Downtown Gamechanger

[ronchamblin]

Where was I ...?   Oh ...  infrastructure.  Establishing an effective core  "infrastructure", along with the achievement of strong and visionary "leadership", are the two most important variables in the quest for core revitalization and infill.  Our failure to move with respectable speed toward vibrancy is the direct result of our failure to address the two issues of an inadequate infrastructure and leadership. 

Is revitalization possible?"   Sierra Delta, several posts ago, has supported the conviction that true core vibrancy and infill is indeed possible.  This is comforting, as I would be a fool to continue discussing a quest that is only fantasy. 

(I hope this form of writing, as if thinking aloud ... with its occasional repetitions and perhaps tedious nature ... is not a discomfort to the reader, as it is my comfortable way during morning coffee.)  Thank one of the gods that people don't "have" to read my shit.

If the revitalization is indeed possible, then we might inquire about the probability of achieving it, measuring all factors.  The probability is dependent upon the cost in public tax spending for infrastructural changes.  The probability is dependent upon the strength of the leadership for creating a vision, and for encouraging the citizen to pay for implementing the changes inherent in the vision.

What is true core vibrancy and infill?  One has only to imagine the times of the thirties through the fifties to sense the essence of a vibrant core.  And one has only to perceive the current "mini cores" of Avondale, San Marco, etc, to feel an approximation of the energy we seek in the city core.

Is revitalization desirable?  Whereas desolation is beautiful in nature, it is unsightly and repulsive in a city core because all who endure the sight of it know that it was caused by the least desirable of human tendencies.  Nature, even when seemingly destructive, produces beauty and function.  Humans, tending to greed and selfishness, too often wreck and destroy, encouraging scenes of desolation.

Oh ..... a message just arrived to mind ... from some god I presume (will try to identify which) ... encouraging me to suggest that we return the core to the benevolent care of nature ... to the wisdom of a forest ...  to all the trees and plants waiting eagerly to fill it ...  to the animals we've pushed to near extinction ...  and that all humans move to the suburbs.  The core must return to its natural beauty via the wisdom of nature, having failed vibrancy via the folly of humans.  Why endure any further the wasteland humans have caused in the core?  Nature will surely create, by its wisdom, a most beautiful natural zoo for the enjoyment of suburbians.  The zoo cost will be practically zero ... as the labor will be nature's ... with decisions and actions always beneficial and loving ...  not corrupted by human greed, religious absurdities, indifference, stupidity, or ignorance. 

The norther border would be Union Street, the southern the river, the west I-95, the east perhaps Philip Randolph.  This means that the city hall, courthouses, the jail, etc .. and the FBC, would have to move out ... perhaps to the Town Center ...  the new city core.  In any case, the buildings in the core could be demolished to make way for the new sub-tropical jungle.  The core could be surrounded by a 50' moat, with a 4' fence down the center.  Boats could approach the shore to view the jungle flora and fauna.  Animals appropriate for the environment would be invited to live in the jungle.

... time to work. Will return soon to clarify the essences of "infrastructure".

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

(I hope this form of writing, as if thinking aloud ... with its occasional repetitions and perhaps tedious nature ... is not a discomfort to the reader, as it is my comfortable way during morning coffee.)

Hurry folks, today only (possibly others, I'm not sure) you too can try the mescaline infused coffee served at Chamblin's Downtown!  Get it while it's hot.  Offer good while supplies last.   

Oh ..... a message just arrived to mind ... from some god I presume (will try to identify which) ... encouraging me to suggest that we return the core to the benevolent care of nature ... to the wisdom of a forest ...  to all the trees and plants waiting eagerly to fill it ...  to the animals we've pushed to near extinction ...  and that all humans move to the suburbs.  The core must return to its natural beauty via the wisdom of nature, having failed vibrancy via the folly of humans.  Why endure any further the wasteland humans have caused in the core?  Nature will surely create, by its wisdom, a most beautiful natural zoo for the enjoyment of suburbians.  The zoo cost will be practically zero ... as the labor will be nature's ... with decisions and actions always beneficial and loving ...  not corrupted by human greed, religious absurdities, indifference, stupidity, or ignorance. 

The norther border would be Union Street, the southern the river, the west I-95, the east perhaps Philip Randolph.  This means that the city hall, courthouses, the jail, etc .. and the FBC, would have to move out ... perhaps to the Town Center ...  the new city core.  In any case, the buildings in the core could be demolished to make way for the new sub-tropical jungle.  The core could be surrounded by a 50' moat, with a 4' fence down the center.  Boats could approach the shore to view the jungle flora and fauna.  Animals appropriate for the environment would be invited to live in the jungle.

... time to work. Will return soon to clarify the essences of "infrastructure".

[whyisjohngalt]

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/enigma/returntoinnocence.html

I knew the tone sounded familiar.  Chase the dragon through the rabbit hole, brother.

[ronchamblin]

Good expresso. But .. onward to the idea of infrastructure.

My opinion of the nature of infrastructure is any facet or condition within the city core that provides either a positive or a negative to any entity desiring, or planning, to engage the core; whether as a resident, entrepreneur, business, worker, or visitor.  Therefore, it seems sensible to suggest that if the citizenry desires to encourage vibrancy, and if vibrancy is measured by the quantity of "permanent" residents, workers, entrepreneurs, visitors etc ... then it seems reasonable to suggest that great attention should be applied to changing any infrastructures to be more positive in effect, and less negative.

The smell of a city is part of infrastructure.  Whether the parking gestapo's intention is to reluctantly issue parking tickets, or to issue with joy, is part of the infrastructure.  The beauty of a core's architecture.  The quality of mass transit.  Even the hope offered via future plans for improved mass transit, is part of infrastructure.  The reliability of electric power, and the quality of water.  The lack of potholes in the streets. 

The degree to which zoning and permitting facilitates or frivolously obstructs those attempting projects in the core.  The degree to which the leadership maintains low percentage of  "obstructionists" in their offices ... to use a term similar to Stalin's "Wreckers".  As mentioned in an earlier post, my encounters with the Ed Ball group have always been impressive, as they've intelligently balanced guidelines to achieve safety, engineering requirements, and the need for getting the job done.

There are many more components of infrastructure, some being less easily identified.  Any ideas?

Will continue with list later.

[ronchamblin]

The importance of making attractive all aspects of the core infrastructure cannot be over emphasized because the prospective investor, entrepreneur, resident visitor makes critical decisions based on what they perceive as important "existing" conditions, aspects, and realities within the core.

The core "problem" is much trying to encourage a stubborn animal to move from one place to another.  One must use all possible methods, avenues, and forces, hoping that their sum will encourage desired movement.  Unless we look upon the infrastructural changes in a like manner, we will never make progress toward vibrancy with any respectable speed.

More infrastructural components.  The number of side-walk friendly lease spaces available for entrepreneurs must be increased whenever practical.  The traffic signalling must be made smarter than the current dumb signals, which cause traffic jams.  The current dumb signals cause huge negatives in the core.  The traffic "engineers" must get off their asses ... and try being problem solvers.

I'm on a role.  Must help some customers.

[ronchamblin]

Thanks Stephen.  If I interpret correctly, you believe I am missing the mark suggesting that an inadequate infrastructure is a primary cause of our lack of movement to vibrancy.  This is interesting.  I am at work now.  Meanwhile I would like have more of your thoughts on the subject, especially a summary of your own opinion as to primary cause or causes. 

[ronchamblin]

Thanks Stephen.  If I interpret correctly, you believe I am missing the mark suggesting that an inadequate infrastructure is a primary cause of our lack of movement to vibrancy.  This is interesting.  I am at work now.  Meanwhile I would like have more of your thoughts on the subject, especially a summary of your own opinion as to primary cause or causes.

You can't really design an environment for a specific kind of person and have a good outcome.  If there are any lessons to be gleaned from the experimentation of Robert Moses, I would think that has to be it.

But you can design an environment for health, ease of business, socialization and vibrancy.

And in any age, there is an infrastructure that enables business.  In this age, its communication and connectiveness.

Business infrastructure is literally the only metric that we haven't designed for downtown, and it shows.

We seem to be thinking similarly Stephen, looking from slightly different positions.  The "business infrastructure" you mention might come under the more general idea of ... via strong leadership and a measured expenditure of tax money ... creating an infrastructure encouraging and facilitating the entry of any entity to engage a "permanent" presence in the core.

The idea of making changes for a "specific kind of person to achieve a good outcome" is, in my view, covered under the umbrella of making changes in infrastructure because the changes are set to be broad, covering effects on all citizens set to engage the core.

In other words, the idea of infrastructural improvements is more like tilting a table to allow marbles to roll to an opposite side ... that is, if that was to be a goal ... a goal similar to our goal of achieving true core vibrancy. 

The core revitalization problem is one rather complex ... obviously, since there has been no solution for decades ... and is a problem causing an attitude of frustration for those who've addressed it.  And what, on occasion, do people who confront complex problems do, if anything, when they have no specific solution to it?  In desperation, they try everything via mostly irrational thinking ... they push whatever they can touch, the heat it up, they cool it down, they pray, they attempt to frighten it, they tip it further to the side, they hit it with a hammer, they shoot it.

My idea of making infrastructural changes is to imagine existing conditions or aspects in the core that pose excessive negatives upon the minds of prospective investors, residents, entrepreneurs .... anyone looking to engage the core with energy and money .... and then to slowly remove those negative conditions, or change them to positives, as perceived by the potential core investor or resident.  Surely there are significant conditions in the core that we could solidly identify as being negative ... some, formidably so ... to the prospective investor, resident etc. 

For example, the issuing of parking tickets is a clear negative for the core.  And actually, the existence of parking meters is a negative for the core.  Easy solution?  No.  The parking problem is tied to the idea of mass transit ... which is a massive and complex project before anyone or any agency set to establish a viable and effective system ... a system that would preclude the necessity of everyone driving their autos into the core.   

As an interim, the parking problem is related to the education of the core employee to the requirement that they not take up street spaces for an entire day that could be better used for customers who seek convenient parking for an hour or two.  The foolish and selfish core employee will park in a valuable street parking space all day, not caring about the fact that the space could have been used by perhaps 8 or 10 visiting customers throughout the day, thereby improving the survival rate of any businesses enduring the current low foot traffic in the core.  There is always available spaces in parking garages for employees.  The foolish and the lazy fail to use them.   
   
And look at the dumb signal lights, which break the natural law -- a signal must never stop vehicles without good cause.  Another way to put it -- no intersection should ever be without traffic upon it ... unless of course there is no traffic in the environment.  Either way, the consequences of dumb lights, as allowed by dumb traffic engineers, is traffic crawl and jams.  If anyone does not understand how this occurs, I feel sorry for you.  Technology exists to remedy the above problem of dumb signal lights.  In any case, traffic crawl and jams is a solid negative for any city core.  And the negative will get worse with time unless smart signals are installed.

Thank goodness I have to get to work, else my hopefully not too jumbled nonsense would continue. There is much more to say about negative infrastructure ... some of it not so obvious in impact ... but quite important in reality.

[ronchamblin]

Sierra Delta .. Stephen ... Been thinking about the idea of core revitalization ... again.  Forgive me, for I know not what I think. 

Repetitive use of a word doesn't give its meaning truth, or its existence validity ... words such as witches, warlocks, gods etc.  However, in spite of how many times we state it, "revitalization" seems to be a valid concept, and a valid goal to which we should strive.  After all, who wants to live in, and/or work in, or visit a city core not yet recovered from the desolation that followed the urban sprawl?

In the interest of simplicity, our focus might be limited to four components .... with a look at each, along with the dynamics between ... ignoring for the most part the ones responding less to human influence, and focusing upon the ones responding more. 

Components of the Revitalization Problem:

First:

Investors, Doers, Performers ... the individuals or groups making up the potential entities looking to invest in, live in, work in, open a business in, or visit ... the city core.

Second:

Infrastructure ... which is any facet, aspect, policy, or structure within the core that influences, either positively or negatively, the opinions and decisions of those in the first component.

Third:

Implementers ...the individuals, groups, agencies both governmental and private ... who have the means, influence, money, and power to change the infrastructure to a sum increasingly positive for those in the first component; and this, via tax money and the wise use of any resources available from state and federal agencies.

Fourth:

Leader: ... to push, drive, encourage, and lead the way.

The first two have stabilized over the years, the first trying to engage the second, much like the fish trying to engage a water.  A fish cannot live in a water contaminated or without sufficient nutrients or proper temperature.  And we seem to expect a potential investor, entrepreneur, or resident to engage in a core infrastructure deficient in fundamental necessities and amenities ... a core overcome with deficiencies and negatives?   

If the environment we wish to bring to vibrancy is a lake, fed by various streams ... and with an exit to a lower valley, and if the lake owner ... nature ...  desires to attract fish, then it must create, build, or change the lake environment so as to attract the fish .. or, one might say, so as to allow fish to survive and prosper. 

A lake's essence and beauty is defined somewhat by the creatures living within it.  A city core's essence and beauty is defined by the creatures living/working within it.  A core without abundant human creatures is like a lake without fish.

Most of us might commit to the idea that a rather desolate lake, in order to attract fish, must evolve an environment allowing the fish to survive within it.  If a lake is barren or semi-desolate because of insufficient nutrients or because of excessive pollution ... only by changing and improving its water, will the fish swarm to the lake. 

Pretty basic stuff huh?  Why do so few people understand the importance of the city core infrastructure; especially if one wonders why so few humans, over decades, dive into the core with investment, a business, or resident presence? 

Who changes the infrastructure, and how is it done?  Certainly the fish cannot change the water in a lake.  Nor should the entities in component No. 1 be expected to change the infrastructure of a city core.  The potential investor, entrepreneur, resident, or core visitor are like the fish from adjacent streams (suburbs?), circling the lake, waiting ... eager to enter when the water is right with nutrients and temperature, and without toxic pollutants.   

Just as nature provides the wisdom and the force of change to the waters of the lake, the third and fourth components; that is, the Implementers, and the Leader, must provide the wisdom and the force to change and improve the core infrastructure.  To expect the investor, the resident, the entrepreneur, or the core visitor, to change and improve the core infrastructure is folly ... is stupid ... and is like expecting the fish to change the water in a lake.

The funding for the actions of the third component ... the Implementers ...must come primarily from the taxpayer, and perhaps secondarily from the private sector in the form of gifts from any wealthy benefactors ... those who might handle a million dollars with the same effort that most of us would handle a hundred or a thousand. 

But what of the last component?  Just as any system, whether organic or mechanized, must yield to, and achieve proper movement via the guidance and pressure from great leadership, so too, the core journey to real vibrancy and infill can only be completed via the wisdom and pressure from great leadership.  Even considering the other three components ... nothing happens without the fourth ... that of great leadership.

The army cannot conquer without the leadership of a great general.  The organic system cannot evolve, grow, or change without the wisdom and leadership of nature.  The vehicle cannot move efficiently on journey without the leadership emerging from the perfect symphony between all its parts.  Our city core cannot progress along the path to real vibrancy and infill with any respectable speed, without great leadership.

Whence does this leadership come?  In our particular situation regarding the city core ...nothing happens without it. 

[ronchamblin]

Where am I?  Where did everybody go?  ... Oh .... the four components:

the first --     dreamers, doers, residences, entrepreneurs, and creators. 

the second -- the  infrastructure, into which the creators and residents (the first component) must plunge and survive.   

the third --    the facilitators of infrastructural change to the second component. 

the fourth --   the leader, or leadership .... Pushing and leading all, especially the third.

A Summary.  No. 1 waits until changes in No. 2 allows their survival and prosperity.  No. 2 depends on actions from a usually lethargic No. 3, which historically hasn't acted without direction, encouragements, and threats from a strong No. 4.  Ultimately, any significant progress depends on a strong No. 4. 

And nothing happens toward true core vibrancy and infill without the successful "permanent" invasion into the core of the prime movers represented in No. 1. -- Residents, workers, entrepreneurs, businesses, visitors, performing artists and musicians etc. This could be called the "Vibrancy / Infill Supreme Law No. 1.     
   
Although some infrastructural changes have been made in the city core, there are still many aspects that pose negatives for any entity planning to engage the core.

We might wonder about the relative stagnation, and what causes or allows the lack of real progress toward "change" in the core infrastructure.   Among those in positions to produce core improvements, there seems to be a curious hesitancy to engage the process of change with any urgency.  What allows or causes this hesitancy ... the complacency ... the snail's pace we've experienced for decades?   

There seems to be a disconnect between those who want, with great enthusiasm, to revitalize the downtown core (investors, entrepreneurs, potential residents (No. 1), and those who possess whatever it takes to actually produce infrastructural change (No. 3).   In other words, the individuals who have the wealth and influence to make necessary infrastructural changes, are not motivated to do so. They apparently are comfortable ... perhaps excessively so. 

Comfort to one's life in general, along with a respectable measure of financial security ... at least stable in its source ... and comfort further buttressed by spiritual strength and positive social interactions via an established church affiliation, usually encourages a warm comfy feeling ... and thus, a complacency.  Who in a frigid winter, wants to endure cold reality for more than a moment ... when they can remain warm by doing nothing?

Generous and prolonged comforts often cultivate a lethargic mind ... an indifference to tasks perhaps viewed as important to others ... and thus a mind inclined to perpetuate the environment giving security and comfort.  Thought habits leading to real change seldom emerge from individuals enjoying material and spiritual comforts, or from individuals who profit from the status quo. 

So .... Yes ... there is a disconnect.  The individuals having the energy, the dreams, the passion, and the future (No. 1 .. Doers, creators etc) ... usually don't have the money, nor the influence to bring about much needed infrastructural change, which alone will allow their survival in the core.  The creators and doers are like the fish, desiring entry into a lake with little nutrients and excessive pollutants ... a lake wherein only a few odd species can survive ... individuals such as Jerry Moran.  Aren't we tired of having a core populated only by the odd species? 

Oh ..... before I forget, I saw on Truthdig yesterday, an article stating that a fight for police / justice system reform in Chicago and an adjacent county got a boost when the voters ousted the top dog and cat (female) state's attorneys.  Seems that these individuals were not too intent on achieving "justice" for all citizens ... and were perhaps a little too obsessed with the power given them by their postions.  Time to look at our state's attorney's office? 

Seems that we have in our city a nice and comfy system of "justice" wherein some segments of the police, some in the state's attorney's office, some in the probation system, some in the court system, and some attorneys .... are feeding like vultures upon the lower class, the minorities, and the vulnerable, those without money and influence, or knowledge of the law.  The system has become a circle of predators, each taking his or her profits from the victims ... the weak ... then passing the often innocent on to the next vulture, with a final blow from the attorney's who "save" them after financially raping them with huge demands for money from a "possible" long jail terms for, in many cases, bullshit conjured up from unthinking bureaucrats who themselves should be prosecuted and incarcerated for gross neglect, for the destruction of the lives of good citizens, and ultimately, for allowing their greed and indifference to justice to encourage a descent of our local society to further levels of abuse to the vulnerable. 

Our local justice system has within in many intelligent, perceptive, sensitive, and able individuals who are "positives" for the system and for our local society.  We need more of these individuals, and less of the abusers.

Again, there "are" individuals called "criminals" who should be locked up for decades or executed ... but to allow the bureaucrats ... the mediocre "professionals", those who suffer a loss of rationality as a consequence of being so overwhelmed by the phrase "fighting crime", to destroy the lives of many citizens without clear justification, is to fail miserably.  Too often these mediocrities ... probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and police officers ... offend common sense as they surrender to the most inhuman and abusive of tendencies.   

Gotta get to work.  Didn't intend to drift to the local "justice" problem.  I wanted to cover more aspects of the problem of infrastructure ... leadership ... complacency ... and perhaps the origin of the complacency in certain populations.  Forgive me, for I know not what I think.   
 

[ronchamblin]

Observing the sparse feedback to my ramblings, and sensing that some of my MJ friends are already convinced that I'm slipping at an increased rate into dementia, I asked my counselor to read my last several posts.  She did, and has now determined it best to change my meds.  She wants me to increase the beer by 20%, the weed by 30, and to cut both the cocaine and the sex by 50.  Now I'm confused ... occasionally happy, sometimes sad.

Movement toward true vibrancy and infill is indeed like tilting a table to cause desired movement of marbles atop it... assuming the marbles are like the entrepreneurs, residents etc, that we desire in the core.  We might imagine several dozen little hydraulic jacks under one side of the table ... call them infrastructural components ... lifting the table on one side so as to obtain movement of the marbles to the desired side ... the state of vibrancy and infill.  The point is that as many jacks as possible must be made to apply lift to the proper side of the table. 

Let's imagine the impact of only one of the jacks ... the infrastructural component represented by the issuing of parking tickets.  This parking ticket hydraulic jack has the capacity to apply lift, and therefore become a positive, or it will not support lift, and remain a negative regarding the goal of tilting the table ... to vibrancy.

The point is that every effort must be made to ensure that as many jacks as possible apply lift (offer a positive) to the proper side of the table. 

Anyone in the city who suggests, or encourages an attitude, that the issuing of parking tickets is to be considered and encouraged as a source of revenue for the city is a fool ... a stupid fool, if there is such a creature.  Any parking enforcement gestapo supervisor, who instructs his subordinates to issue tickets with aggression or joy, with the goal of issuing as many as possible during a day, is a fool. 

Why?  .... because they are injecting a huge negative into the city core.  I'm amazed at the number of times per year that one of my customers, who needs a book from the downtown store, comments that "Oh, I never go downtown .... there is no parking ... and I always get a ticket."  WTF.   

If the parking enforcement guru had any sense, he or she would issue orders to the street gestapo that tickets should be issued reluctantly, as a last resort.  In fact, a huge positive would be offered to the mind of any citizen if he or she observed a parking gestapo finish writing a ticket for his or her auto, but then observe the gestapo cancel the ticket, with a "have a nice day", when he discovered that the auto owner had just returned.

The point is that the parking tickets, which are of course necessary at this point, should be manipulated by common sense and an improved sense of purpose so that the their impact provides, as much as possible, a decreased negative to the core.

If we view the core infrastructures as a kind of soup, within which are many ingredients, we should do everything possible to ensure that all ingredients improve the taste of the soup.  The parking ticket issue is only one ingredient.  There are dozens more, and we would be fools to not give attention to each of them, so as to make each improve the taste of the soup.

To work.

[ronchamblin]

In order to feel comfortable continuing with the revitalization idea, I must keep reminding myself that the core has been stagnate for at least two decades, and that even now, it cannot be considered to be moving with any respectable speed toward a condition resembling a revitalized core.  This is the problem we've identified, and are set to ponder.  I must admit that I occasionally wonder just how "possible" is the goal, and how "probable" is success to it. 

In any case, I cannot help but sense that, given the lack of progress in general ... over decades of apparent efforts ... too many individuals of position and stature, as a consequence of being too comfortable with the status quo ... have not felt the pressure to focus properly or to think critically about the issue, and therefore remain ignorant as to the best decisions affecting progress.  These individuals only rarely take actions necessary for effective and swift progress to a revitalized core. 

This kind of problem is so multifaceted ... so fluid ... and a little complex ... that it continues to defy our attempts at solution.  The lack of progress, and the fluid nature of the problem reminds me of the Brautigan book "Loading Mercury With a Pitchfork".   

The city core is a relatively small geographical area of around 120 blocks into which we have been trying to encourage residents and businesses to move so as to encourage its evolution to a condition at least resembling the vibrancy of the forties and fifties of the last century. 

Wise investors, entrepreneurs, business persons, and potential residents --  make decisions to relocate, based on the comparison of options before them ... or, based on an area's positives and negatives.  We might recognize that the attributes being measured and compared by potential entrepreneurs and residents "already exist" in the core, and therefore these attributes might be described as part of the core's infrastructure.

If the infrastructure is what the potential investors etc see, measure, and compare, then it makes sense for concerned parties to change the many infrastructural components ... one at a time if need be ... so that each becomes more attractive to the potential investors etc.
   
My last post was about the infrastructural attribute called parking tickets.  How about the infrastructural component called "Sidewalk Frontage Lease Spaces"?  For descriptive purposes, it is often productive to exaggerate, or to suggest extremes, so as to clarify relationships and consequences.

Exaggerated Scenario No. 1 Imagines that 80% of the blocks in the core have an abundance of small to medium lease spaces facing the sidewalks.  The remaining 20% might be government buildings, jails, banks, churches, parks, vacant lots, etc. 

Exaggerated Scenario No. 2 Imagines that only 10% of the blocks have lease spaces facing the sidewalk.  The remaining 90% might be government buildings, jails, banks, churches, parks, vacant lots, etc.

Only the comfortable deluded fool would expect a Scenario No. 2 core to achieve real vibrancy and infill. 

Approaching the ideal of the No. 1 has allowed the mini-cores of Avondale, Riverside, Park & King, San Marco, and the Town Center to grow to and maintain reasonable levels of vibrancy.

The available lease space scenario in the current core unfortunately lies near the end close to No. 2. 

Because the sidewalk frontage lease spaces (SFLS) described above directly impact the ability of the core to attract viable investors and residents, we can consider the ratio as representing a critical portion of core infrastructure.  We have failed miserably, as infrastructural managers, to increase the available SFLS in the core, and therefore the attraction quotient is far below what is necessary to move forward.  Of course, as retail related infrastructure improves ... people are more inclined to move into the core.

How does one improve the ratio of SFLS?  There are no SFLS in front of structures like Bank of America ... city hall ... the jail ... the courthouses ... vacant lots ... parking garages ... or any of the huge granite or cement monoliths in the core ... including the FBC.  Of course most of these monoliths add to the essence of a city.  However, there must be pressure to somehow increase, where practical, the small to medium, sidewalk frontage lease spaces in the core.     

To suggest that the few "empty" SFLS is enough in the core, is to forget that any movement toward vibrancy, with reasonable infill, will quickly show the current number to be inadequate.  A perception, as held by any entity contemplating entry into the core, that there are not enough spaces for an expanded growth for their future partners in creating a vibrant area ... will calm their interest in the core.     

Fundamentally, the core is competing with the malls and outlying areas for customers,  residents, businesses, and investors.  The disadvantages existing in the core, as compared to the non-core competition, simply means that we must enhance any existing core assets and advantages (infrastructures), and do anything and everything to increase any positives, and remove any negatives.

Gotta get to work. Does anyone suggest any other significant core infrastructural components ... stabilized as negatives to potential investors and residents ... that clearly need to be changed or improved? 

[ronchamblin]

Stephen ... I think you mentioned the Wi-Fi in the core on some other posts.  I didn't, at the time, understand the exact nature of it, but we must see more of this kind of solid core improvement, as it can definitely be described as an infrastructural improvement.

As the city makes more substantial infrastructure improvements to the core, we can expect more "experiments" and investors to survive in it.  One might say that every core, at any point in time, has a survivability quotient.  The key to revitalization in our core depends directly on how much the city can increase this quotient.  Ignoring this relationship will only prolong the era of stagnation.

The city and various groups, can, with enthusiasm and great effort, encourage investors, residents, and entrepreneurs to engage the core.  However, as all the failed experiments over the past few years have proven, little of significance will happen until the survivability quotient is  improved by the city and others able to do so ... and the only way to improve it is to target any negatives (parking, parking tickets, lack of progressive mass transit, the lack of sidewalk frontage lease spaces etc), and remove them ... the only way is to target opportunities to add positives ( Wi-Fi), and to act on these opportunities.

Only a person preoccupied with other objectives ... only one who is possessed by excessive ignorance or foolishness,  would attempt to encourage a population of fish to survive and prosper in water polluted, or without necessary nutrients.

[blfair]

(I hope this form of writing, as if thinking aloud ... with its occasional repetitions and perhaps tedious nature ... is not a discomfort to the reader, as it is my comfortable way during morning coffee.)

Hurry folks, today only (possibly others, I'm not sure) you too can try the mescaline infused coffee served at Chamblin's Downtown!  Get it while it's hot.  Offer good while supplies last.   

Oh ..... a message just arrived to mind ... from some god I presume (will try to identify which) ... encouraging me to suggest that we return the core to the benevolent care of nature ... to the wisdom of a forest ...  to all the trees and plants waiting eagerly to fill it ...  to the animals we've pushed to near extinction ...  and that all humans move to the suburbs.  The core must return to its natural beauty via the wisdom of nature, having failed vibrancy via the folly of humans.  Why endure any further the wasteland humans have caused in the core?  Nature will surely create, by its wisdom, a most beautiful natural zoo for the enjoyment of suburbians.  The zoo cost will be practically zero ... as the labor will be nature's ... with decisions and actions always beneficial and loving ...  not corrupted by human greed, religious absurdities, indifference, stupidity, or ignorance. 

The norther border would be Union Street, the southern the river, the west I-95, the east perhaps Philip Randolph.  This means that the city hall, courthouses, the jail, etc .. and the FBC, would have to move out ... perhaps to the Town Center ...  the new city core.  In any case, the buildings in the core could be demolished to make way for the new sub-tropical jungle.  The core could be surrounded by a 50' moat, with a 4' fence down the center.  Boats could approach the shore to view the jungle flora and fauna.  Animals appropriate for the environment would be invited to live in the jungle.

... time to work. Will return soon to clarify the essences of "infrastructure".

Made me think of this, which I spent WAY too much time finding:

(NSFW warning just to be safe, very tiny comic nudity)

http://i.imgur.com/hSZFjRe.png

Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_Jennings

"Business Reply Pamphlet": This small, sixteen-page pamphlet is produced to put inside the postage-paid, business-reply envelopes that come with junk mail offers. Every envelope collected is stuffed with the pamphlet and mailed back to its original company.

[ronchamblin]

I wonder how the upcoming JSO option or obligation to write tickets for jaywalking will impact the core?  Will it be an overall positive for core development, or a negative?  How often will tickets be issued to those who can least afford them, as compared to those who easily can, when both types jaywalk equally?  Will this new rule give any officer inclined to be unfair or prejudiced, the option to ticket some, and not others? 

Just as rules of the law and the court often interfere with the ability or obligation of justice system employees (judges, defense and prosecuting attorneys, police and probation officers etc)  to think clearly about fundamental objectives ... one being real justice for all concerned ... the new rules concerning jaywalking can also remove from the minds of the pedestrian, the necessity of thinking clearly about the most important objective on the street, which is that of safety ... and avoiding at all costs, close engagements with moving traffic. 

A classic example is when a motorist is so intent to abide by the letter of the law ... to stop completely at a stop sign ... does so in order to avoid a ticket, but then pulls in front of traffic when he or she forgets to check for oncoming traffic, by far the most important objective.  Excessive rules can remove from the citizen, the necessity of thinking critically and accurately about conditions and issues surrounding the rule.  He or she approaches being a robot, a dumb robot, and often a dangerous one.  Surely, the most valuable asset humans have, by far, is the ability to think critically.  Although most laws and rules are necessary, in many instances, the new, almost frivolous rules, remove from the mind the need and opportunity to exercise critical thinking. 

Would it make sense to have an advertising program encouraging pedestrians and motorists to actually think?  Or is this to much to expect in our population?  Will the tickets encourage people to think, or to simply look for the officer who might give a ticket?   

But ... onward to the vibrancy issue.  Should we ... any of us, any group or organization attempting to increase the rate at which the city core travels toward the goal of vibrancy and infill, consider it true that all efforts have basically failed?  Imagine the state of the core 30 years ago ... 20 years ago ... 10 years ago.  Look at it now.  Sure, there has been some progress along the journey.  Does anyone suggest that the core has made anything but a very little progress?   

If most people familiar with the core and its condition over recent decades believe that failure to make reasonable progress is the current state, then where are we?  What are we doing different now, that was not being done 10, 20, or 30 years ago?  Stephen? .... Or anyone?  What are we doing now, that is supposed to encourage, facilitate, or force real progress?  Are we doing enough?  Are we really doing anything substantial? 

It does little good ... and it is a waste of everyone's time ... in fact it is shameful and almost deceitful ...  to entice and encourage companies and businesses to move into or invest in the city core, "UNLESS" the infrastructure has been improved sufficiently so that great confidence exists that the new prospect will not only survive, but that it will also prosper.

Any city program designed to offer monetary assistance or incentives to companies or individuals measuring the idea of moving into the city core would be considered to be a part of the core infrastructure, as it would be a fixed core quality to be measured by any potential  investor.  It should be the order of the day, for the city to compensate for any core deficiencies, as viewed by potential investors, to share some of the risk to investors in the current state of the core, by offering incentives and assistance. 

Incentives would be like priming an old hand well pump.  It would be similar to expending much energy to build a fire ... gathering small tender, blowing as the friction heats.  Soon, after much effort, the fire will start, and a strong flame will emerge and continue alone.  Every new resident or business engaging the core, will move the tender closer to flame.

Just as the camper needing a hot meal would suffer without doing tedious work to build a fire, a city will stagnate and suffer if it does not invest in infrastructure in general, and specifically by offering reasonable incentives to potential investors. 

So far, we've covered the infrastructural components: Parking Tickets ... Sidewalk Frontage Lease Spaces ... The "Justice System" ... Intelligent Traffic Lights ... Incentives .... and a couple of others.  Gonna get to work.

[RattlerGator]

Observing the sparse feedback to my ramblings, and sensing that some of my MJ friends are already convinced that I'm slipping at an increased rate into dementia, I asked my counselor to read my last several posts.  She did, and has now determined it best to change my meds.  She wants me to increase the beer by 20%, the weed by 30, and to cut both the cocaine and the sex by 50.  Now I'm confused ... occasionally happy, sometimes sad.

I suspect a decent range of us are lurking, reading, and thinking.

Keep writing, bruh, keep writing. I'll refrain from addressing your "other" specified activities  ;-)