City spotlight: Suisun City

City spotlight: Suisun City
East Bay Business Times



Mayor Pete Sanchez served as a Suisun City councilmember from 1994 to 2006, when he was elected mayor. He is a former banker and accountant, and is retired as supervising auditor-appraiser at the Solano County Assessor-Recorder's office.

What excites you the most about Suisun City's future? Suisun City is a terrific community that has worked really hard to set the stage for dramatic business growth. We have created a true regional destination that will explode as more people come to realize this is a great place to dine and enjoy the natural beauty of the Delta.

What troubles you the most about Suisun City's future? We are a small city with well-developed and varied neighborhoods but little room for outward expansion. We are focused on bringing in the right mix of shopping for our residents.

What is the biggest opportunity in Suisun City? The Waterfront District. We are building 40,000 square-feet of restaurant, retail and office space as an initial construction phase that will bring hundreds of thousands of square feet of mixed-use space online in the next several years. Construction also is underway on a 102-room waterfront hotel.

What is Suisun City's biggest asset? No other community in the region has our Waterfront District. Plus, we have 32 daily Capitol Corridor Amtrak train stops on Main Street, which links people from as far away as Rocklin and Roseville through Oakland/SF and on to San Jose.

What is its biggest liability? While no one likes to think about liabilities, ours is most likely our inability to expand. We are proud to be neighbors of Travis Air Force Base and the Suisun Marsh. But those terrific assets limit our ability to develop an economically diverse tax base to meet the long-term service demands of our community.

What is the most important development project going or to come soon? The Main Street West project is transforming the Waterfront District into a true 24/7 destination with an initial focus on being the region's top dining destination. The Wal-Mart Supercenter approved for the eastern end of town will provide large-scale shopping and help us capture sales tax currently leaving our city. With a per capita sales tax factor of just over $2,000 - compared with statewide trends of $10,000 per capita - such projects, if planned and located appropriately, are critical to our long-term fiscal health.

What is something people don't know about Suisun City? We're a great place to go kayaking. Launch right off the boat launch or guest dock and enjoy a full day exploring the Suisun Marsh by water. Our Wildlife Center is a special downtown gem - you get to see owls and eagles and other marsh wildlife up close and personal. Park for free in the Waterfront District and then decide whether or not you want Greek, French/California, Thai, Japanese, Mexican or good old hearty American fare.

Population: 27,980
Biggest private employer: Precision Industrial Constructors
No. of Precision employees: 101
No. 2 private employer: Raley's Supermarkets
No. of Raley's employees: 100
No. of business licenses: 663
No. of jobs in Suisun City: 3,760
Median household income: $74,150
Median home price, April '08: $290,000
On the Web: www.ci.suisun-city.ca.us or www.suisun.com



History: For thousands of years, the Suisunes, an American Indian tribe lived in the region. Suisun Bay took its name from the tribe, and the city took its name from the bay. By the time of the Gold Rush, the area�s water location fed growing agricultural and commercial enterprises, leading to incorporation in 1868. The arrival of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 bolstered the area as a commercial center. The opening of Interstate 80 away from the town in the 1960s sparked a decline in rail and water transit coming to Suisun City. The town had about 3,000 people by the 1970s, when a growth spurt began. More people generated a renaissance focused on the waterfront and historic downtown. Image: A promenade links the Civic Center with the rail station and other redevelopment efforts.