For the last decade, San Diego has battled a problem that it shares with scores of other metropolitan area across the U.S. - how to revive a declining inner city while facing dwindling tax revenues.


Today, San Diego officials and business leaders believe they have not only halted the decline but begun a positive program that will pick up steam in the years ahead. The task has been a huge one and required the all-out effort of city, business and community leaders.

One of the key elements in developing the revival program was a research study by Stoorza, Ziegaus & Metzger, Inc., Marketing Communications, to determine the perceived obstacles and advantages by San Diego area residents to their use and enjoyment of downtown.

Prior to the research, a spear-carrying organization was formed under the guidance of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce. Called the Downtown Marketing Consortium (DMC), it is a volunteer organization comprised of more than 50 public and private entities. Being broad-based, it was able to achieve concerted and strong action to promote San Diego as a leading U.S. commercial and people center.

While the DMC believes the downtown is improving as a result of its initial work, the improvement is not fast enough to be carried along by its own momentum.

Heart of the improvement program was market research that had two components:

1. Three focus group sessions during which a total of 36 randomly selected San Diego County residents talked at length on their perceptions of downtown.

2. A random sample telephone survey of 530 adults living within a 20-mile radius of downtown.

There were five determinations for the study:

1. Establish the extent and nature of San Diego area residents' experience with downtown.

2. Determine residents' perceptions of, and attitudes toward downtown.

3. Identify the factors which are inhibiting downtown visits and patronage.

4. Learn what it will take to motivate significantly more residents to visit and patronize downtown, and

5. Determine the characteristics of those who will be most responsive to downtown marketing efforts.

Survey design

The first component of the research, a series of three focus groups, were set up to assist in the design of the survey questionnaire and the interpretation of the survey findings. The focus groups were conducted during September, 1986, and each group contained 10-12 participants who were recruited by telephone using a random-digit dialing procedure. They were screened on two courts:

  • They had to live within 20 miles of downtown, and
  • They must have shopped at a leading department store in the past year.

Recruiting was done by Taylor Research and the group sessions were held in that firm's focus group facilities in San Diego and La Mesa. All of the sessions were moderated by Jack Picou of Jack Picou & Associates, La Jolla, Cal.

The following outlines the topics of discussion in the focus groups and some of the findings from those discussions.

Shopping behavior: When it came to shopping, most people had three or four malls that they tended to patronize on a regular basis. The principal mall tended to be the most convenient, while the other malls were patronized because of particular stores or special needs.

The focus groups made it clear, however, that shopping trips to malls are fundamentally different from trips downtown. Those to malls are usually to make predetermined purchases, then to see what else may be going on. Trips to downtown, on the other hand, are more likely to be larks, or curiosity adventures. Most buying is on impulse.

Dining behavior: Downtown dining was almost a complete unknown to most of the participants. Respondents who knew people who work downtown were somewhat informed. But participants who work downtown reported that they rarely dine there at night because they "can't wait to get out of downtown after work."

Nevertheless, the respondents took a lively interest in the subject of restaurants. In fact, interest in trying downtown restaurants was considerably higher than interest in downtown shopping.

Perceptions of downtown: While the participants in the three focus groups appeared to offer a good cross-section of middle-class San Diegans, there were three different perceptions of and attitudes toward, downtown.

1. The first group was rather negative about downtown. It had little good to say.

2. The second group was enthusiastic. It seemed interested in all that downtown is, or can be.

3. The third group was apathetic. Its members rarely went downtown and there was relatively little interest in doing so.

In retrospect, it now appears that the first group was dominated by San Diegans who have lived there for a long time. Their images of downtown remain essentially negative. Members of the second group tended to be relative newcomers to San Diego who have no unsavory experiences with downtown and are excited by what they see emerging.

The third group was a collection of both types where there was little enthusiasm one way or another. At best, there was a curiosity about the "new" downtown, but no great desire to check it out.

Patronage inhibitors

The bulk of the focus group time was devoted to getting significant insight into what kinds of things might be inhibiting downtown patronage. In the course of the series, five matters became of greatest concern. Downtown visitors and prospects were:

Confounded by confusion: "Every time I go downtown I get lost. I spend too much time wandering around and I get angry." "You have to search to find a store then do it all over again to find your car." "It's terrible not knowing your way around and running into one-way streets."

Upset about poor parking arrangements: "Downtown isn't that far away. It takes less time to get there than it does to find a parking spot." "It isn't that there isn't enough parking, it's just that the arrangements are so bad."

Stymied by traffic congestion: "I can buy everything I want or need elsewhere without the inconveniences. Traffic downtown is terrible." "I don't have time to hassle all the traffic. So I shop nearby where I know I can get what I want."

Personal security: "Years ago it was very scary and I was intimidated. I got mugged twice. So I still don't associate downtown as being a safe place." "There's a great new restaurant that I want to go back to for dinner. The only problem is, I don't feel comfortable leaving my car there at night."

Bothered by street people: "There are bums all over the place. It's not a good place after dark."

Toward the close of each focus group, participants were given a complete listing of all of the elements that compose the downtown complex, listed by location. Almost all expressed anything from surprise to amazement at the number and variety of things there are to do, see and use.

Taking all of the issues discussed in the focus groups into consideration, the focus group participants were asked to evaluate some ways of motivating people to come downtown more often. The following suggestions received the most positive feedback:

  • Obtain a greater awareness of all that downtown is;
  • Provide an enhanced, highly visible, professional security force;
  • Get rid of the confinement of the term "downtown" with a concept such as "Metrofair" that could more readily embrace water and park products as well as center city attractions;
  • Solve parking and traffic problems by setting up peripheral parking lots and fan transportation to all Metrofair points;
  • Conduct major events that will pull a broad spectrum of people downtown and help them to discover all that there is to enjoy, and
  • Conduct events that will spotlight dining excellence.

Telephone interviews

While a preliminary understanding of attitudes towards downtown was developed through focus group interviews, there was a need to determine if the views held by the focus group discussants were mirrored in the population at large. This was accomplished through telephone interviews, conducted between Oct. 25-28, 1986, with over 520 residents 18 or over living within a 20-mile radius of downtown San Diego. Of the sample, 49% were women and 51% were men. Sixty-two percent had lived in San Diego over 10 years.

The primary purpose of this portion of the study was to determine how nearby residents defined downtown, what attitudes they had toward downtown as a place to shop, dine, work and attend cultural activities, identify what barriers there were to visiting downtown more often, and to determine what would bring people downtown more often.

A second purpose was to identify the demographic correlates of downtown users and non-users to use as a basis for identifying a marketing strategy to promote visits to downtown San Diego. All findings may be compared by distance from downtown and various demographic variables including age, sex, size of household, length of residence in San Diego, income, home ownership and other variables.

Questionnaire

Respondents were asked about the following things:

1. A screening question to determine if they ever shopped at a major department store;

2. How often they visited downtown San Diego;

3. An open-end question on their thoughts about downtown;

4. Overall impressions of downtown;

5. A series of questions on what landmarks were identified with downtown, and the frequency with which the respondent visited downtown.

6. A series of questions to tap attitudes toward downtown on a number of dimensions including security, congestion, quality of shopping and dining, levels of information available on downtown, pride in downtown and the general attractiveness of downtown, and

7. An open-end question on what steps could be taken to increase visits downtown.

Respondents were also asked demographic information including length of residence in San Diego, age, home ownership, distance from downtown, occupation, number of children in the household, and whether or not the respondent worked downtown. In addition, data were collected by the interviewers to code the sex of the respondent.

The following are the major findings from the telephone survey:

1. A majority of nearby residents do not go downtown more than a few times per year. Nonetheless, there are not strong, unfavorable perceptions about downtown.

2. Residents want to live downtown and want to feel proud of it.

3. Downtown is defined largely by Horton Plaza. Horton Plaza is a four-tiered open-air complex that encompasses about six blocks and borders upon Broadway, the downtown's main street. There is less agreement about Seaport Village and the Embarcadero being part of downtown. Seaport Village is within walking distance of Horton Plaza, on 14 acres along the Embarcadero. It encompasses a host of shops and restaurants. Most residents would not consider Balboa Park part of downtown, which is home of the city's zoo.

4. From 25-50% of the nearby residents report almost never going to the major downtown attractions. The figures for attending cultural events or dining are particularly low.

5. Despite the failure of residents to go downtown very much, the residents are attracted to downtown as a place to have fun and virtually all agree that downtown is improving. The primary concerns about going downtown revolve around perceptions of the difficulty of parking, traffic and security. The uniqueness of downtown restaurants and the downtown shopping environment is not yet seen by the nearby residents.

6. The people who like downtown tend to be younger, new arrivals without preconceptions of downtown based on downtown's former image.

Downtown is improving

Findings from the telephone survey show that residents like the concept of downtown and readily note that downtown is improving. They are potentially proud of downtown, and would go downtown more often if the fundamental problem of parking was somehow resolved. There are enough attractions downtown to hold the visitors' interests, and the attractions are diverse enough to warrant many visits downtown if there are no problems that drive them to suburban areas such as parking unpleasantness and street people.

There are also some indications that the people who go downtown are slightly different from those who do not go. This suggested that there are some targets to identify for bringing new people downtown.

Major findings

The following were the major findings of the focus group and telephone survey research.

1. There is a tremendous amount of support for and interest in downtown, for example:

  • 59% of the respondents said "improving" was the positive word they would use to describe downtown.
  • 87% agreed with the statement that downtown is becoming nicer lately.
  • 75% agreed with the statement that downtown has many attractions.
  • 66% agreed with the statement that they are proud to show off downtown to their out-of-town friends.
  • 36% agreed with the statement that they did not know enough about downtown.
  • 37% of the respondents said "confusing" was the negative word they would use to describe downtown, chosen by more than any other word.

2. There still exists a tremendous potential market for downtown patrons, for example:

  • 2% of the respondents visit downtown only once or twice a month and 44 % visit only a few times a year. Yet many of those individuals are, by their opinions, supportive of downtown.
  • 27% said their general impression of downtown is very favorable and another 46 % said their impression is somewhat favorable.
  • Many respondents still view a trip to downtown as an "adventure."

3. To many individuals, downtown is only Horton Plaza and not such popular nearby attractions as Seaport Village and the Embarcadero.

  • When asked what first comes to their mind when they hear the word "downtown," 31% of the respondents answered Horton Plaza.
  • Almost 20% of the respondents did not consider Seaport Village or the Embarcadero to be part of downtown.
  • Seaport Village and the Embarcadero though, were rated as potent attractions to bring people downtown.

4. There are three major factors inhibiting people from coming downtown. The first factor is parking:

  • 77% of the respondents agreed with the statement that they have trouble parking downtown.
  • 71 % said they would come downtown more if parking were easier.
  • Expensive parking was noted as a major inhibitor of downtown patronage.
  • When asked what it would take for them to want to visit downtown more often, 33% of the respondents said better parking. No other suggestion rated nearly as high.

The second factor is traffic congestion:

  • 63% of the respondents agreed with the statement that there is too much traffic downtown.
  • 44% agreed with the statement that they would like downtown if it was less crowded.
  • When asked what it would take for them to visit downtown more often, 11% of the respondents said less traffic.

The third factor is the feeling of security (or lack of it) in downtown.

  • 45% agreed with the statement that they would go downtown more often if they felt more secure.
  • only 43% agreed with the statement that there is no more crime in downtown than in the rest of the city.
  • Danger at night rated highest among patronage inhibitors in the focus groups; higher even than parking and traffic.

5. There also exists other negative perceptions which affect selected groups.

  • 3.4% of the respondents agreed with the statement that downtown shopping is more expensive than shopping elsewhere.
  • Only 44% agreed with the statement that downtown stores are different from those in the malls.
  • 53% of the respondents agreed with the statement that street people make them uncomfortable.

6. Downtown has positive marketing factors in certain areas which are powerful with select groups of potential visitors.

  • 50% of the respondents agreed with the statement that downtown restaurants are worth traveling for.
  • 75% agreed with the statement that downtown is a place to shop and have fun, not just to work.

Recommendations

Both short- and long-term recommendations to the concerns addressed by the research respondents were suggested as part of the project. They covered a broad spectrum of opportunities by which the DMC could work to correct structural problems, address misconceptions and take advantage of opportunities.

Downtown identity

The first objective was to try and create an identity for downtown, says Tim Williams, assistant director of the DMC. This was accomplished with the establishment of a logo which appears on signs, shopping bags, and other items by downtown businesses. The logo helps to establish a sense of unity.

Road signs for 13 entry ways into downtown San Diego were created and installed. The signs say, "Welcome to Downtown" to let visitors know where they are and to link the city visually.

Another visual aid which is currently being tested is a banner program. The banners help promote events, special seasons and other festivals and serve as a way to welcome visitors downtown. The first banner was created for the 1988 Super Bowl XXII game which was held in San Diego.

For the past 11/2 years, the DMC has also been putting out a monthly brochure called the "San Diego Downtown Guide to Events" which has received overwhelming response. Available in downtown motels, hotels, restaurants and other public establishments, the six-fold, two-color special events booklet lists over 80 monthly events, performances and activities representing over 35 organizations. Williams says 30,000 copies are distributed each month.

In conjunction with the brochure, a 24-hour informational telephone hotline, called "Event Line," tells residents and visitors what events are taking place that week in downtown San Diego.

To help shoppers get from one place to another during the busy holiday season, the DMC has also started a free shuttle bus service to link various downtown areas. This has encouraged more people to come downtown to shop during this time because it alleviates the problem of fighting traffic and trying to find a parking spot. To deal with this problem on a year-round basis, the DMC has begun working on a parking access guide which gives hints on routes to take to get to particular destinations and where to park.

While the problem of lack of security cannot be changed overnight or even in a few months, Williams said it is being addressed collectively through downtown organizations. The use of walking policemen and mounted patrol has also been enforced.

The DMC has been thrilled with the reactions it has received with the changes that have been implemented and knows that its efforts have been paying off. Williams says the changes have brought in $4 billion in assets to area businesses and social/cultural events.

“The results show that our efforts are working.”