BUT, Midland itself has always been a wonderful city for various reasons. It's a good place to raise children; good place to do business with low cost of living; good access to bigger cities and of course, we have our favorite backyard just down the road: Ruidoso!
Now there is talk about revitalization of downtown. The city council is currently implementing a plan to create an "Entertainment District." Speculation on the success of this project has many people shaking their heads. One person I've heard from has said,
"I have lived in Midland all of my life (45+ years) and downtown Midland was NEVER a place for nightlife."
Well, times have changed. Midland is growing and it is undeniable that changes need to take place to roll with the growth. Downtown Midland has been in dire need of a "make over" for years, but the sheer magnitude of the job has always been a hindrance. Well, no longer.
Midland Development Corp. in conjunction with the Midland Chamber of Commerce and City of Midland, are currently underway with plans to breath new life into the Tall City. Avenues that were once commonplace and unremarkable will be torn out and remodeled after big city thoroughfares, friendly to pedestrians and vendors and future landmarks. Sidewalk cafe's will replace empty lobby windows. Trees will shadow bench seating and artistic works. Who could wish ill of such work? Who would not want such improvements?
For many years, the conservative elite of Midland have chosen not to make changes for fear of watching money be tossed aside toward unfruitful resources. Can you blame them? Who would want to see millions of dollars spent on something that will turn to nothing within a matter of a few years? Such is not the case today. It can not be the case and Midland can't let it be.
The time has come for the people of our fair city to pull together and make something better for ourselves and for our future. I don't want to live in a town where we all think ill of this section or that because no one wants to go and put the work into making it have value! "South of the tracks", "East side" and "Deadland, TX" should be phrases to be shunned when uttered or heard. Right now, Midland is growing to the North and West. Well we need to work on downtown and make it the catalyst for growth in Midland to spread South and East. ALL of Midland can prosper in our new found stage of growth and DOWNTOWN MIDLAND can be the answer.
"What we have found from other cities that have been successful with downtown redevelopment is that their success has been based on hundreds and hundreds of people doing hundreds and hundreds of things, both big and small," Chuck Swallow said.
Hundreds and hundreds... That's you and me.
Think about it.
3 comments:
Future landmarks are good....but unfortunately we've torn to many of our old "past" landmarks down. And I'm afraid this may happen again....
Pancho, I share your concern but one thing that is different now as oppossed to years ago is "quality of construction."
Some "landmarks" are just to broken down and would be too costly to refurbish. Others, like Yucca Theater for example, are in a state that can be maintained and improved.
Future construction will be of good enough quality that we won't face that again. Unique buildings, businesses and establishments in the future entertainment district should develop long-standing ability and with proper marketing of downtown... will stick around!
If they do decide to revamp downtown, the first guy that has the money needs to build a user friendly parking garage.
He might make his money back.
Papa Ray
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