The future of The Catalyst nightclub, an institution at the heart of Santa Cruz’s downtown music culture, remains uncertain following the sale of the building to Mountain View-based developer GSH Ventures. The developer’s vision for a seven-story building with 64 condominiums where the venue now stands was submitted to the city in a pre-application in early November.
County Supervisor Justin Cummings expressed concern about the broader impacts of the proposed redevelopment.
“I hope the developer understands the impact it will have on our community. Many don’t care these days. I think it’s going to have a significant negative impact on our community, economy and culture,” Cummings said.
Founded by Randall Kane in the 1970s, the iconic music venue settled at its current location at 1011 Pacific Ave. in 1976, where it remained under his leadership until his passing in 2003. The mid-sized venue can hold 800 people at capacity, with an additional 350 in the Atrium, where up-and-coming acts can make their mark and grow their fan base.
Local musicians say the venue plays a critical role in Santa Cruz’s music ecosystem.
“Having the Catalyst in town is important for up-and-coming bands,” says local musician Kaitlyn McKee — aka Liberty — of the band Repetitive Behavior, who is also part of the Save The Catalyst Coalition. “It’s a place to cut their teeth in a mid-sized venue and gain exposure to a larger crowd.”
The proposed redevelopment would replace the Catalyst’s existing building, and construction would entail the demolition of the club, as well as the Starving Musician music store and Old School Shoes at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Cathcart Street. While the plan includes a rebuilt music venue on the ground floor, no formal agreement with the Catalyst has been made. The club’s general manager of the past 12 years, Igor Gavric, says the lease runs through 2028 and the club intends to continue operating as long as possible.
Supervisor Cummings emphasized the club’s importance to the downtown economy.
“Currently, in downtown, if we think of what draws people there, The Catalyst is one of the main reasons. It’s a huge driver of our local downtown economy,” he says.
According to Liberty, the venue also draws visitors from well beyond city limits.
“I love the Circle Jerks who played here recently,” she says. “They didn’t book a show up in San Francisco, so it was a really big turnout of a very large stretch of the coast.”
Downtown expansion is already visible, with a new 12-story building rising along the riverfront and towering over streets that until recently were limited to four or five stories by zoning laws. The once-quaint downtown is getting a facelift that few locals can afford.
Supervisor Cummings says housing development must be balanced against cultural and economic impacts.
“I think we have to balance affordable housing production with our local economy and with our culture in the community. Much of what is being built now, especially in Santa Cruz, is unaffordable for people who live here,” he says.
“State housing models are a one-size-fits-all model that don’t take the needs of small communities like Santa Cruz into account,” said Cummings.
The long-term cultural consequences remain his greatest concern, Cummings said.
“Looking ahead, my hope is that we can maintain the diversity of entertainment spaces where people can come downtown and experience the art and culture of Santa Cruz. Right now, it seems that is not being taken into consideration,” he added.
Although the redevelopment has been presented as including affordable housing, the proposal does not specify unit sizes or how many would be offered below market rate. The idea of a concert venue operating beneath residential units has also raised concerns, prompting residents to organize in opposition.
An online petition opposing the project calls on city officials to preserve the existing Catalyst building by designating it as a historical preservation cultural landmark. While the designation could limit a developer’s ability to alter or demolish the building, it would not affect the city’s authority to block the project, city spokesperson Erika Smart wrote in a Jan. 23 email, according to Santa Cruz Local.
Residents will have their first opportunity to address developers at a virtual community meeting Thursday, Jan. 29.
Developers and city planners are expected to present the proposal and take public questions and comments.
Members of the Save The Catalyst Coalition argue the redevelopment reflects a broader cultural shift.
Santa Cruz native Zac Foster, who characterizes the plan as “urban cannibalism,” said “When we sanitize our downtowns to be quiet, orderly, and expensive, we don’t just lose the noise; we lose the civilized exchange that fuels a healthy democracy. A city without a vibrant nightlife is a city that has stopped dreaming.”
VIRTUAL community meeting on ZOOM: 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, on Zoom, meeting ID 811 8854 9478, or call 669-444-9171. Info:santacruzca.gov.
I moved to Santa Cruz County in Nov 1984. Staying with a friend in Scotts Valley, I was asked what would you like to do? My first response was, Take me to The Catalyst.
I remember when, after the 1989 earthquake, downtown was rebuilt with residential units above commercial spaces. One night at Palookaville, the band playing had to shut down early due to residents living in units across the street complaining about the loudness of the music. Regarding the situation with The Catalyst, someone needs to think again about putting living units above a music venue.
Really nice article! Such a shame for the music culture in Santa Cruz if the Catalyst goes. I think so many of us could say they have easily lived and shared some of our best memories at the Catalyst, while experiencing to some of the best musical talent this world has to offer.