During the past ten years, Alexandrians have talked a lot about revitalizing our downtown. We’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on planning and millions of dollars on urban streetscape repairs. We’ve created political subdivisions solely dedicated to the project. We’ve even attracted federal incentive programs in order to attract businesses back to downtown.
And yet, despite the emerging nightlife scene and despite the millions of dollars spent by private businesses on redevelopment, some continue to doubt the merits of downtown revitalization. To those dissenters, there’s something you don’t quite understand: Downtown revitalization is already happening– and it’s moving faster than you think.
But I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt: You dissenters don’t go downtown much, and even when you do, your experience of downtown is limited to the courthouses and government buildings. Believe it or not, however, downtown Alexandria is showing all of the healthy signs of an area experiencing revitalization– and there are numerous reasons this is a positive development for the entire community.
It’s important to note that a conversation about downtown revitalization isn’t unique to Alexandria. Cities all across the country have been engaged in the same discussion– and for a good reason.
Throughout the past fifty years, American cities sprawled as a response to Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System, advances in the automobile industry, the relatively cheap price of gasoline, and certain demographic changes. We have tended to view this sprawl as “progress,” with little understanding of the long-term implications of such a trend.
It’s somewhat radical to propose that sprawl may have done significant damage to a city’s capacity for growth, because for fifty years, sprawl was considered to be a reflection and indication of growth. But, in fact, many cities have learned the hard way that uninhibited suburban sprawl actually harms a city’s ability to grow and manage existing infrastructure.
How?
Well, for one, simply because a city is sprawling does not mean it’s growing. Alexandria is a perfect case in point. We may have sprawled fifteen miles out from our original city core, but our population has remained relatively stagnant. Due to this sprawl, Alexandrians have had to shoulder the burden of an over-extended infrastructure, our inner-core has become blighted, and our downtown, the location of our original development and our greatest civic institutions, has been neglected.
Back when sprawl was the solution and LeCorbusier’s vision of superhighway cities was the reigning paradigm, Americans could have never predicted that their enthusiasm for sprawl could lead to long-term planning problems and that the price of gasoline could become prohibitively high. But such is the case, and if our city is to properly respond to the problems presented by sprawl, we must follow the examples of other cities who have successfully redeveloped their cores.
There’s another related point: The revitalization of downtown Alexandria doesn’t just affect downtown; it affects all of the surrounding neighborhoods.
So why is this important?
Understandably, there are many people who believe that the government should be more focused on solving problems such as access to health care, crime, and poverty. They view “revitalization” as a pie-in-the-sky idea, proferred by self-interested politicos and real estate developers, a distraction from solving bigger and more important problems. And perhaps it is important to state this: Yes, undoubtedly, we face some daunting problems, and it should be our mission to solve those problems. But the project of downtown revitalization should not require us to “put all of our eggs in one basket.” It should not be considered a distraction, but an essential component in addressing larger needs. By improving our inner-core, we can help solve a number of different problems:
- We increase the property values of homeowners in surrounding neighborhoods; this represents thousands of homeowners in neighborhoods that have been neglected and/or under-prioritized for decades.
- We increase the prestige of our city. Visitors judge the health of our city based, partly, on the health of our downtown, and if we neglect our downtown, we risk losing outside investment, tourism, and convention business.
- We create opportunities for the creation of a coherent arts and music community and a vibrant nightlife, two essential quality of life components that attract and retain large employers.
Downtown revitalization should not come at the expense of improving the quality of life in other blighted or impoverished neighborhoods; however, the improvement of our core should take priority over cost-sharing agreements in the city’s outer reaches.
Many people like to claim that the “free market” should determine and manage our growth. But they fail to realize that the free market is never exactly “free.” Government can create incentives or offer services that make an area (or a certain location) more financially lucrative than others, and this can lead to an influx of development. It’s often said that real estate is about “location, location, location,” but often, location takes a backseat to a constructed notion of value based on zoning policies and inexpensive land. Can’t we all agree that it makes little sense for our taxdollars to fund and encourage development that ends up costing citizens in the long run? Can’t we agree that it’s not healthy for a city to continue to expand its infrastructure without expanding its tax base?
Downtown revitalization isn’t about using monies that could otherwise be allocated toward police coverage or workforce development. Simply put, government does not and has never worked like that. Federal and State funding and incentives are allocated and available for specific purposes. In other words, often, if we fail to utilize earmarked funds, we’re missing out on “free money.” (No, I know it’s not really free, but it is typically generated by federal or state taxes, which are readily available for our use. If we fail to take advantage of this, we simply lose out).
So have hope in the project. And let’s work together.
Because ultimately, we all benefit from a healthy and vibrant downtown.
CenLamar 
A Post from Cenla Antics Site:
You bunch of niave people. You think that downtown is the only part of town where the city is investing tax money. Who in the hell do you think is paying for (subsidizing) the new sewer line that serves the elitist gated subdivions along 28 west. We are that’s who. If you want to build a subdivision out in the middle of a cow pasture then you should be required to pay the true cost of development.
Who is going to pay for (subsidize) the new turn lane and traffic signals for the new Wal Mart on 28W. Us, that’s who. And we are glad to do it because lord knows we need a good corporate citizen like Wal Mart. How did we survive without them before they brought their high paying jobs with great benefits and their community involvement.
The truth is that most development in this town is being subsidized. If developers had to pay the true costs of providing sewer, water, gas, road improvements, drainage, fire, police, and sanitation they would be developing projects in areas that already have the infrastructure in place to support the development…like downtown.
Here is another thought to ponder. Downtown was once the center of retail, banking, entertainment etc… Then everyone moved out to MacArthur Drive, the Mall, Jackson Street etc… Fast forward 25 more years. By then those areas will have become tired derilict, mainly because most of them are inhumane spaces designed for cars…not people, and we will have moved on to the next promised land. Then our children or grandchildren will be arguing about how to revitilize the old strip commercial areas and the Mall. Do you see the pattern here? We cant just keep abandoning these parts of the City because they no longer fit our idea of utopia. At some point there will not be enough money to continue subsidizing sprawl while still maintaining the older parts of the City.
It’s good to see people are talking about downtown revitalization on Mr. Carriere’s blog, though I think some people fundamentally misunderstand my contention. I’m not arguing that downtown revitalization should be Alexandria’s top priority– just that it is a part of an overall strategy aimed at improving our quality of life.
— more later—
I’m in the same boat as you, Lamar. I see the
downtown area as part of an overall strategy instead of the centristic focus of our current city government. My main problem lies with the strain of thought that HWY 28 seems to be the best base to grow on.
From what I know we’re expanding far too wide with little infrastructural work being undertaken in the inner-Alexandria area. This, in itself, is a horrible mistake. As it has been pointed out by other posters on the old site and on Cenla Antics, we are neglecting the central part of the city in favor of keeping the fringe updated. On top of that, we’re focusing on the primarily white areas of town and seeing it as the only prospective base to work with.
We need to also work on city planning and urban development. Sitting around and placing subdivisions, stores, and industry in non-centric patterns only hurts us in the long run as we damage free space and clutter areas without regard to the effects it has to the aestethic quality of the cityscape. Likewise, we need to caution ourselves against building too quick with too little
vision.
As an esteemed and thoughtful man I work with once said: We aren’t using the River and Downtown effectively. That’s where we should be focusing. A Wal-mart or another super center will not fix our problems.
I think one of the most compelling arguments that has been made is that the city has doubled in size since 1960 yet we have roughly the same population. Large commercial develpments, the annexation of the Airpark, and the diaspora from the I-49 Coridoor may account for some of this. Drive around the older parts of town (which I do daily) and you will discover vast amounts of abandoned property that is going to waste while we continue to develop on the fringes of town. i suspect this is all a symptom of our throw away society that we live in. It easier to start from scratch than to fix the old stuff.
Good stuff, Lamar.
Point WELL made when stating the city’s DOUBLED in size with roughly the same population. That means the city’s taking on more infrastructure costs with the same amount of residential property tax income. And you KNOW commercial entities looking to land in cities get breaks when it comes to property tax and utility fees. So the city’s having to maintain more and probably getting back less, per acre, via tax and utility fee then they used to.
Sprawl is a drain on cities, pure and simple. And a vibrant, lively downtown draws people from communities far and wide. A well-run Riverfest or Que’in on the Red draws visitors from all over; quality events at Coughlin-Saunders draws from all of central Louisiana; quality nightspots draw from party-goers everywhre; this has to be not only maintained but cultivated further.
I believe any discussion of a new baseball stadium for the Aces (the United League is giving this some thought – along highway 28 of course) has to BEGIN with downtown, somewhere near or at the current Levee park. Imagine a stadium, adjacent to downtown, with an outfield view of the Red River and the downtown skyline.
I believe any thought of a new arena for Alexanria/Rapides Parish has to BEGIn with downtown. Imagine a facility that hosts basketball, hoekcy, major concerts and HUGE trade shows, adjacent to the current Riverfront Center and adjoining hotels.
Imagine a downtown with those two MAJOR draws, bringing thousands not just to downtown Alexandria, but ALEXANDRIA period! Does Highway 28 (Coliseum Boulevard) really need traffic-snarling events clogging up that thoroughfare, when we all know a Wal-Mart (and accompanying shopping center and shadow retail, too) will make that boulevard traffic-heavy on its own?
Alexandria is in an enviable position, from my vantage point. My hometown (Augusta, Georgia) saw its population leave not just the downtown area, but its city limits, 15-20 miles from her downtown, and before you knew it, downtown Augusta was not only vacant and dilapidated, but because of unfettered sprawl, but it was also nowhere near expressways or Interstate 20. Decades and millions of dollars later, it’s coming back with a bohemian nightlife and loft-style living to go with its nearby medical school and hospitals, but it’s taken a long time to see this happen.
In Alexandria, we’re still a small-enough “big” city to be smart about our growth, and to take care of what we’re already starting to leave behind without spending BILLIONS to undo neglect. We can steer development away from “sprawling” away from the city center and instead MAKE the city’s center a viable development site. With good infrastructure in place (I-49, 167, 28, 165 all feeding into the city) there’s no reason this can’t be done -wisely.
**Apoligies on the re-post..correctd typos if you wanna delete the first.**
Good stuff, Lamar.
Point WELL made when stating the city’s DOUBLED in size with roughly the same population. That means the city’s taking on more infrastructure costs with the same amount of residential property tax income. And you KNOW commercial entities looking to land in cities get breaks when it comes to property tax and utility fees. So the city’s having to maintain more and probably getting back less, per acre, via tax and utility fee then they used to.
Sprawl is a drain on cities, pure and simple. And a vibrant, lively downtown draws people from communities far and wide. A well-run Riverfest or Que’in on the Red draws visitors from all over; quality events at Coughlin-Saunders draws from all of central Louisiana; quality nightspots draw from party-goers everywhre; this has to be not only maintained but cultivated further.
I believe any discussion of a new baseball stadium for the Aces (the United League is giving this some thought – along highway 28 of course) has to BEGIN with downtown, somewhere near or at the current Levee park. Imagine a stadium, adjacent to downtown, with an outfield view of the Red River and the downtown skyline.
I believe any thought of a new arena for Alexanria/Rapides Parish has to BEGIN with downtown. Imagine a facility that hosts basketball, hockey, major concerts and HUGE trade shows, adjacent to the current Riverfront Center and adjoining hotels.
Imagine a downtown with those two MAJOR draws, bringing thousands not just to downtown Alexandria, but ALEXANDRIA period! Does Highway 28 (Coliseum Boulevard) really need traffic-snarling events clogging up that thoroughfare, when we all know a Wal-Mart (and accompanying shopping center and shadow retail, too) will make that boulevard traffic-heavy on its own?
Alexandria is in an enviable position, from my vantage point. My hometown (Augusta, Georgia) saw its population leave not just the downtown area, but its city limits, 15-20 miles from her downtown, and before you knew it, downtown Augusta was not only vacant and dilapidated, but because of unfettered sprawl, but it was also nowhere near expressways or Interstate 20. Decades and millions of dollars later, it’s coming back with a bohemian nightlife and loft-style living to go with its nearby medical school and hospitals, but it’s taken a long time to see this happen.
In Alexandria, we’re still a small-enough “big” city to be smart about our growth, and to take care of what we’re already starting to leave behind without spending BILLIONS to undo neglect. We can steer development away from “sprawling” away from the city center and instead MAKE the city’s center a viable development site. With good infrastructure in place (I-49, 167, 28, 165 all feeding into the city) there’s no reason this can’t be done -wisely.
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