June 18, 2002

EDITORIAL:

Independence Rises to Challenge

Have you seen the colorful banners flying in downtown Independence? Downtowns pose a challenge to most small communities. Independence has more than risen to the challenge. The center of the city is exploding with colors.

Monmouth will soon follow. City officials got a $300,000 Community Block Grant and another $142,000 in city street funds. The money will be used for a downtown development project. The project calls for, among other things, drilling small holes into the sidewalks. Artistic residents and college students will be able to fill in the shallow disc-shaped holes, drawing from a list of approved materials. The decorative sidewalks will extend down Main Street from Monmouth Avenue to Knox Street.

Such artistic touches are not frills. They are creative approaches to preserving downtown business districts. Downtowns need creativity to survive. Many downtown in many communities, large and small, are suffering. Blocks are filled with aging buildings. Most heavy duty retailers long ago moved to the outskirts of town. Some merchants stay in the neighborhood but there are also far too many vacant storefronts.

This is a national issue and speaks to the way Americans shop. It does little good to pine for the days when people shopped on Main Street rather than strip malls. Those days are gone for good. Traditional downtowns are not going to beat strip malls at their own game. The secret is to change the rules. Again, consider Independence with its colorful banners, hanging baskets, historic buildings and wide sidewalks. No strip mall can compete with that charm. People go to malls for convenience and selection. They want to get in and out fast. Malls are not easy on the eyes or the soul. They are not places to linger (at least not for people over the age of 18). A charming downtown is a place to experience as well as shop. Merchants that cater to a slower pace or who offer a "hometown" environment can thrive in such an environment.

People often debate what should be done with aging downtown buildings. From a strictly pragmatic viewpoint, it may cost less money to tear buildings down and put up new ones. Few investors have the time, money and interest to rehab historic buildings. We understand the practicalities involved. However, we think tearing down historic buildings is short sighted.

Downtowns are not going to win shoppers back by trying to play the mall game. They have to play on their strengths. A sense of history is their greatest strength. If we lose that for the sake of expediency, we have sacrificed far too much.

Fortunately, it's not necessary. Cities like Monmouth and Independence are showing the way. Downtowns are not lost causes. They can be vibrant, pulsating hearts of a community. We all just need to have faith -- a few splashes of creativity.