With the erection of the new State Theater sign - and plans set for a big street party to light it this coming Friday - the Auburn area now has its beacon for positive change.
Just how far and how expeditiously that change takes place is now in the hands of government leaders, businesses and the public at large.
The new retro sign - replicating the original 1930s landmark - is a significant step in the drive by the Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center group to restore the 78-year-old movie house and eventually turn it into a medium-sized theater.
Friday evening's event will close Lincoln Way in front of the theater and take place from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. A costume contest will allow entrants a chance to dress as their favorite movie and theatrical character from the 1930s. Event-goers will also be able to learn about the future renovations of the State Theater, and how they can help. The sign will be illuminated after 9 p.m.
Friday's event also marks the start of a new fundraising drive for an effort that's expected to cost several millions of dollars. It's a worthy goal and deserves the community's support financially and emotionally.
With the theater anchoring a rebirth of Downtown and Old Town Auburn in the face of increasing competition from the growing commercial sector in North Auburn and new commercial attractions in South Placer County, the city needs to stay the course on streetscape plans while thinking big with the idea of an eye-catching endurance statue to tie the area together.
Parking continues to be an issue and the city's $60,000 parking study could be money well-spent if the recommendations make sense and are doable under current budget constraints. For the sake of the future of the Auburn area as a viable business entity, they must be.
Finally, the city and county's economic development officials and committees must work together to attract the right mix of commercial endeavors to grow the local economy while retaining what it already has. Luring businesses such as restaurants, art galleries and boutiques to draw locals and visitors to a relaxed, convivial setting means thinking about better sidewalks to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. It also means creating more shaded areas to make the hotter summer months bearable for walkers. And it could mean allowing similar signs to the State Theater's to create Auburn's own mini-Glitter Gulch, albeit on a less flashy scale than Las Vegas.
Downtown and Old Town Auburn have their strong points but with a little extra nurturing and an eye on doing the work expeditiously, the momentum built by the State Theater effort can keep things moving forward.