Downtown action team studying parking, lofts, commercial incentives

A lack of parking downtown is one of the things being tackled by the Downtown action team. Photo by Ellen Thommesen.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

It’s safe to say there are few areas in Jefferson City that have received attention from more groups than downtown.

Although groups like the Downtown Business Association and the city’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Revitalization of Old Town have been pointing out — for years, in some instances — the potential that exists in the area, the newest group to toss its hat into the ring might be the one that makes the largest impact.

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As one of the nine action teams for the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown action team has spent months exploring ....

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wcywing 2 years ago

parking would help, those new side walks didn't help much.

miltonwaddams 2 years ago

i think they need to bull doze a few more buildings for parking lots

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

I agree bulldoze more older structures with historical significance like the Bassmann House, the original Police Station, The Lohman house, and whole blocks for Modern concrete pillbox's with non descript exteriors of nice slabs of concrete, that will attract alot of visitors to the City of Jeffferson. Least we not forget they will more than likely be bureaucrat bungalo's that a lowly tourist would not want to visit or if they did would have to go through metal detectors, be strip searched then sign in and be escorted around like a terrorist to protect the oh so important asst. to the asst. of the director of the thimble's secretary! Give me a break!

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

I have a question for anyone that has noticed...........Why did the City build and promote an industrial park over near the Cole County fairgrounds and then turn around when unilever moves it's warehousing facility to another state, start filling it with another State Agency that yet again produces nothing but paper and no real revenue or jobs to the community? The City and the County are here to promote Jefferson City and Cole County to private industry as a good place to locate business's and encourage private capital investments in our community. Another fine case of robbing peter (the tax-payer) to pay Paul (the local government)!

JCLifer 2 years ago

All that public money that keeps being poured into that bottomless pit called "Uptown Jefferson City" is a waste.

For all the tax dollars they keep spending on uptown, there still are very poor services, very few businesses, little convenient parking, and the downtown roadways are potholed and crumbling like many of the other city streets.

I say the best thing to do is to level the downtown- any vacant buildind should be leveled and then sold to the highest bidder to anyone who wants the lot to build a house, put in a new business, or whatever.

The downtown area is almost as bad as the East Side for having all these vacant buildings and boarded-up windows. This town looks a lot like Detrot when you drive around and look at it. Knock that trash down and sell it to highest bidder so maybe we can get something useful going there.

JMO 2 years ago

I doubt the owners of those vacant buisinesses on High Street would agree with you! When I walked downtown the other day I noticed several buildings look like they are being renovated for new tenants. Isn't the whole point that they are looking into correcting the parking and other problems downtown?

tonto 2 years ago

They walk about the same distance at the Capital Mall ... no, wait, they don't go there either. They walk even farther at the Columbia Mall.

wcywing 2 years ago

there is always plenty of parking at the mall, i doubt if it should still be considered a mall.

Rison 2 years ago

The main problem is the people who drive around in their little Interceptors, salivating a little more each time another minute ticks off the meter. I work downtown. The first week I worked here, I put a little change in and went about my business. I knew exactly how much time I had, and I was going to use every second. A little later, I realized I needed to get something out of my car. I walked outside, and there she sat, writing me a ticket with about ten minutes to go on my meter. I walked back in and waited until I had about 25 seconds left. She was walking up to slap the little green envelope on my windshield when I walked by her, didn't say a word, and got in to drive away. I won that round, but trust me when I say, I was a marked man after that.

tonto 2 years ago

Bring on the neocons!

Where is all the yapping about the free market and "letting" business prosper? How much taxpayer money does it take to make the so-called free market work? Why does the city need to pay for building facade updates? Why do the taxpayers need to pay for parking garages they don't/can't won't use?

What they really need downtown is some roundabouts! (You know I'm right!) What does Carrie Tergin Carroll think about some downtown roundabouts? She's about the only creative person out there.

wcywing 2 years ago

heh, well the gov is supposed to do things that the individual can not (roads, disasters, defence, etc). i'm not sure how free market JC really is; JC voted on smoking ban, voted to say it was ok for JC to force trash service (without a bid process for a contract like new bloomfield did), the last mayor feard that tattoo shops would threaten downtown JC.

btw there are people starting new stores/business in the downtown area. there buildings that need some tlc, like the old Leed's shoe store that i think is still for sale.

we don't need no roundabouts downtown, i hate those things! no more neocons either, look what W did for 8 years. get rid of O too.

tonto 2 years ago

It's a definition thing for me. If some business needs government subsidies to work, it is not economically viable. That's the biggest thing I have against these "downtown" groups and their plans. If they have all these great ideas why don't they do them with their own money?

wcywing 2 years ago

that is a good question, use their own money. maybe they can do something in a group that they can't do as individuals. not sure if it would work though. there has been progress on the eastside, such as prison brews, mission, odonahue's, coffee zone, et al.

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

I agree, but, don't forget Odonahue's got some low interest loans from the State or the City I don't remember which, for their project. I think she went over her budget or something it was in the paper at the time. I guess it has all worked out.

wcywing 2 years ago

i think it was because she was restoring a historcal building, or something like that.

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

yeah I am sure that is what it was, which, is a good thing.

tonto 2 years ago

I wonder if you have been to the Boonville casino. Please go there and have a look around and then come tell us about a quality casino.

Rison 2 years ago

How would the quality of a Booville casino have anything to do with the quality of another casino?

wcywing 2 years ago

the last time i was there, lots of people having a good time, and people working. its not vegas but still, lots of people go there.

melbrooks 2 years ago

Folks, can we give the casino angst a rest? It was voted on--twice--and lost. I think it was a poor decision, but hey, that's the breaks. What good does it do to constantly harp on it? Let's spend our time and energy on the future instead of constantly rehashing the past.

Downtown is picking up. Not booming, but progress is being made. If you haven't been yet, Cork is wonderful, and J. Phenny's (the old Mike's Corner Pocket) will come online soon. Based on what I've seen on their Facebook page, they're investing a lot of money. Investment is a good thing--both private and public.

Rison 2 years ago

Finally, I get to disagree with good ole' Mel. ; )

The casino issue is totally relevant in this discussion, it bears repeating. The current trend in town is to create committees and action teams to promote change, which is all well and good, but how much can really change? We talk about goals and potential, but there is obviously a strong "old guard" that doesn't want progress. The casino issue lies at the core of this very topic. Hopefully we will start to see some real progress soon.

That said. Cork is great, and I'm very excited about J. Phenny's!

3blindmice 2 years ago

so you all in favor of development of the river front as long as it is a casino? and why would the railroad give up access to the river for a floating barge? wait I have a idea. they could move it up wares creek about a mile.

I will go on to say you cannot create a buzz. for anyone that has lived in other vibrant commuties the energy is already there itself. the old guard in jefferson city will never allow that to happen. thats the point of these "groups", is to make sure anything that does happen reflects the old way of doing business

Rison 2 years ago

I am in favor of river front development. I was also in favor of a casino. Sadly, I am starting to realize that you are exactly right about the point, er, "mission" of some of these groups.

JCLifer 2 years ago

A nice riverfront park, Casino, and ample parking would fit just perfectly on the NORTH SIDE OF THE RIVER, with a great view of the Jefferson City uptown skyline and the capitol building, etc.

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

That is a good idea. I also wondered why our fine city fathers/mothers never thought to use the Old Prison grounds as the site for their beloved "Convention Center" it would make a perfect spot. The Administration Building would make the perfect entrance to a luxury hotel addition much like how they used Union Station in St. Louis main Terminal as the Lobby of the Hotel. Now that would attract visitors and convention planners to select Jefferson City. But it seems they are bent on W. McCarty a flood zone cramped space and too much congestion to locate the convention Center.

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

Your idea would also fit perfect for the Convention Center and a Convention Hotel along with the Casino and all the parking you would need. Well we can only hope someone from the City see's what we post. :)

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

Yes, the Brewery was where the safeway building now Central Dairy has on Dunklin Street. Capitol Brewery, and the Stables where in the parking lot behind where Ecco lounge is. there was a tunnel connecting the two sites, actually I think it is still there but since they filled the back lot many years ago with chat you can't see anything of the entrance.

JMO 2 years ago

You know, when they first started talking about what to do with the old prison I heard over and over that it was where they were going to put the convention center. I don't know what ever happened to that or why that changed. Was that never a consideration? (Of course, I've heard also that nothing will ever be done to the prison because certain people don't ever want portions of it to be dug up and people to find out what - or who - may be buried there. Nothing but a conspiracy theory perhaps?)

rmsberengaria 2 years ago

Yup, and watch the same, in the know, group of realtors and builders that we all know in this city are salivating and rubbing their hands together working behind the scenes, with our fine old city fathers figuring out who gets what and how much they will make off the Prison property. You can bet its not for the people or by the people, a bunch of under the table dealing going on. Yes, the conspiracy theory probably is valid since the area had been the prison and off limits to most all for 150 years or thereabout.

JCLifer 2 years ago

I will laugh my butt off when the state changes its mind and decides that it wants to keep the property for its own use.

wcywing 2 years ago

btw what is the average rent/lease of a building downtown? i have heard its quite high. that maybe the reason there are not a lot of business in the downtown area.

i have not been to Cork's or J. Phenny's yet, but both places looks great.

bluesfan13 2 years ago

I don't think they're any higher than commercial space anywhere else in the city. The spot that was "Through the Garden Gate" is for lease at $850/month, or about $7.30/sq.ft./year. That's fairly cheap for business property. New construction runs about $13/sq.ft./year or more lease rate depending on what's included.

JCsleeper 2 years ago

Seems like almost every week there is at least one (news?) article about revitalizing uptown.

wcywing 2 years ago

i think they are trying to put some positive spin on downtown JC. it might be working.

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