Tt post may 5 2016

May 5, 2016 Toledo Blade story

A vision for downtown Toledo’s future includes more parks, improved traffic flow, and an emphasis on riverfront development.

Speakers offered several facets of development that would rearrange traffic patterns, add green space, expand riverfront access, and encourage residential and business development.

Continuous riverfront access and green space was emphasized, including as a tool to revitalize the Vistula neighborhood. Mr. Morton said Toledo needs to “get the junk off the river” in that area.

“No one needs to store salt there,” he said, referring to cargo docks along the riverfront just downstream from downtown Toledo.

Adding a potential 320 acres of parks — or 20 percent of the downtown area compared with the current 2 percent dedicated to parks — would put Toledo on par with other successful cities such as Chicago, he said.

It seems like it will be tricky to balance more residential and business development with more green space.

More from the Blade:

... the plan calls for remodeling or moving the SeaGate Convention Centre to improve access between Fifth Third Field, the Huntington Center, and the rest of downtown.

Residential demand has the potential to support 1,500 units downtown, according to the plan.

Then this odd part from the Blade story:

Building on the success of Hensville ...

Success already? It opened about two months ago.

And I think that it can be argued that Hensville's opening and its existence are dubious.

Some of the small businesses that have opened in downtown Toledo in recent years missed their initial targeted opening dates by six to twelve months. The renovations and legal issues took longer than expected. And then the inspections and scheduling inspections. But somehow Hensville hit its planned opening date.

[begin_off-topic_swerve]

I've noticed that the Blade has been advertising Hensville a lot in Blade stories.

For example, in the Blade's May 1, 2016 editorial about Toledo's high infant mortality rate, the op-ed mentioned Hensville.

What in the hell does Hensville have to do with children dying before their first birthday?

Is this sponsored content? Is Hensville paying the Blade for these mentions? Note the advertisement for the same organization in the editorial about early death:

But as we celebrate the playoff streak of the Walleye, or the opening of Hensville with its flashy new brew pub and rooftop baseball viewing, we should all know that neighborhoods a short walk from the ballpark have infant mortality rates higher ...

I would have preferred this type of advertising when discussing Toledo's dead infants:

"As we shop for high quality but expensive art supplies at The Art Supply Depo which offers wonderful service or drink $6.00 tasty beers at the Black Cloister or enjoy amazing meals from the food artists at Kengo's and Registry Bistro, we should all know that neighborhoods a short walk from downtown funville have infant mortality rates higher than the rates of infant deaths in Syria, Jordan, and the Gaza strip; or in Albania, China, and Mexico."

[end_off-topic_swerve]

I don't think that it's a good idea to view Hensville as a template for future downtown development. How about learning from the owners of Westgate and the Franklin Park Mall?

Text from the image of the slide that endcycle posted above.

What We Heard

1. Access to the River
2. Create a Continuous Riverwalk
3. Events and Entertainment
4. More Parks and Recreation
5. Need more things to do Downtown
6. More Housing Opportunities
7. More and Improved Bike Lanes
8. Attractions, Cultural Events and Uses
9. Better Public Transportation
10. Improve Promenade Park
11. More Lighting and Safer Pedestrian Streets
12. Access to Boats (Water Taxi/Ferry/Marina/Transient Boats)
13. Grocery, Sundries, Shopping, Neighborhood Services
14. Jobs, Density, More People
15. Better Market Downtown, Change Perception, City Commitment
16. Sustainability

#toledo #business