Why must we gentrify downtown before it's blossomed?
I’ve heard repeatedly from city leader types that downtown redevelopment needs more residential projects – particularly higher end ones. I don’t agree at all. Correction. Downtown needs residental projects. It just doesn’t need lots of higher end ones. One of the things I’ve thought we need are more affordable condos. I don’t mean cheap. This city just doesn’t need every condo to be a another ‘luxury development’. If we want to attract the urban professional hipster types prices need to be reasonable. Projects where the prices start above $300k and go over $1 million isn’t going to make downtown cool. In fact it’s going to end up resembling some of the quiet Belltown blocks with a fancy restaurant or two and nobody walking the streets at night. Is this the type of place that we want to live in? Maybe you do? Personally, I don’t.
4 comments
M Mike Fitz January 18, 2013
Put the flower on it!
D Dan January 18, 2013
Those seem like good common sense ideas. I’m glad she isn’t talking about pie in the sky NBA team dreams. I would be interested to know her strategy to compete with a new Seattle arena once it is built. I don’t think Lady Gaga, ACDC, or Kanye West will be coming to Tacoma, when that place is in operation, unless it is a game night. I hope there will be enough business to keep the place operational.
P.S. I would love to see the flower for Tacoma on the roof.
T talus January 20, 2013
I’m pro-flower and I vote.
J Jacxon Stone January 21, 2013
Keep the currrent cubist-mountain-top color scheme.