Sunday, April 4, 2010

Downtown news isn't good

I know I’ve said this before, but have you been downtown lately?


If you have, you can easily see its getting bad.

M&T Bank no longer has Saturday hours and will close for good in June.

The former American Bank (one of its any names) and CAP offices is closed. Friday when I was downtown, I noticed a “for lease” sign on the building. It’s red and white on the Locust Street side and you can hardly miss it.

So, what happened to plans for the Timeless Inn? Even though I saw people coming out of the building the other day, it’s starting to look like time might have run out on that project.

Across the street, we have a vacant lot that is now the scene of a daily yard sale. That site has already violated the borough’s ordinances for the number of yard sales in a year.

Now, let’s add two ore death wishes downtown. Ray’s on 4th is closed and Emily Keyser-Gofus is moving her Flowers, Herbs and Arts store up town to North 11th Street. Saturday was her last day downtown.

So, we have more vacant buildings. Just great!

The only thing left on that corner is the Columbia Presbyterian Church, which isn’t bad at all.

Perhaps, its time to have one of those “town” meetings to make a big push to come up with a plan to fill these structures and not with “pie in the sky” ideas either.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It’s time to give up on thinking we will have a downtown as we once had. Those days are long gone yet we still have leaders who think it possible. Years back, I think it was in the early 90’s, a few people had an idea about making the 300 and 400 block of Locust Street a pedestrian mall and filling the store fronts with antique and similar stores. No one wanted to listen and see where we are now. The pedestrian mall idea probably would have worked if developed properly and included ample parking. .

As for the property at 4th & Locust Street. I am no expert but I am sure these yard sales not only violate a yard sale ordinance, they would be violating land use ordinances.

Anonymous said...

Stick with mayor lutz and his hair brain council kronies and watch this town go to HELL!