Are you serious? I'd rather see one big green park instead of another strip of restaurants and fancy clothing stores. Everybody should think twice about the environment not uselessly pouring concrete so that others could profit. Think green!

Dear Kenall,

I understand your argument, and I have been to Milano before. My point is that regardless of what nature of business (retail, residential, restaurant, ext.) all people benefit from a thriving downtown. Imagine if a Dillards Department Store, 200 occupency condo complex and an Eddies Bakery opened next, or close to Milano? What would that do for business? Clearly it would pick up. Milano would get business from the people shopping in the department store, people going to and from their homes and people picking up cakes and bakery goodies. Tell me how the Italian restaurant would have got that business from those customers any other way? I who may only go for Steve Madden shoes would have never gone to Milano before, but because they are close together I see the restaurant and go in.

The only way to thrive is to work together. "My business is just as important as yours is" should be the mentality in this environment of revitalization.

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

Katina

Thanks Kendall, I'll make a point to go there Friday.

"What could be better than the rush of two love birds, Becky and Travis, running to their favorite 5 star restaurant on the populated streets of Fulton, hearing the domestic chatter and excitement of busy car horns? Becky suddenly stops to gaze into a cleverly crafted window display for a pair of leopard print Steve Madden stilettos, and the couple becomes one of the hundreds window shopping in Downtown Fresno. A few moments pass by as Becky wonders how fantastic those shoes really are, and Travis quickly reminds Becky of their 9:00 p.m. dinner reservation. Travis explains, “Becky, honey that Gino’s is always packed to maximum capacity, and we got to get going because it’s 8:51 p.m.” Becky gets excited again for a night of dinner, dancing and fun in Downtown, and the two continue on their journey through the lively city streets to reach their destination.

If Becky’s Downtown was your downtown would you go? Isn’t this Downtown worth the investment? Tell the City of Fresno that this is the Downtown you want. You want a Downtown not another park."

Without being too too immodest, Becky and Travis already have the opportunity to go to an excellent Italian restaurant on the Fulton Mall called milano.

The problem is that they are not actually going there. They may be talking a lot about going. But they are not going.

Without patrons, that fine Italian restaurant does not exist (for long). The City giving money to that fine Italian restaurant only helps for a short time.

Becky and Travis need to spend their own money, and support that fine Italian restaurant at times other than their cool, hip, 9:00 p.m. reservation. Maybe go in at 2:00 p.m. on a Monday. Maybe go to one of their shows on a Saturday night.

I don't think the shoe store would last long either.

Just trying my best and working my hardest,
Kendall

I still need to write about it, but at the mentioning of the show by Mike Oz (we have radically different tastes in music, usually,) I set out to see the Avett Brothers in Hanford a couple of weeks ago.

I googled directions. (They were a bit confusing.)
I spoke to the lady at the venue (the Fox Hanford Theatre,) --she really couldn't give me directions (like she was not sure how to get there from Fresno

I drove to the town of Hanford, and was on the main roads mentioned on mapquest, --even called the lady at the venue (again,) as to which roads to turn onto to get to the center of town, (she didn't know, was busy handling people coming in, (not a huge crowd, actually.)

Feeling I was close, I spoke to a guy at the gasstation (buying gas,) as to where the Fox Hanford Theatre was, (he was vague, but told me it was only a couple of blocks away,
-his directions didn't make sense when attempted.

-Ditto with another woman at another store buying fuel.

-Store owner down by the racetrack? Nope, couldn't help either...

-Yet another store owner? didn't speak English too well, had no idea as to where the place was.

-2 Domino's drivers (Domino's Drivers,,, dude, I'm a former Domino's driver from like, a million years ago, where it was our job to get something to anywhere within 30 minutes or it was FREE.)
THEY didn't know where it was, and were not sure how to get there.

Finally... a woman outside of the store (of the guy who didn't speak English who couldn't help me, ---but was at least polite,) -she told me a couple of turns, to go to this or that main street, and if I didn't see it? keep heading down the street, I'd hit town center and the Theater would be right there, (big lit up sign etc.)

--I would have gone for my old stand-by, 'ask a police officer, they usually know their own towns,' --but there were none around... (rats!, dang!)

--Finally, like a good half hour (at least) into the Avett Brother's set, (and they had an openning act,) I finally found the place and made it inside the theatre, looking like an axe murder (with rabies,) looking for an axe. (I later apologized to the road-manager T-Shirt/CD guy for kind of having that 'Axe Murderer kind of tone' in my voice when paying the full price to the show...

But seriously...
Half hour driving to Hanford, then
45 minutes driving around the town itself,
just trying to find the center of it....
(Embarassing now, Severely Pissing Off of yours truly at the time...)

-The Show was excellent,
-price was great considering how good these guys are.
-show was too short (only because I couldn't find the place and missed the first 1/2 plus of it...)

NOW
-The Fox Hanford Theater was stunning, is a beautiful venue, the show was great, and the downtown is really beautiful of the town, (places to hang out and eat, do whatever,) ----very classy little joint, (I can see why folks rave about it...)

---But it was kind of a mindblower that nobody from the town of Hanford really knew how to get there. (And this thing is kind of hard to miss.)

---IF
Hanford was like Fresno (dying downtown, shabby, etc, etc.)
---THEN (maybe,) folks had dismissed it and 'no longer went there,' (like people from all over Fresno treat Downtown, (the Champ. and Perrin kids who have never been downtown in like their whole lives, ---and they're in their mid to late twenties.....)

---So the disconnect could be:
-'Yeah, it's gorgeous and restored (and has one of the funnest, sharpest, hard rockin on a banjo and viola NATIONAL) acts...
---but if the place (DownTown) was 'Dead,'
---and the full comeback was not thoroughly conveyed (and folks aren't 100% on board? (that stuff is happening and worth going to?)

-You will have a generation of people who don't even know how to get to their own downtown, (even though it's restored and gorgeous...)
Which Hanford IS.

--AND they even have illuminated signs so you could see the crosstreets, --one of the main one that (some folks,) were referencing?
-had blown bulbs... (another culprit, as I was looking for something that could not be seen... (arrgh.)

IF/WHEN Fresno does stuff with downtown?
That's only HALF the battle.

Informing/Conditioning folks to go there (when it's all beautiful, stunning, charming, retro, (bla-blah-blah,)
--Even the Domino's drivers may not know how to get there, (which can almost be as bad as what happens when you ask how to get downtown these days, and folks just look at you and say
'Downtown? WHY???!')

Moral of the story:
-Avett Brothers are totally worth going to see, (anywhere,) The show could have been better attended (seriously, small but devoted crowd it would seem,)
-Mike Oz deserves props for recommending this show (when nobody else talked it up, ---just days prior to getting marrriaged...(I was already an Avett Brothers fan, but it was so cool to know that they were playing.)
-Perhaps a dry run, with a GPS unit, and Air National Guard flying directions over head may be necessary when looking to attend an event in the Valley, (which may get pricey, and aggrivate neighbors.)

Yes a riverwalk would sound like a fabulous idea and I was all for it until I found out they would have to take out some more of downtown Fresno. Part of some streets would disappear along with a few buildings thus ripping out more of the historical qualities that made downtown Fresno. We have to work with what we've got and need to fill the vacant buildings that exist all over Fulton and Broadway streets. We need to take out the surface parking lots and build something. If only there were an architect or architects that would rebuild what was lost on Broadway like the old City Hall, the Carnegie Library, White Theatre, Odd Fellows Hall, YMCA, etc... These magnificent structures graced Broadway and was more lively than Fulton Street before they decided to tear it down because of "blight". Mind you, these buildings were never empty like you see now.

I say, tear out Fulton Mall and make it a street again. These little mom and pop shops on Fulton just don't do anything for a downtown Fresno image. We need some old-school businesses back here like J.C. Penny's, Gottschalk's, Sears, etc... A sports bar is sorely needed in downtown. Something close to the ball park.

But those are just my thoughs...

I'm as anxious as anyone else to see a vibrant 24-7 atmosphere downtown, but I'm not opposed to a few nicely designed parks being in the mix.

We desperately need more green space in Fresno (especially Downtown) and now is a good time to work it in. If developers do start in on downtown, I want the park space secured, so that we don't turn around and find that there isn't a park for miles. There's plenty of business space and I don't think one or two parks will hurt that potential. It should help, if it's done right. Personally, I'm really looking forward to the completion of the Eaton Plaza project.

About the downtown Riverwalk, don't worry. It hardly has a chance of happening anymore. The City Council has voted repeatedly to cut funding from that project. It looks like they are still going to work on a block long water feature (ex. fountains of some sort), but nothing nearly as destructive, large, or expensive as a riverwalk.

The City needs to make things easier for developers who choose to build downtown, but it's not up to the City to build these businesses. I'm glad they're working on aesthetics and green space; it's their job.

Downtown Fresno will be rebuilt... It's just a matter of time.

~Rell www.myspace.com/559rell www.myspace.com/trellthareallamane (music production)