City Eyes Condemnation for East Visalia Street
The City of Visalia Council is expected to approve a plan to condemn a portion of Gas Co land to extend School St to Burke this week. The location is in the area the city want to build the new Civic Center. The city wants to start construction of the new Emergency Communication Center this fall nearby. Negotiations to buy the land have stalled says a report.
Dialysis Center Coming To Ben Maddox
Construction of a new 11,200 sf dialysis center and medical office is coming to 1140 S Ben Maddox.The site would be next to Kaweah Delta’s Prompt Care Clinic near Tulare Ave. The dialysis center is expected to be a second location for DiVita in town.
Hookah Lounge Planned
Visalia may get a Hookah Lounge at Visalia Marketplace shopping center anchored by KMART. The applicant on the project, Ahmad Jamal proposed his plan at the city site-plan review process this week.Most lounges offer Turkish coffee and hookah pipes burning herbal shisha containing no tobacco, or nicotine. The lounges are popular gathering spots in urban areas with one describing the experience as follows: “The important thing is not what you put in the pipe, but who is with you while you’re smoking…it’s a complete experience…in a cafe like this one, you find the good people, the old people, the interesting people.”Typically a disposable mouthpiece is provided for each user for hygiene reasons.
More Visitors
Visalia had a 9 percent increase in TOT (bed tax) in 2012 says the annual report of the Visalia Convention and Visitor Bureau.
Energy Savings
California Energy Commission is expected to approve a $500,000 loan to the City of Visalia to retrofit lighting controls and for HVAC projects. Based on the loan amount, the simple payback is approximately 6.3 years. The City expects to receive approximately $29,000 in utility rebates /incentives from San Diego Gas and Electric and Southern California Gas. The project will save approximately $78,837 annually.