- Renovate the Masonic Temple: This grand building deserves some upgrade and use befitting its place at the very literal heart of our community. Some Forward Madison money could go a long way toward patching up the brick work, firming up the foundation, and bringing a great business or two into the building. Imagine a movie theater, lecture hall, reception hall and meeting center, art gallery, maybe even a little coffee shop, right there at the head of Main Street, alive and vibrant, beckoning people to explore all of downtown. And even if worst comes to worst and the building can't be saved, the site is still perfect for a welcome park at the head of Main Street, just the kind of green space Tammy Jo said we need. (Remember, downtown development isn't just more buildings; any plan has to include public open space where civic events and discourse can take place.)
- Resurrect the Lake Park Hotel: Instead of shunting guests out to the fringes of the city (hotels on the east and west edge, meetings at the playhouse on the north edge), why not bring our visitors right to downtown? With Rosebud Manufacturing now moved out to the industrial park, we have a great swath of buildings that could be turned into a spectacular hotel and convention center. Imagine business visitors and tourists being able to find lodging within walking distance of our downtown restaurants and shopping, city and county offices, meetings at the Chamber, even the library and the grocery store. Put the hotel and meeting space on the Center Street block right across from City Hall. Bulldoze the buildings on the south block for parking.
- Renovate the existing downtown buildings: We have some gorgeous old brick buildings downtown. We also have some atrocious façades, god-awful plastic, metal, and plywood smacked onto that good brick. Divvy up the Forward Madison money, peel off the junk, restore the proud stone work.
- If the $2.3 million sitting in the Forward Madison kitty isn't enough to cover our downtown dreams (or if the LAIC doesn't want to spend it all in one place), we lure developers with a downtown tax increment finance district. We could declare a lot of the buildings blighted: Mason's, Rosebud, the old Wenk's building along the railroad tracks... just drive down the back alleys and make your own list. Create a pay-as-you-go TIF, like they do up in Brookings: downtown businesspeople and developers invest in renovations and new businesses, and if they succeed in raising the value of their downtown property, the increased tax dollars reimburse them for their investment.
Pages
▼
Monday, July 7, 2008
More for Main Street -- We Already Have a Plan!
While we wait to hear back from the Lake Area Improvement Corporation on when the Main Street and More committee will have its first meeting (and who will be the point person for the project, if Tammy Jo Zingmark has indeed moved on to another job), a reader reminds me that my wife and I have already laid out a pretty good roadmap for where the Main Street committee should start. To review:
Another idea to go along with your downtown convention center idea. I know Madison sports supporters want a new gym. Why not tie a new gym/convention center/hotel into one package downtown? It would bring businesses and visitors downtown, would satisfy the sports people who want (and maybe actually need a bigger facility but with more equitable funding), and could be shared by the school and the community as regards use and cost.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree that the Mason's building should be used (unless it's beyond repair). I always thought it would have made a perfect studio for John Green. Would be the first thing people see when they drive down Main Street instead of being hidden virtually at the end of Main Street. John Green should be a huge draw for Madison like Terry Redlin is for Watertown. This building would showcase his work as it should be. Put in a small coffee shop/bistro, and convert the parking lot south of Masons into outdoor seating like the sidewalk cafes in larger cities or in Europe. Would be a great focal point for Madison downtown.
Nonnie
Out here in rapid, we have a program called "summer nights". Essentially, every thursday evening, they block off a few blocks of 7th street near downtown, bring in some music, and put up street vendors. I'm surprised at how effective it is at bringing in people to the down town area. During the actual event, fees collected from the vendors pay for the whole thing, and the businesses get walk by exposure.
ReplyDeleteI'm friends with a few of the shop owners and they have told me that since it started business has perked up by ~30% with lots of customers commenting on how they stopped by because of the window shopping their eyes did on the way to the music the previous night.
Local downtowns need to be thought of more as a meeting place rather than a shopping district. They are unable to compete on price with the big box retailers, but as a meeting and socilizing location can be superb.
Nonnie, you should sign up to be on the Main Street committee! And Tony gets it: Main Street is about community, not just commerce.
ReplyDelete