Countertop returned to Knoxville for a visit. His observations are interesting about our fair city. More interesting was his response to my comment:

I just don’t understand it – well, I do, but I don’t. Knoxville is a
prime example of what I call the Wal Mart Flight.

Businesses and people keep moving out to the further suburbs and the
farther the population base gets from city center, the more difficult it
is to revitalize the center. Heck, even Knoxville Mercedes is 45
minutes out of town now.

When they spent untold millions on the lighting of memorial bridge – a
bridge to no where int he early 90s it made no sense to me – The old
City project did, but it wasn’t followed up by the smart downtown
investments that were needed – instead the city leaders put their future in
Whittle Communications and a Womens Basketball Hall of Fame. We all know
what happened to Whittle and when was the last time you ever heard of
someone wanting to go to the Basketball Hall of Fame – let alone the
Womens Baketball Hall.

Its really strange, since we spent yesterday in downtown Chattanooga –
a city whose downtown had as bad a reputation as any in America.
Chattanooga though, is back. Downtown is now desireable, with vibrant
business centers reopening on both sides of the river, the Lookouts, the
Aquarium (a much better tourist destination than a Womens Basketball Hall of
F-ame), the new Salt Water Aquarium in the works, and something
Knoxville desperatly needs – good restaurants.

Would good parking have solved their problems??? Maybe, 15 years ago.
But perhaps what they need more is better city planning – locating more
tourist attractions within walking distance of Gay Street.

It looked like they were converting most of the old warehouses to
condo’s . . . will that do the trick?

Doubtful, not without better city wide planning.

Downtown Knoxville is dying, it just doesn’t know it yet. Would someone please tell the Metropulse staffers that?

Posted in uncategorized on June 1st, 2004 by SayUncle | RSS 2.0 |