About Downtown

[Writer]

They are having a meeting tomorrow at 3 to disclose a proposal for downtown. Since it is during working hours, I sent an e-mail to Center City, containing similar wording to the blog I wrote about it. desperatewriter.wordpress.com/2007/04/03/downtownla-dee-da-da-da-da/

[tinkerbell]

Very nice Writer!

[Writer]

Thanks, Tink!

[texin67]

I hope they really do start working hard at revitalizing downtown Amarillo. I fell like if they really make it a focal point it can only help to further the business growth.

[westtexan]

The thing that bothers me about it...is that a lot of it appears to be an effort by some existing downtown business people to further increase their money.

Those who are pushing it...appear to be some who own empty downtown space...that would be occupied...and generate them more income.

Maybe that is what it will take for downtown...but some of the downtown space is old...and you'r best locating out west in better quarters.

[amatx]

I'm certainly no economic genius, but It's obvious to me that Downtown Amarillo (or Center City, if that trips your trigger) will eventually fail for the same reasons that downtown dried up in the first place.

Polk, and the one-ways that comprise the zone are high-traffic areas not catering to high-traffic commerce.
Gas stations, convience stores, and popular shops with ample parking would retain people other than those going to the bank, post office, library, or courthouse. Otherwise, trying to convert downtown Amarillo into an uptown hotspot will eventually fail.

Variety of business in an area draws commerce and commercial success. Yet I suspect that the Center City plotters would freak out at the idea of a Quickie-Mart, Taco Villa, and Jiffy-Lube opening anywhere near rhe Globe-News Snob Center.

[Writer]

Yeah, I see what you mean. I've often thought that they needed some mainstream commerce downtown to breathe life back into it. That's a point I forgot to mention in my blog, and my letter.

I saw a report about it on the news last night, and they were emphatic about this only being a draft, just something they were looking at, they couldn't make any promises. Then Richard Ware came on screen, and he's one of the head honchos, if not THE head honcho, and he said he welcomed any and all who could come, and welcomed constructive comments, even if they were "big ol' boos and hisses." (I would love to be there to see that, should it happen!) He also said that just because there was a meeting it didn't mean anyone was heading out right away with hammer and nails, that change happens gradually.

Well, I say it has been p-r-e-t-t-y g-r-a-d-u-a-l so far, wouldn't you?

[catsmeow]

Did you see in the paper online tonight what some of the specific plans/ideas are? A baseball stadium? Hmm. Not sure what I think about that.

I just hope that whatever they do, it helps the economy and boosts the appearance of downtown.

I agree with amatx that there need to be at least some of those "convenience-type" stores around. There's nothing wrong with a fastfood place here and there, or a TnT or similar establishment. They exist all over Manhattan, along with everything else. That, as unrealistic as it sounds, would be my "wish" for downtown Amarillo -- a mini-Manhattan.

[sccindy]

If they were to fix up downtown...
and some businesses, other than locally owned places,
did move in there and put in places to eat and shop, would Amarillo residents support them?

[Writer]

I know I would certainly give it a go!

[catsmeow]

I would, too.

[princessbaybay]

I would support downtown businesses..... but there are a LOT of issues to making a rebuilt downtown a success.... while I do feel for the homeless.... they would HAVE to be relocated....and how do you relocate homeless shelters? Or would the project stop before it reached that part of downtown?

amatex while I do agree with you somewhat about the one way streets... I have been to downtown Houston regularly.... OMG! The one way streets are nothing NOTHING since they installed that freaking train! So I think the one way streets would be ok here...as long as Amarillo didn't get a wild hair and blow tax money on billion dollar project like a downtown train system that is an accident waiting to happen...they really wasted downtown Houston with that deal... it wouldn't surprise me if businesses that were cut off by the tracks didn't start pulling out.

[catsmeow]

BayBay, that's a good point about the homeless. I'm sure that homelessness is a nationwide issue, so I'm wondering what places that have really vital downtown areas have done to deal with the homeless issue? I wonder if this is part of the downtown redevelopment's plans to address ...

[petiepanzer]

Ahh, yes, downtown. Let me say first that nobody would like to see a vibrant downtown more than yours truly. It definitely adds a new dimension to the city. Unfortunately, I think the whole downtown revitalization is doomed to never achieve anything more than a moderate level of success for a number reasons, which I will outline below.

First, it seems that they are using LoDo in Denver and Brick town in OKC as models for revitalization in downtown Amarillo. These areas thrive by appealing to the hipster crowd. These are people in their mid-20's to mid-30's, unmarried, no children and with professional high salary jobs. These restaurants, bars, and night clubs thrive by overcharging their customers for the privilege of sitting in their ultra-cool downtown location and sipping a Martini with a carved piece of fruit or nice presentation on a meal. I'm sorry, but that is just not going to work in a town like Amarillo. First, there are just not enough single people with professional jobs in Amarillo to make something like that work on a large scale. Most of the people that stay in Amarillo usually get married before they turn 25. They also tend to have cihldren at an early age, further drying up disposable income. Most of the brightest kids in high school leave home for college and never come back. And let's face it, Amarillo doesn't have a whole lot of opportunities for six figure incomes unless a person has a license to practice law or medicine, or they have family money. Now, figure in a mortgage, 2 car payments, and living expenses for 2.5 kids. Say a family earns $60 K a year before taxes, which is more than the average household makes in Amarillo, according to statistics. That's about 5K a month. Take out taxes and that figure drops to probably 3.8K. Now, mortgage payment including taxes and insurance is going to take that figure figure down to about 2.6k. Take out money for 2 car payments and that figure drops even further, like down to about 1.8 or 1.9 K. for the entire month. That works out to less than $64 a day for a family of 4.5 people. This has to include living expenses such as utilities, food, gas, and school expenses for a family and their 2.5 children. Now, with that type of disposable income, how often do you think soccer mom and little league dad are going to load the kids up in the minivan for an evening downtown in a super hip restaurant where plates are going to all run more than $20, an adult beverage is going to be about $4 for a beer and $5 for a mixed beverage. OK, you have $90 for 4.5 meals, a couple of adult beverages for both of the adults is going to run around $18, Cokes for the kids are going to be about $2 a piece for an additional $5. Sales Tax adds about an additional $8.50 for a grand total of $121.50. Now, you don't want to be a dirtbag or a Canadian, so it is time to give your server at least a 15% tip. Well, that is going to be between $18 and $19 dollars. Let's just round down and put the figure at an even $140.00. Seriously, I think I would gain a whole new appreciation for Chuckie Cheese's if I had kids. People in Amarillo are bargain hunters. They are not going to go for all of that pretentious stuff. They might be able to keep a handful of places open like they do right now, but there is not a big enough population of young, single people in Amarillo to ever turn that area into an Entertainment district.

Second, there is a parking situation downtown, or should I say a lack of parking. Now, in other cities like Denver, they run parking lots where they charge people around $5 to park in their lots. Does anybody here see people in Amarillo actually paying $5 to park their car in a lot for the night? Me, neither. They also have a trolley in Denver that runs from many of the neighborhoods like Wash. Park where I used to live to downtown. The problem is that Amarillo is a very spread out town and is probably the most spread out town of its population I have ever seen. That is going to make Mass transit completely impractical.

Third, downtown revitalization has been largely dependent in other cities on different types of people than the typical types of people that Amarillo likes to embrace. There needs to be artists and art galleries in the downtown area. In most cities where downtown revitalization has been successful, it has happened because the gay community has taken an active role in it. Does anybody think that is actually going to happen in A-town? The downtown areas tend to appeal to the intellectual types as well, but that is going to be a tough sell in Amarillo. The big A is the largest city in the state of Texas without a 4 year university.

I would love to see some type of upscale entertainment district in Amarillo, but I just don't think the city is ready for something like that right now and may never achieve that point. It seems that many people here are perfectly content to congregate at places like Midnight fistfight, where they can get tanked up on dollar well drinks and watch a bunch of fat cowboys try to pick the old bar hag wearing skin tight fluorescent rockies.

[princessbaybay]

ROTFLMAO!!!! On the midnight fistfight comment!

You have some valid points PP...........