I love to see downtown areas thrive. IF I had several million dollars, I would invest in downtown areas, because I think the future is moving toward downtown storefronts and residential second floors.
I think this is true because I see that urban areas are getting larger. Throughout the country, there is more and more growth in urban areas. This is a trend that will continue because that is where the jobs are. I think that even in the smaller towns, we will begin to see growth in the downtown areas farther beyond the current antique mall and “historic districts” that we have today. As people look for places to build, they will find that the downtown buildings are in relatively good shape. They were built sturdy in the first place, but they can also be easily remodeled to accommodate newer residents. I also see that even with the move to the suburbs of the 1970s and 1980s, the businesses remained downtown. Now, with a more environmental concern as well as a desire to maximize time between home and work, we will see more and more people move to the cities closer to their workplaces.
If this is true, what should we do? I believe now is the time to invest in the downtown areas, it is early, so there may be a good payout in the long run. I also think that there should be a movement to bring higher end businesses downtown. I see a trend in many places to build outdoor time malls, when in reality all they become are new storefront downtown areas. If we used the buildings that were already built, we can save some of that property for other things…or nothing at all. It doesn’t make sense to me to build a new city center when another historical city center sits empty. But, I also think that money should be used to remodel. Many of the downtown areas were built for a different time. I have seen in many different places that they can be remodeled to accommodate a modern framework and maintain some of the charm.
Finally, I believe this will be a new opening for churches. Many inner city churches have struggled through the past decades, but, as people move in, this can be a great opportunity to reach entire cities for Christ.