Building a City

How many of us grew up playing Monopoly, or built mini-cities with Lego's or other construction-related toys? In adulthood, I often wonder what it would be like to truly build a city, starting from scratch. I wonder what it would be like to be given a huge parcel of vacant land, consisting of hundreds of acres, and with unlimited resources at my discretion, begin building a modern city, block by block. Would I start with the beautiful residential neighborhoods filling the hills on the outer parts of the tract? Would I start with the strip malls along a pattern of streets not necessarily leading to anywhere in particular?

No, a city, if built from scratch, would begin in the center and build outward. The city's strength would lie in its core foundation found in the very center of the entire parcel of land acreage. While the beautiful residences built in the outlining hilly terrain would be a great asset to the overall city, the strength of the community would lie in the abilities of such residents to descend from their hilltop homes and all gather together in a core shopping district, a core cultural district, a core entertainment district. And even better would be those living in the lofts and adjacent neighborhoods of the core district; those individuals who breathe life into the early morning and late evening hours of the city simply by being there around the clock. Basic public services would be provided in the core because of its ease of access to all residents in the entire community.

The strip malls and outlying businesses also breathing life into the community would only serve to assist the traveler with needs that may arise going to and from the vibrant core. This includes the gas stations, the drug stores, and yes, even the grocery stores that give reason for a traveler to stop and purchase that gallon of milk on their way home. But the core, the core of the community remains the heart and soul of the community. It would be the reason for such city's success, and without adequate planning, the reason for such city's failure.

If this seems like such a no-brainer when thinking of how to build a city from scratch, why is it that so many communities continue turning their back on the central core? Why do so many communities today think that by merely investing in the outer shopping areas, the community will thrive on baseless, scattered foundations? Oh they may thrive for a short time, but the next time a new shopping area is built on another random tract of land, the city will be left with vacant boxes of no significant value to the community, in no significant geographical location to the community. Instead, communities need to get back to their roots. They need to appreciate the central core for the inherent value it provides. After all, it is the reason for the rest of the city thriving and the reason for the city's very presence today.

What's in Your Toolbox?

How many times have the words "What's in your wallet?" been pounded into your mind by the Capital One commercials as you watch television? Through the repetitive advertisements, Capital One works hard to make you, the consumer, feel as if it is an unsafe world out there if your wallet does not contain their credit card. It is, in the minds of Capital One, an essential component of all wallets carried by consumers today, with a promise to bring financial peace and security to those who carry it.

For those striving to achieve a resurgence in the development of their downtown, "What's in your toolbox?" is a question worthy of being pounded into the minds of economic developers, public leaders, and citizens within that community. Just as stock portfolio's are stronger when diversified, a financial incentive toolbox is stronger when diversified - not to mention simply available - to those interested in investing in downtown. With all of the challenges that truly do arise when investing in a historic building or opening up a small business in a struggling downtown, "What's in your toolbox?" becomes a credible question to those city leaders interested in seeing their downtown succeed.

What are some things that should be in your toolbox? Tax increment financing, downtown redevelopment loan programs, facade grant programs, Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) programs, and other investment programs are just a few of the tools that could help your community achieve a marketable incentive toolbox. While such tools may not deliver financial peace and security to all involved in downtown development, it will bring the promise of the community's commitment to public-private partnerships created to exhibit a true dedication and effort into the overall success of the property and businesses within the gates of its historic downtown commercial area.

So, what's in your toolbox?

"Yes We Can"

In light of this year's ever increasing presidential campaigning (and we're not even yet to the general election part of it yet!), I found it most appropriate to capitalize on one of the presidential candidate’s slogan: "Yes We Can" and relate that to downtown development practices today.

You see, the importance of this statement -this slogan, this concept - is simple. Without a positive attitude, a dying downtown in need of resurgence will not move forward. It will sit there, in all its imperfections and failings, and remain just that: An imperfect downtown that has failed. The community will continue to talk about how awful their downtown is in its current state, how unsafe, how unfriendly, and they will simply walk away. They will continue to watch buildings further deteriorate, streets and sidewalks continue to crumble, weeds blossom in their unsightly splendor, all the while joining together in their triumphant (peer pressure driven) union of being the community that is offended by the obscenity of "that" downtown. Oh they will triumph together that they live on "the upper side of town" and they will bond together over their high society, most noble living that is far, far away from "that" downtown.

But what happens when an out of town guest comes to visit. What happens when that friend from Franklin, Tennessee comes to visit? Or, what about the friend from San Antonio, Texas? Or the niece from Athens, Georgia or Asheville, North Carolina? The first thing they want to do is do something unique. They want you to show them your town, take them out to dinner at a restaurant you can't find in their town, and go shopping in a boutique you can't find anywhere else in the country! Those that step into your community may soon bring to light that neglecting your downtown may not have been such a "community bonding" experience after all.

So what's next? "Yes we can" is next. The best possible thing a community can do for its town is reshape the negative attitudes into a "Yes We Can" attitude. "Yes We Can" make downtown great again. "Yes We Can" rebuild the old fountain square. "Yes We Can" bridge the broken partnerships within the community. "Yes We Can" make downtown a destination rather than an avoidance. "Yes We Can" showcase the things that made our town what it is today. "Yes We Can" celebrate our past and show it off to the world. "Yes We Can" bring life back to our downtown. We can start with flowers. Green plants. Banners. A fresh coat of paint. A window washer. For Sale signs. For Rent signs. Events. And, a few bold leaders willing to stick their necks out and take bold decisions that show their belief in "Yes We Can". They can start with renovating a building to house City Hall. They can start with setting $500,000 aside to redevelop a small strip of land into a small park along the waterfront. They can find matching grants to leverage that small investment. They can build a sports facility downtown. They can build a performing arts center downtown. They can make downtown now the place where community bonding sentiments continue. Instead of a community bonding over the negatives of their downtown, the community will begin to bond over the positives of their downtown and yes, be given bragging rights to those who come to visit!

One bold step after another will lead to bold success. One bold step after another will lead to the kind of success that we read about in the papers, in magazines, in classroom textbooks. One bold step must begin with "Yes We Can". Because after all, where would this country be today if our forefathers had not carried with them "Yes We Can"?