tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post115567826070535325..comments2023-10-17T03:36:04.410-07:00Comments on BIA Blog: The Bigger PictureDavid Schroedelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533965870997862752noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post-1156723933331509262006-08-27T17:12:00.000-07:002006-08-27T17:12:00.000-07:00I agree with the last two comments. Getting out on...I agree with the last two comments. Getting out on the street on a daily basis is the best way to help out. Try to buy something if you can, and if you succeed at finding it. Vary your hours. <BR/><BR/>I go downtown whenever, and observe that it is a much more inviting place during the day than after 6. Specifically the corner of 10th and Commerce in the Theater District. I feel perfectly safe there around 2pm, even with the few questionable people around. But after 6 when there are only a few people left, it is a bit on the scary side. <BR/><BR/>I do see an improvement though. I used to only come to downtown Tacoma in a group of people with a car. Now I will come walking on my own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post-1155849762760632312006-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:002006-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:00Maybe something the BIA should look at is getting ...Maybe something the BIA should look at is getting the residents in the South Downtown/Hillside/Hilltop (centered around 21st and Yakima) whatever you want to call it neighborhood downtown. The neighborhood is seeing tremendous growth with hundreds of condos and townhomes being built. Access to downtown by foot is not easy. Residents have to walk through uninviting streets surrounded by overgrown brush and now boarded up buildings. If that isn't unwelcoming enough they then have to trek back up the hill. For the people that don't have there legs muscles up to par, it can be battle. If the city would maybe get 19th and 21st Street atleast looking walkable and inviting maybe the residents would be more willing to make the trek.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post-1155798133725675152006-08-17T00:02:00.000-07:002006-08-17T00:02:00.000-07:00what can ANYONE do right now to make a change? Wha...<I>what can ANYONE do right now to make a change? What are ways that can influence positive change that don't require attending a workshop, reading a book</I><BR/><BR/>A thousand things:<BR/><BR/>1) Increase your daily coffee consumption by 10 percent and visit coffee shops like Blackwater, Java Bean and Kick Stand.<BR/><BR/>2) Grab a burger and brew downtown.<BR/><BR/>3) Just stroll through downtown. <BR/><BR/>The act of simply walking through downtown without buying a thing will help significantly. The new BIA motto is "get your feet on the street."<BR/><BR/>People are attracted to areas with other people in it and avoid empty restaurants and sidewalks, not the other way around. <BR/><BR/>Your presence alone will make downtown more inviting and be perceived as safer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post-1155787300967220242006-08-16T21:01:00.000-07:002006-08-16T21:01:00.000-07:00I would love to see the BIA lead projects that pro...I would love to see the BIA lead projects that promoted activities and projects designed to attract those people who are not particularly interested in urban renewal. While drawing in those with either a vested interest or a personal enthusiasm for these topics (principles of Jane Jacobs, PPS, et. al.), what can ANYONE do right now to make a change? What are ways that can influence positive change that don't require attending a workshop, reading a book (reading is hard...believe you me!), or even going somewhere at a particular time?<BR/><BR/>How can this herculean effort achieve critical mass...where people participate not because they care, but because it's fun and easy?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post-1155746267243609282006-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:002006-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:00I think it's great what Paul Ellis and the BIA are...I think it's great what Paul Ellis and the BIA are doing - keep it up!<BR/><BR/>I have to disagree with the comment about the downtown office market being flat. My experience leads me to believe otherwise. <BR/><BR/>There are many instances where the Tacoma rent rates meet or exceed those found in downtown Seattle- an indication to me an overvalued market with room for growth. Some recent searches for clients also revealed there is not much quality or Class A office space available too. Now, if you are looking for something slightly old or run down, that's another question. There seems to be plenty of that around in Tacoma.<BR/><BR/>As I see Seattle, Bellevue and other nearby cities building up their stock of Class A office space- I see zero being built in Tacoma (CBD). If we want to attract the "creative class" I keep hearing about, this is the type of space Tacoma needs more of.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28170135.post-1155692817788401422006-08-15T18:46:00.000-07:002006-08-15T18:46:00.000-07:00I like the pro-active approach.The first issue is ...I like the pro-active approach.<BR/><BR/>The first issue is determining the goals to accomplish for downtown. <BR/><BR/>What are the goals for downtown and how will we be able to measure the outcome to see if we are making progress?<BR/><BR/>Without definable goals being set, any discussion of proposed methodology will be fruitless.<BR/><BR/>The difficult thing is that many of the goals are subjective.<BR/><BR/>Here are some objective goals for downtown that the BIA and others may want to consider setting, although there are certainly others:<BR/><BR/>1) Increase the retail occupancy rate.<BR/><BR/>2) Increase the amount of retail sales dowtown.<BR/><BR/>3) Increase the foot traffic downtown.<BR/><BR/>4) Increase the hours that retail outlets are able to stay open for business and be able to make ends meet. (Successful downtowns often are able to function much later and (gasp) even on weekends).<BR/><BR/>5) Increase office occupancy rate downtown.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com