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Cupertino hires expert to bolster retail

By Cody Kraatz

The city of Cupertino has brought in a retail expert to cash in on its potential to bolster services to residents at such commercial centers as Cupertino Square and rake in sales tax revenue with new stores.

Steve Piasecki, director of community development, boasts that bringing in Kelly Kline as the city's redevelopment/economic development manager was a steal.

"Essentially she's a retail expert and that is the one area of the commercial business establishment that we would really like to see enhanced," said Piasecki.

Kline worked for the last eight years for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency as a downtown and retail manager. She will earn $118,500 per year and report directly to Piasecki.

"She's a great catch and we're very happy to have her on board. She was the top candidate out of all candidates that applied,'' said Piasecki.

Besides her experience, Kline brings to the job a wealth of contacts and relationships in the commercial real estate brokerage community. She knows what retailers need in terms of income, location and marketability to make their business successful, and said her success depends on those relationships.

Even with her contacts and expertise, attracting retail can be challenging.

"Retail as an industry has been getting smaller and smaller...you're seeing lot of consolidations and there are fewer players out there,'' said Kline, 38.

A major focus of Kline's job will be supporting the redevelopment of Cupertino Square, formerly known as Vallco Fashion Park, which the city hopes is on its way to becoming a revitalized regional retail center. She will also act as a liaison to the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and the business community, and will manage the city's Redevelopment Agency.

Kline has already made contacts with the Chamber and with Cupertino Square management, and is surveying local retailers such as Target, Sears and Marina Foods for their input on a stray shopping cart problem the city wants to solve.

Bringing in new businesses is not only about generating sales tax revenue for the city budget, but also about the already high quality of life in the city, said Kline. Retail is essential in allowing people to live and shop in the same area, something she said people want more of in this desirable region.

"Economic development is all about recruitment and about retention. You want keep the businesses you have and bring in new businesses to make sure there is a full complement of what you need from a residential standpoint, from an employee's standpoint and from a visitor's standpoint," said Kline. She has studied political science and journalism, and just finished a master's in public administration at San Jose State University, a degree she calls "the MBA for bureaucrats."

Kline, 38, lives in Japantown, just north of downtown San Jose, with her husband and 3-year-old daughter. She said she likes the convenience of living there.

"I like being in close proximity to a lot of different uses. I like the fact that I can walk to restaurants and I can also walk to downtown and see a show or do other things. I like the density."

Much of Cupertino may not share that affection for density, considering the resistance it has displayed and continues to display to large housing projects.

"My initial read is that this is a community with a really great quality of life. It's not at a major crossroads for big change. Continuing to enhance what is already being offered is the key thing," said Kline.

The city generally expresses its economic redevelopment goals as redevelopment projects come forward. Kline cites the Panera Bread and Peet's Coffee & Tea stores on Stevens Creek Boulevard near Saich Way as an example of what the city is looking for: more retail activity near the street with trees and seating along an attractive sidewalk.

Target is expected to present a proposal to build retail space in place of a Union 76 gas station at that same corner.

To learn more about the Cupertino Redevelopment Agency or the city's economic development goals, visit www.cupertino.org, where the city's Heart of the City Specific Plan can be downloaded.