... Yet Hercules possessed assets. It is a lovely place to live, with a
mild microclimate, a Bay waterfront, spectacular views across the San Pablo Bay to the
north, and rolling wild hills to the east. A large area, some 426 acres in the center of
town, was vacant and could be made ready for development. Highway access and visibility is
excellent. Passenger rail service was a tantalizing possibility. Most notably, local
government enjoyed the constructive participation of an active core of citizen leaders, a
legacy of the smaller, company-town days.
In 1998, Hercules' very survival was challenged by its need to grow a
missing commercial core. But the conventional suburban response, to attract strip centers
and big-box stores, would still not yield enough economic activity to rescue the City.
Citizens also sensed that conventional suburban development also threatened their prized
quality of life.
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|
Challenges
and Opportunities
Need for a Detailed, Actionable, Realistic Vision
Hercules leadership struggled
to align economic and development strategy
with market realities. |
