring a Palm Springs aesthetic to the 5th Street Gateway, with angular roofs, large windows, colors with natural hues and more landscaping than required to enhance pedestrian-friendly features. Plans also call for drought-tolerant plants and a palette of greens, pinks and reds. Date palm trees and string lights will mark the space’s main entry.
Construction will begin after off-site improvements are made. The work is scheduled in three phases, with the 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station first, followed by Starbucks and the adjacent drive-thru restaurants.
The 7-Eleven will be open around-the-clock and is expected to have about seven employees working at the site daily. Starbucks, too, plans to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Tenants for the two drive-thru restaurants are to be determined.
Once the corner is finished, Friedman said, the plan is to build mixed-use housing on the surrounding lots.
“Our goal,” Friedman added, “is to bring in tenants to prove it’s possible to develop and do well in San Bernardino. I think the rest will follow.”