Downtown Revitalization
The second half of the 20th century saw the decline of downtowns both big and small. Once the centers of commerce, culture, governance, and social life, downtowns fell on hard times due to the interaction of numerous factors, including:
- The rise of automobile culture and the availability of cheap gasoline
- The construction of the Interstate Highways System and subsidies for local and state roads
- Poorly managed population growth
- Tax deductions for mortgages combined with lending practices favoring new development over existing housing
- Zoning and other land use regulations requiring residential, commercial, and industrial uses to be located far away from one another
As customers and retail shops relocated to malls and strip centers, many downtowns faced boarded-up storefronts, deteriorating buildings, and increased crime. They became places to avoid and detracted from tourism and economic development. But many towns and cities have been able to reverse negative trends and re-create thriving downtowns that positively affect social cohesiveness, cultural activities, tourism, and the community’s sense of place.
Rebuilding a strong, vibrant downtown requires the energy, focus and interest of many parts of the community. Multiple stakeholders must be on board. From historic preservationists and sustainable development advocates to local government officials and developers, all key players in the community must work together to realize a collective vision for the future of their home. The tenacity and patience that is required can be taxing, but ultimately, in order to revitalize a downtown, all perspectives must be represented in order for the whole community’s vision to be realized. After all, a downtown revitalization project should be focused on maintaining and building upon the history and character of the community, not on copying efforts by other towns that may not harmonize well with the culture of the area.
When one envisions the perfect place to shop, meet with friends, and dine with family, very rarely do we think first of a six lane highway, with no sidewalk, and a building façade like a circus sideshow. The true ideal of these places of cultural value and historic sentiment will more than likely include a vision of a comfortable, walkable downtown setting, with street trees, public green space, and lively storefronts.
In the past few years, several cities in the Upstate have been planning and implementing such downtown revitalization projects. Upstate Forever has encouraged these efforts as a way to support greater walkability of urban centers and more intelligent land use. Clinton, Greenville, Greer, Laurens, Simpsonville, and Spartanburg provide examples of local cities at different stages of the process.
Clinton (http://clintonsouthcarolina.homestead.com/) is excited to have received $900,000 from the South Carolina Department of Commerce for a downtown revitalization project. The money is being used to improve a city entrance area and building facades. This, in conjunction with the streetscape improvements that have been made in the past two years, makes Clinton a good example of a small town investing in its future wisely
As many of us may know, Greer was selected as the filming location for the movie “Leatherheads” in part due to the historic charm of downton’s Greer Station. To find out more about the revitalization of Greer, click here for the City’s web page or here for the page promoting Greer Station.
In Simpsonville, city streetscape improvements are being materialized. Recently, the downtown area has seen new street lighting and pedestrian crosswalks.
Laurens has also made headway in its revitalization efforts. A few years back, the city made improvements to its streetscapes with sidewalk enhancements and expanded greenspace. Non profits are also helping with the endeavor. Main Street Laurens (http://www.mainstreetlaurens.org/index.htm) is an area non-profit that has become involved by promoting the downtown scene and educating downtown businesses about ways they can keep their businesses strong. Main Street Laurens has provided seminars on marketing and website development free of charge to downtown businesses. The group is also looking forward to creating incentives for others to locate to the downtown area. Click here to read a wonderful article by Upstate Forever Board Member Leon Patterson about Main Streets, focusing on the successful efforts in downtown Laurens.
Spartanburg has seen many changes in the past few years. The Chapman Cultural Center and Science Center have both brought important cultural elements to the downtown area and the Morgan Square make-over has put some much needed public space in the heart of the downtown. Upstate Forever is currently involved with an initiative to have the east side of Main Street redesigned to include bike lanes and more pedestrian friendly sidewalks.
Greenville has evolved dramatically in the past 25 years. From dining and entertainment to education and business, Greenville has become a place where one can live, eat, work and play without even getting into a car.
Ultimately, the Upstate is seeing efforts in most of its small towns to improve the centers of its historic and cultural amenities. To find out more about what each town is doing, explore the following links:
Anderson
Clinton
Greenville
Greer
Laurens
Simpsonville
Spartanburg
Travelers Rest
Union
|
