From the report:
In 2005, Joplin's Range Line Road was the place for shopping, eating out, and just about anything. But Joplin's Main Street downtown had plenty of empty buildings and needed a change.
Then a concept video helped make all the difference now seen today.
"We had a vision for what Joplin's Main Street could look like," said Gary Shaw, Joplin City Council.
Gary Shaw remembers then City Manager Mark Rohr wanted to show a downtown with remodeled storefronts, new businesses, mural projects, and historic markers.
"While not everything in that video has been accomplished, we've come a long ways," said Shaw.
The only thing city government did was to get rid of the "downtown mall" concept by testing out the trees and concrete to restore the parking that was there in the 1970s. So he really ought to admit that after 40 plus years that the city government reversed a stupid decision that virtually destroyed downtown.
ReplyDeleteI remember doing stories on this idea 15 years ago. It seemed pie in the sky, but I guarantee you if you pull up photos or video from before this, it will be a stark change. Personally and politics aside, they have made it look great. As for why KOLR did this story, well there are changes afoot in Springfield, and it was an idea that was poorly communicated...they knew they had changes occurring in Springfield, and wanted to showcase a successful change...but the writing and story connection was poor. Sadly, the standards of television are changing in terms of experience, so you get poor results more often.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Gary Shaw was in charge of it when Central Assembly destroyed the well-preserved and historical register-listed facade of the former Fox Theatre by plastering it with diarrhea-colored stucco. BIG improvement. And Bunny Newton still has one of the ugliest building facades in all of downtown Joplin, and hasn't spent a dime upgrading it. Vision? What a crock.
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