"If we build it, will they come?" Blackman asked, referring to the revitalization of the downtown shopping district, including reestablishment of a traditional street grid and the construction of an outdoor shopping mall to rival San Jose's Santana Row.

"The business community would like to believe they will, and I think the most optimistic of us do," Blackman said.

Her optimism continued into her praise of the new chairman of the Chamber board, John D. Sweat Jr.Blackman said Sweat's 25 years of experience with Lockheed Martin Space Systems will bring vital experience to the board, by applying the experiences of a large corporation—with all the changes it has been through—to the Sunnyvale business community as it faces similar times of change.

But even with redevelopment being pointed to as a cure-all for downtown problems by many in the community, a revitalized shopping area may have a wider variety of impacts around Murphy Street than some realize. With a new chairman on the Chamber's board and the organization's continued dedication to business growth, the negative effects of growth may be offset by the positive.

The redevelopment of the downtown area—as proposed by the Forum Development Group—would bring a movie theater, large retail shops and new sense of energy to the stagnant area surrounding the empty Town Center Mall. Blackman hopes it will return the Murphy Street area to its former glory.

"When I first came here 10 years ago, Murphy was just beginning to pop," Blackman said.

But there are also unintended consequences with growth. With an influx of money and attention, Blackman said, demand for space would cause rent prices to rise, which could drive a number of smaller, local businesses out in favor of larger corporate chains with bigger accounts.

"When things get better, guess what happens to our rents?" Blackman said, gesturing towards the ceiling with her thumb. "I'd love to see all the businesses that we have down there stay there, but the natural process of it says that some of them won't."

Sweat's experience in Sunnyvale—particularly in dealing with the interactions between businesses of various sizes—may offer insight into the coming issues.

The idea of networking may play heavily into the business community as it grows, because by encouraging the interaction between small local businesses and national corporations, Blackman said, the Chamber can encourage growth on all levels.

"Being such a large business, we often have opportunities for smaller businesses to support us," Sweat said about Lockheed. He added that he has used local companies to help make signs for projects and for other support services.

Sweat said that in sharing information and—more importantly—business with smaller companies, large companies can help their communities grow along with them, something he has experienced in Sunnyvale.

"We benefit and have benefited from many years of being residents in the city of Sunnyvale, and we've kind of grown up together," Sweat said.