Oxnard 200,004 and growing (Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, Camarillo: city hall, new home, unemployment rate)

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I read that Oxnard surpassed the 200,000 mark +4. Very cool. Oxnard is #21 in largest cities in California. In many states it would be in the top 2 or 3.

[jc76]

I hope to add (1) to that number this year

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by jc76

I hope to add (1) to that number this year

Hehe!

[LadyKLO]

Originally Posted by jc76

I hope to add (1) to that number this year

Congrats! I hope to add one more to that number by 2012!! Wish me luck!! LOL!!!

[Jenyphero]

And the unemployment rate is 14.2% and growing.

[DowntownVentura]

Originally Posted by LadyKLO

Congrats! I hope to add one more to that number by 2012!! Wish me luck!! LOL!!!

Since you are already in Oxnard, does that mean a little KLO?

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Jenyphero

And the unemployment rate is 14.2% and growing.

Which means the *employed* rate is 85.8%! Relative to nearby L.A., Oxnard and Ventura have always had difficult economies. I moved to the area in the mid-80s, not the best of economic times then either, but with a determination to make it, I did. Would not trade Oxn/Ven for L.A. on even the best of circumstances.

[the city]

Is it true that Oxnard has gotten nicer over the years? I heard they put new homes and an open-air mall with Whole Foods near where the old mall used to be. Whole Foods requires there to be a good amount of college educated workers nearby. What has Oxnard done to change?

I know downtown Oxnard is still pretty ghetto and that there is no class over there. I know there is Heritage Square and the movie theater in downtown which has made it nicer, but other than that where is the other classiness in Oxnard? I can't believe Whole Foods didn't go in Ventura.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by the city

Is it true that Oxnard has gotten nicer over the years? I heard they put new homes and an open-air mall with Whole Foods near where the old mall used to be. Whole Foods requires there to be a good amount of college educated workers nearby. What has Oxnard done to change?

I know downtown Oxnard is still pretty ghetto and that there is no class over there. I know there is Heritage Square and the movie theater in downtown which has made it nicer, but other than that where is the other classiness in Oxnard? I can't believe Whole Foods didn't go in Ventura.

Oxnard has always been an ok city in my book. I never quite understood all of the negativism, and to me seemed overblown from my first visit to Oxnard, probably in '79 or '80. My first introductions to Oxnard were McGrath State Beach, Oxnard Shores, the grand ag fields and the downtown area, which I always thought of as quaint. It's tons better now that the city has decided to put some energy into it. I love going downtown, which is more than Heritage Square and the new movie theater. Also downtown is the always-busy library, city hall, several nice restaurants, workshops, political and arts organizations/presentations, Plaza Park, farmers market, Carnegie Art Museum, and the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District -- the only historic district in Ventura County -- where Mayor Dr. Holden lives. The only inter-modal transportation hub in Ventura County is in downtown Oxnard. The downtown isn't "ghetto" at all. Not sure how anyone visiting there now could make that judgement. It's clean and a nice place to be just about any time.

Why would Whole Foods choose Ventura over Oxnard? Are all 200,000 of Oxnard's residents too "unsophisticated" for Whole Foods or something? That's the argument I've heard about why Trader Joe's is in Camarillo and Ventura, but not Oxnard. Rubbish! Trader Joe's doesn't have a store in Oxnard because there aren't any locations with easy-on, easy-off access ramps to the 101 that TJ's would avail itself of. TJ's stores are all near freeway exit/entry ramps because they rely heavily on "just in time" truck deliveries to compensate for their stores' small stock rooms. Think: 101 @ White Oak (Encino), Westlake Blvd. (Thousand Oaks), Carmen Drive (Camarillo), Victoria Ave. (Ventura), Milpas St. (Santa Barbara) and Fairview (Goleta). All are immediately off the 101. The only place in Oxnard that would suit TJ's is already booked with several grocery stores, and is among the most expensive retail rents in the area -- the 101 between Rice and Oxnard Blvd. As it is, TJ's on Victoria in Ventura is more convenient to Oxnard than to many neighborhoods in Ventura. An interesting behind-the-scenes article about TJ's business strategy appeared in CNN Money: Inside the secret world of Trader Joe's - Aug. 23, 2010.

But I digress. Longish post here, perhaps more than needed, but the bottom line reply to your post is that Oxnard is a very nice place to be. The city has a lot of focus on working out its snags and tackling head-on the issues facing it.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Also Trader Joes is building a second Ventura location at the Pacific View mall, right off the 101.

Maybe they are building a Whole Foods and maybe they aren't. I haven't seen too much happening at that shopping center that was supposed to open over at River Park. They have a sign that says Whole Foods will open in 2011. Has anyone seen any construction going on over there at all? I drive past in the morning and the evening and never see anyone working there. I would prefer a Trader Joes over them anyway. Cheaper prices and a better all around store.