$10M State Street Borders deal is a bright spot in a dull market
ColumnsThe $10 million sale of 900 State St. in Santa Barbara makes for the largest retail real estate deal in the city in more than two years, but the outlook for the South Coast’s commercial real estate market remains shaky. The 38,000-square-foot retail space where Borders bookstore is housed was sold on April 5 to Read More →
Tri-county tech stocks make market moves
UncategorizedVentura County tech companies inked big sales, swung back to profits and traded at heavy volumes in early April. Oxnard-based CalAmp Corp., a communications gear firm, signed contracts for $15.2 million in new wireless networks sales, sending shares up. After paring itself down to basics and tightening its manufacturing to deal with heavy losses, Camarillo-based Read More →
Another LAX flight
UncategorizedUnited Airlines added a sixth flight from San Luis Obispo Regional Airport to Los Angeles. The flight will be in a 30-seat Embraer 120 turboprop similar to those currently used to service LAX and San Francisco, the airport said. It will be operated by United’s regional partner SkyWest Airlines and will depart at 2:23 p.m. Read More →
Novel plan may speed green building
ColumnsA new way of financing energy efficiency upgrades in buildings is gathering steam across Santa Barbara County and headed for a vote by supervisors on April 13. Called emPowerSBC, the program allows property owners to borrow money from a funding pool set up by the county, install upgrades such as solar and pay off the Read More →
Watching church moves
OpinionThe Archdiocese of Los Angeles has a much greater impact on the area economy than you might think. High schools, hospitals, missions, colleges and seminaries make it one of the largest employers in the Santa Barbara-Ventura county area. And it was not always apparent that the outlying counties were a priority for outgoing Los Angeles Read More →
Hwy 101 may have a smoother road ahead
OpinionJust when it looked like Highway 101 was headed for a legacy of potholes and traffic jams, things are showing signs of improvement. The region’s major trade corridor is more than just a lifeline for goods and services — in many ways it actually defines the tri-county economy. And to make major changes on Highway Read More →