Salinas inches toward heritage designation of its transit center, hoping to increase tourism.

The Salinas Intermodal Transit Center is a hub on Market Street, serving as both an Amtrak train and Monterey-Salinas Transit bus station.

Besides providing mobility, the site is also full of history, with the California Welcome Center focused on the agriculture industry’s evolution in Monterey County, and the First Mayor’s House. The Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum is next door.

Last year, Craig Kaufman (representing the Welcome Center) and Denise Estrada (from the First Mayor’s House) presented to the Salinas Historic Resources Board and proposed designating the transit center as a heritage park, hoping to attract tourism and boost economic activity in the area.

When the city’s Historic Resources Board convened on Monday, March 2, they discussed the possible designation.

If approved, it would put into motion a name change (one potential name is Salinas City Heritage Park), rebranding and signage.

“People driving by there really don’t know what’s down there, and this new name change will help get people to all of the historic resources and open house and welcome center, etc.,” Don Lauritsen, a board member at the First Mayor’s House, told the HRB on March 2.

The board voted 5-1, with Eloise Shim dissenting, to revisit a revised version of the resolution in the future. Concerns included limited community involvement, an incomplete Intermodal Transit Center master plan and vague resolution language.

“We’re not looking for perfection. We’re just looking to move forward so everything is addressed,” said Michael Mazgai, an HRB board member.