TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Peering through glass windows on the corner of 19th and Eye streets, it is clear the vision for the soon-to-be-opened Capistrano's restaurant and bar is a major departure from the building's past as a sometimes-rough sports bar.

Dark red and tan paint is a backdrop to artwork from nearby Metro Galleries. A long bar covered with black granite, new tile and carpet help to create a sophisticated vibe.

"I will not have a neon beer sign in the dining area. We are trying to do it more upscale," said Pete Padilla, the owner of Capistrano's.

"This is not a sports bar."

The new venue is set to open in the next two months, pending permit approval.

Capistrano's is at the epicenter of a downtown redevelopment trend that supporters hope will help breathe life into the city's core.

Two blocks to the west, the newly renovated Nile Theater has recently reopened as a bar and nightclub.

A block to the east, the owners of the building that housed Xander's Grill, which recently closed, have begun advertising the space for rent for another tenant with a similar restaurant and bar format.

Housing could also be added to the Padre Hotel on H Street and the Hay Building on 19th and Eye, creating a more vibrant neighborhood.

"There's a whole new energy downtown," said Cathy Butler, the president of the Downtown Business & Property Owners Association. "It's a very exciting time."

'A bit of a stigma'

But for any downtown revitalization to succeed, business owners must first change the perception of the area as a dangerous place.

"We still have a bit of a stigma," said Don Martin, the owner of Metro Galleries, an art gallery half a block from Capistrano's. "We have to convince people it is safe to come downtown again."

The last tenant of the Capistrano's building, Downtown Joe's, closed in April 2005 shortly after a man died outside the establishment following a bar fight. Another man was shot to death outside the same location in 2002.

"There were some problems in the past," Padilla said. "We are trying to completely change it around."

Padilla, 28, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Preferred, said he has spent $450,000 he earned in real estate during a year-long remodeling project.

He said new flooring has been installed, the bathrooms have been renovated, part of the ceiling was redone and the inside and outside have been painted.

"I have completely remodeled the entire place from the ground up. There was like three layers of flooring in here," Padilla said, pointing to a special brand of waterproof carpet for high-traffic areas in the restaurant. "I've gone to the dump millions of times."

The restaurant will occupy about half of the approximately 6,000-square-foot space. A lounge complete with a dance floor wraps around the back and is separated by a curtain.

An antique piano will be added to the front of the restaurant, which will serve French/American food.

"You're not going to see thugs come in here when there's a piano playing. I can't see it," said Padilla, who added the establishment will also have a dress code.

Padilla said he has applied for a liquor license and hopes to serve alcohol at the establishment until 2 a.m. Butler said some downtown businesses and the Bakersfield Police Department would favor Capistrano's closing at midnight in light of past problems with bar violence at the location.

Detective Greg Terry said the BPD opposes adding another liquor license to the downtown area, which he said is already oversaturated with establishments that serve alcohol. He said adding another would require the department to increase its downtown presence.

Nile Theater

The Nile opened about three weeks ago, and grand opening is planned for next month.

Owner Klarke Garl said business during the soft opening has been good at the theater, which has a capacity of about 500.

"Everything has been very positive," Garl said of the response to his renovation of the 100-year-old art deco building on 19th Street between G and H streets.

The front bar and lobby area of the 10,000-square-foot building opens daily at 3 p.m. The inside of the building is open from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday as a nightclub.

Garl said the establishment's staff has already turned away many patrons for failure to comply with its strict dress code, enforced in the club area Thursday through Saturday. The dress code prohibits shorts, tennis shoes, T-shirts, caps and pants with holes in them.

"Without a strict dress code, you're just going to be another bar," Garl said.

Xander's closes

Xander's Grill closed a few weeks ago, said Roger Stevens of Stevens & Associates, the architectural firm that owns the building.

A sign posted in the window on 19th Street near Chester Avenue by a former manager says the restaurant and bar will be closed this month and reopen in September.

But Stevens said he has been unable to get ahold of Xander's owner Jeremy Fike, who went to Alaska, leaving his employees in charge of the business.

Stevens wouldn't go into specifics, but said the Xander's ownership has not met all the obligations in its lease and his firm has begun the process of nullifying the contract, which could take up to six weeks.

He said he is looking to fill the space with "a real nice upscale restaurant with a bar," not a nightclub.

Metro Galleries

Metro Galleries opened in late March on Eye Street between 19th and 20th streets in a space previously occupied by the Wine Seller.

"I felt Bakersfield was really ready for a contemporary gallery again," said owner Don Martin.

Martin said he is doing better financially than he expected he would in his first five months.

"Let's put it this way -- it's paying the bills," the 38-year-old Martin said of the gallery.

Renting the space out for events and parties has been supporting the gallery so far. In addition to profits from selling artwork on consignment, Martin brings in revenue from representing artists and renting the building's upstairs to artist Charles Meyer. Martin also does design work on the side.

Martin said he plans to add a wine bar to the gallery.

Hay Building

Two children's businesses are planned for the Hay Building.

Dance Stop, a children's dance studio, and Bambini Carini, an upscale children's furnishings store, are expected to open in the next month.

"Downtown looks like it is making a turn for the better," said Eydie Gibson, a real estate agent with Watson Realty who owns the Hay Building with her husband, Gary. "We are very close. We have some great shops near 19th and Eye."

Custom design and accessories shop Haute Decor and upscale children's clothing and accessories shop PaulyWoggs recently opened on 20th Street near the Fox Theater. Full-service beauty salon Danica & Co., which has been renamed and changed ownership after opening in November as Princess and the Pea, will also be located next door in what is being called the Fox Plaza.

Another new downtown tenant is 1/2 Hour Fitness and Spa, which opened its second Bakersfield location in May on 18th Street near Chester Avenue. Curves, a women's fitness center, is also planning to open its second Bakersfield location in September on Eye Street between 18th and 19th streets.

Butler envisions the heart of downtown, roughly from Chester Avenue to F Street and from 18th Street to 21st Street, becoming an arts district adorned with outdoor seating like at Dagny's Coffee Company. There are plans for outdoor seating at Capistrano's, Metro Galleries and restaurant Mama Roomba on Eye Street and Wall Street.

"We're hoping to have entertainment outside and arts and really create a bustling area," Butler said. "We're not quite there yet."