Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
There continues to be much angst about downtown Glendale much of it recently resurfaced as a result of the city’s sale of the St. Vincent de Paul building to C Plus D Industry. It’s time for fresh ideas, innovation and creation to create a new, vibrant downtown. How?
First, eliminate the entire concept of “Historic Downtown Glendale.” It may have been an appropriate concept when downtown hosted over 100 antique shops but those days are long gone. I don’t pretend to have an answer to a new branding concept but what about something like “Downtown on the Rise” or “Downtown’s New Direction” or “Discover our New Downtown” or “Downtown: Something Old yet Something New”?
Next, place art everywhere. I remember other cities that hosted traveling art exhibits, especially sculptures placed in every downtown nook and cranny. Art doesn’t have to be so expensive that it prohibits its creation. Take a look at the slideshow I created. In the slideshow there are traditional sculptures but there are also examples of simple but powerful street art — on buildings, sidewalks and yes, even on the roadways.
The city has an art fund that requires 1% of the construction cost of new development to be placed in this fund. I know at one time during the national recession it was raided for other needs within the city. Currently there is slightly less than one million dollars in the fund. The city could utilize this funding as a source to begin to add whimsical sculptures throughout the downtown. The idea is to place creative art that causes people to notice – to stop and look and perhaps take a photograph.
The city could use CDBG funding to spruce up downtown. What about new benches that are not wood and do not require extensive maintenance that never seems to occur in a timely manner? Or using this source of funding to repair and maintain the sidewalk lighting? Or using the funding to power wash the sidewalks on a regular and timely schedule?
Make no mistake to succeed this resurgence; this movement cannot only be a city government responsibility. There is only so much the city can or should do. In order to succeed it requires the commitment and participation of all 123 merchants/services located in downtown.
Does that mean someone downtown has to go out and buy an expensive piece of art? No, of course not. Look at the slideshow. Art can be placed on any building. Building art can be simple. Take a look at the slides where art was added to a simple crack on the building’s façade to the slides depicting Trompe-l’œil. Trompe-l’œil (French for “deceive the eye”) is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions. The possibilities are endless and exciting. Art can create the vibrancy and excitement that downtown has not experienced in many years.
It’s time…time for downtown owners and tenants…and yes, the city…to break out of its antiquated rut of complacency. It’s time for downtown interests to get off their butts; to accept that their destinies and livelihoods are their responsibility…that drawing people downtown begins with their efforts. It’s time to cease relying upon the city for everything, everywhere.
As Ronald Reagan once famously said, “Government is not the solution to our problem government IS the problem.”
© Joyce Clark, 2018
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Wow what a wonderful idea Joyce!
What are we expecting from downtown? Like you I don’t think I have the answer, but I do know that if we don’t define what we want for downtown we could make it unaffordable for the current people in the area. Downtown is historically a place for small business and we must keep it that way. It will never again be the center of our economy, but it will always be a part of our identity and to change that will be a travesty. We need to design a modern transportation system that bring the people back to this area so that the small business can be competitive with areas like Arrowhead or Westgate. Just think how easy it us to get to one of these commercial centers.
I agree.
Joyce,
I recently saw a piece on Sunday Morning about Tiny Doors
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiny-doors-atl-karen-anderson-atlanta-art-project/
I like the idea of small art projects that are conversation starters
I think something similar would work in downtown Glendale.
Joyce, the talent and imagination of those artists is off the charts! I would love to see some of that in Glendale.
I agree that downtown Glendale needs to move into the 21st century. Time stands still for no one.
Downtown business owners need to be leaders and transform it into something more modern and sustainable.
As you mentioned, the antique stores are all but gone and so are most of the people that shop for antiques- doesn’t seem too popular with millennials.
Joyce, It may not be the right style for Glendale, but I like the transformation of downtown Tolleson. If you haven’t been there in a few years, please take a look. They re-did the streets, sidewalks, street lighting, and installed art work along the sidewalks. It cost a lot of money, but it completely transformed their downtown.
Thanks. I will do that very thing.
This has been a topic of conversation for as long as I can remember……and I ran barefoot in the downtown area over 50 years ago. I would hate for the city government to get involved in any other way than maintaining clean and orderly streets, responding to code violations and any other duties currently on the books. What are “whimsical sculptures” to one person are ugly pieces of crap to others. The property owners need to have the final say on what happens to downtown but unfortunately they have been silent as a group. Getting the city government involved leaves the city open to a future “Scruggs/Beasley” type regime deciding to make Glendale look like whatever makes them feel good. I don’t think there are many good solutions outside of encouraging the property owners to take responsibility for their interests……..good luck.
First pay back the Art Fund—never should have been taken from that fund. Art is what makes a City! There should be an Artist’s Row with tiny houses so artists can sell their pieces! But, there must be a draw for people to go to downtown Glendale.
Second, stick with an idea for the downtown & fund isome of it & market it—how many renditions of the downturn had Glendale explored to no avail?!
Third, personally, I love Caitlin Court area, but it is rough for merchants during the Summer mos and when the streets are closed during different events! Parking is at a premium downtown!