The revitalization of downtown Monroe has been addressed by city councils for decades. Numerous infrastructure improvements such as a attractive and functional streetscape, a river walk that also serves to protect a sewer from ice damage are examples of progress so far. Local citizens who are active preservationists have proposed a new approach. While the exact proposal that they have advocated may not be adopted exactly as presented, his input has had a favorable response from the community.
A special work session meeting with the public invited on Monday January 14, 2002 to discuss a new proposal by Frank Gilbert, from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He presented details and successful case studies of what the National Main Street Program could accomplish. The following is from our local newspaper, The Monroe Evening News that covers our county and surrounding communities outside of the county. © 2002 The Monroe Evening News By
SCOTT NEINAS Driving over
the Monroe St. bridge might get you a view of the Battle of Frenchtown if a
downtown mural project comes to pass. The mural plan
gained momentum Monday night as artists and business owners met with Monroe
City Council members at a work session that focused on downtown revitalization.
David Stahl, a
local artist, showed council members pictures of downtown facades with
prototypical murals superimposed on them. The program
would have business owners hire a full-time manager that would coordinate the
program for Monroe. The manager would work on high visibility projects like
organizing and promoting downtown events, as well as cleaning up vacant lots
and making sure doors are locked. Mr. Gilbert
said that in other communities he's worked in, downtown merchants paid the
manager's salary, $35,000-$40,000, while the city paid for overhead and seed
money, about $20,000. A manager would
"fill in the gaps between what's been accomplished and what needs to be
accomplished. This would accelerate progress," Mr. Gilbert said. Ideally,
he added, the manager would have a downtown office as opposed to city hall.
That way, the organizer wouldn't be perceived as working for the city. Business leaders say the program is full of good ideas but that they're already paying extra taxes in the form of a Downtown Development Authority levy. Concerning murals, it remain as to
who will paint the facades and what the pictures will be. The council
wants the murals to be attractive, appropriate and supervised by a committee. "If the
first one doesn't look professional, the project could sour," said
Councilwoman Jean Guyor. Mayor C.D. (Al)
Cappuccilli said the artists are ready to go. Murals could be on the backs or
sides of buildings before spring. "If we had
the right materials, we could finish one over the weekend," Mr. Stahl
said. Several
pictures of possible mural ideas were passed out to the council and audience
members. One idea was to have a 3-D picture of a 19th century River Raisin with
half a canoe jutting out from the wall. Jeanne Micka, representing
the Monroe City-County Fine Arts Council, said that it was important the murals
spoke to Monroe's identity. She gave an example of a huge mural done by a
famous muralist in downtown Detroit that depicted whales. "I think
the nearest whale to Detroit is in Boston," she said. Gus Janssens,
who hopes to open a historic barbershop at 116 W. Front St., said at the
meeting he would like to have a mural of an American flag on the building's
wall, with a barbershop quartet beneath it. To someone driving into town, he
said, the wall "sticks out like a sore thumb." The owners of
the Lamour Printing Co., 123 E. Front St., also expressed interest in having a
mural on their building. At the
brainstorming session, Councilman Lloyd Conner suggested preservatives be used
to keep the paint from cracking. Councilman William Burkett suggested a contest
to determine which murals are done. Councilman C.
James Sabo noted that the project should be one part of a comprehensive plan
for downtown. "It needs
to be a starting point instead of an ending point," he said. Meanwhile,
downtown business owners' reaction to a city revitalization program pitched at
the work session: Good idea, except for the cost. Frank Gilbert,
a consultant with the National Trust for Historic Preservation program in
Washington, D.C.., gave a presentation to city council members and downtown
business leaders featuring a Main Street program. The council and
city officials were receptive to the idea. Downtown merchants, however, were
more guarded in their enthusiasm. "The
funding could be the deal breaker. But I hope we work around it because it's
necessary," said Janet Berns, owner of the Book Nook, 42 S. Monroe St. Mary Gail
Beneteau, owner of Frenchie's Fine Jewelry, Coins & Stamps, 15 E. Front
St., said she was lukewarm to the idea, partly because it's been tried before
and partly because she doubts business owners would agree to foot the bill for
a manager. "It would
be paying someone else to do what we're doing now," said Ms. Beneteau,
who's a member of the DDA. "Having a full-time coordinating position would
be a good thing. But to have to pay for it . I don't know that that's something
we want to do." Ms. Beneteau
added that plans to improve downtown doesn't mean the business district is
suffering. Read The Monroe Evening News Online What is the Main Street Approach to Downtown Revitalization? The Main Street program's success is based on a comprehensive strategy of work, tailored to local needs and opportunities, in four broad areas, called the Main Street Four Point Approach: Design: Enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating historic buildings, encouraging supportive new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, and long-term planning. Organization: Building consensus and cooperation among the many groups and individuals who have a role in the revitalization process. Promotion: Marketing the traditional commercial district's assets to customers, potential investors, new businesses, local citizens and visitors. Economic Restructuring: Strengthening the district's existing economic base while finding ways to expand it to meet new opportunities -- and challenges from outlying development.
The Main Street Philosophy The National Main Street Center's experience in helping communities bring their downtowns back to life has shown time and time again that the Main Street Four Point Approach succeeds only when combined with the following eight principles: Comprehensive: A single project cannot revitalize a downtown or commercial neighborhood. An ongoing series of initiatives is vital to build community support and create lasting progress. Incremental: Small projects make a big difference. They demonstrate that "things are happening" on Main Street and hone the skills and confidence the program will need to tackle more complex problems. Self-Help: Although the National Main Street Center can provide valuable direction and hands-on technical assistance, only local leadership can initiate long-term success by fostering and demonstrating community involvement and commitment to the revitalization effort. Public/private partnership: Every local Main Street program needs the support and expertise of both the public and private sectors. For an effective partnership, each must recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the other. Identifying and capitalizing on existing assets: One of the National Main Street Center's key goals is to help communities recognize and make the best use of their unique offerings. Local assets provide the solid foundation for a successful Main Street initiative. Quality: From storefront design to promotional campaigns to special events, quality must be the main goal. Change: Changing community attitudes and habits is essential to bring about a commercial district renaissance. A carefully planned Main Street program will help shift public perceptions and practices to support and sustain the revitalization process. Action-oriented: Frequent, visible changes in the look and activities of the commercial district will reinforce the persepction of positive change. Small, but dramatic improvements early in the process will remind the community that the revitalization effort is under way. Source: http://www.mainstreet.org/content.aspx?page=2§ion=1 Copyright 2002 - 2007 All rights reserved Click Here To Send E-Mail To David Alkire Smith - all comments are welcome |