1736 Magazine - Fall 2018

Damon Cline, Editor
FINAL
WORDS
Does downtown deserve
special consideration?
Absolutely.
Over the years, people have asked me
numerous variations of the same
question: “Why does downtown get
so much attention?”
My usual response: “Why
shouldn’t it?”
Downtown, after all, is the most tangible indicator
of a city’s civic pride, prosperity and overall
quality of life. As is the case with most large and
mid-sized metro areas, Augusta’s downtown is the
one place where its story – past, present and future
– is told.
It’s where residents and visitors alike can discover
Augusta’s identity, character and the thing
sociologists and urban planners call “sense of
place.”
All parts of the city are important; downtown is
indispensable.
Its iconic landmarks, layout and architecture
can’t be replicated, so it is paramount the public
and private sectors support, maintain and bolster
those critical assets for current and future generations.
The necessity of revitalizing Augusta’s urban
core was succinctly stated by local businessman
Barry Storey, who paraphrased what Denver Mayor
Wellington Webb told city leaders in 2015: “He said
you’ve got three priorities in this city: ‘No. 1, clean
up your living room; No. 2, clean up your living
room, and No. 3, clean up your living room.’ And
your living room is your downtown.”
He’s right. For locals, downtown is everybody’s
neighborhood. For visitors, downtown Augusta is
the neighborhood they will remember most vividly.
Downtown is the face of Augusta. Shouldn’t it
have a bright, welcoming smile?
Downtown is the heart of Augusta. Shouldn’t it
pulsate with vibrancy?
Downtown is the soul of Augusta. Shouldn’t it
radiate positive energy?
When the “why downtown?” question arises, it
usually insinuates the central business district receives
a disproportionate share of the city treasury,
or that other areas are being marginalized at the
expense of the city center.
The reality is that investment and reinvestment
in the urban core – from Harrisburg to Olde Town,
from the riverfront to the Laney Walker-Bethlehem
– helps boost the city’s overall tax base. Not only
that, the cost of providing services in high-density
regions is lower than it is in the suburbs and rural
areas.
More people living, working and playing in the
city center is good for everyone.
And the good news is, that is happening. Young,
single professionals and empty nesters want to be
immersed in downtown’s unique entertainment,
architecture and cultural milieu. But young families,
too, are planting roots in the central city,
trading increasingly congested and lengthy suburban
commutes for walkable and bikeable neighborhoods.
So as this classic Southern city quickly accelerates
into the 21st century, it’s imperative that
community leaders – public and private – not
put a damper on downtown Augusta’s burgeoning
renaissance.
Yes, after decades of neglect, sometimes-glacially
slow progress and the occasional half-baked
idea, downtown appears to be getting the attention
it deserves.
It’s about time.•
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