What do you want to see happen with the next phase of downtown redevelopment?
NICOLE LESLIE, owner of Old Town Antique Market: “I am pleased that the bus station (transit center) is moving so that hopefully I won’t hear it’s scary downtown.”
SCOTT HORENSTEIN, Vancouver attorney who bought the former Vancouver Food Center site on Main Street: “We need to redo Main Street. That’s going to be central to it and that means rerouting the traffic two-ways, redoing the sidewalks making it more pedestrian friendly. The main core needs to do something to create foot traffic.” Horenstein wants to redevelop the property with a building that could mix retail, office space and housing.
What kind of time frame are you hoping for regarding redirecting Main Street traffic?
HORENSTEIN: “Soon. I presume things are going to happen on the Boise Cascade (waterfront redevelopment). That’s going to be a gem and we don’t want to be left behind.”
How would Main Street becoming a two-way thoroughfare impact your business?
CELINDA RUPERT, former owner of Iduhair & Company Salon Retreat and president of Vancouver’s Downtown Association: “It’s only going to be a positive. We get asked a lot how to find us. It should be simple being on Main Street, but it’s not. You can’t have that Do Not Enter sign on Mill Plain Boulevard. Just turn this street into two way.”
How would you describe the downtown retail climate?
RUPERT: “Crickets chirping. We need more retailers. We need more reasons for folks to come down during the day. We’ve got lots of nightlife.”
LINDA GLOVER, owner of Design Consign: It’s a challenge. I know of several businesses that are up for sale.When you have easy access over to
Jantzen Beach and you don’t have to pay sales tax. Downtown isn’t an exciting place to shop yet. It’s not strong, vital retail. We’re kind of a destination place.”
What is getting in the way of improving that?
GLOVER: “Northwest 23rd Avenue in Portland makes it because of the different places to park and shop. There is not enough retail built up (in downtownVancouver). Around Esther Short Park it works because of the events drawn into the park. You can’t get people to walk from the park to Main Street. The empty block (at Columbia and Eighth streets) serves as a barrier. They don’t see anything beyond that. Walk up along Sixth Street and the transit center creates a barrier as well. The bus mall leaving is a huge boon to us.”
LESLIE: “The idea of bringing trains downtown, transportation, and changing that on the (Interstate 5) Bridge, it would probably be a great thing. But in the meantime, don’t increase our taxes or tax parking. We’re in the trenches trying to reclaim the charm of downtown. Don’t
punish me for being a pioneer. It ain’t on the map yet.”
Is there a good mix of retail in the downtown core?
RUPERT: “I’d love to see more boutiques.”
GLOVER: “The obvious gap is a grocery store. For the urban person downtown there are a few of those things still missing.”
The former Boise Cascade site on Vancouver’s waterfront and the Carr Auto site are both slated for major changes that include retail, housing and office components.How will those two projects reshape downtown Vancouver?
RUPERT: “Any redevelopment we do downtown is going to add to the thriving cultural mix, that good kind of chaos. We want to have a voice in that and not let Main Street get cast in the shadow.”
GLOVER: “We’re going to need to make sure that transportation from Boise to downtown is easy. A real key, to any city, is some kind of trolley system. A rubber tire system to move people around. It’s too early for that right now.”
The city helped guide the redevelopment of Esther Short Park and the surrounding area. Are city officials doing enough for the next wave and how does the private sector play a role?
HORENSTEIN: “It’s definitely going to take a combination (of the city and private businesses). The private side is doing everything it possibly can. In the end, it’s money and a lot of money. We continue to make ourselves available to assist the city. We’ve done legislative things, like pushing for tax increment financing. We could take a huge leap forward if we get that. We’re in the Legislature every year to push that issue. It’s not going to come by magic.”
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Scott Horenstein
ATTORNEY/ BUSINESS OWNER
MAIN STREET, VANOUVER
“We need to redo Main Street. That’s going to be central to it and that means rerouting the traffic two-ways, redoing the sidewalks making it more pedestrian friendly.”
Nicole Leslie
OWNER
OLD TOWN ANTIQUE MARKET
“The idea of bringing trains downtown, transportation, ... it would probably be a great thing. But in the meantime, don’t increase our taxes or tax parking. We’re in the trenches trying to reclaim the charm of downtown.”
Celinda Rupert
FORMER OWNER OF IDUHAIR & COMPANY SALON RETREAT AND PRESIDENT OF VANCOUVER’S DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION.
“Any redevelopment we do downtown is going to add to the thriving cultural mix, that good kind of chaos. We want to have a voice in that and not let Main
Street get cast in the shadow.”
Linda Glover
OWNER
DESIGN CONSIGN
“When you have easy access over to Jantzen Beach and you don’t have to pay sales tax. Downtown isn’t an exciting place to shop yet. It’s not strong, vital retail.”
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