So, I was reading an article in the Dispatch today titled Downtown living has perks, say residents and was a bit stunned to read what some residents were considering “perks”. The enjoyment of dead side walks after 6 pm? Driving to shop at the Lennox or Lowe’s on Hudson? At least Tim Knapp was right on to say that nightlife isn’t nonexistant downtown. He nailed it with this quote:
Knapp scoffed at those who say Downtown has no nightlife. “There are some people who could be in New York City and say the same thing,” he said. “There’s stuff to do every night of the week.”
Sounds like something I’ve said over and over on Columbus Underground.
Anyway, while I realize that it’s unrealistic for someone to live downtown without driving around the city for one reason or another, I think the article really missed the mark with what it considers a “perk” of downtown living. Why should driving to Lowe’s be something even mentioned when Zettler Hardware (which has been downtown for over 160 years) is walking or biking distance from most condos downtown. It’s even a closer drive if you do need to load up your car with items that would be too heavy to carry home.
Perhaps it’s just the quotes picked out by the writer of the article but it sounds like the folks interviewed are still mostly living a suburban lifestyle. Peace and quiet of the empty sidewalks at night is something people in the suburbs seek out. It makes me wonder what Ruth Lantz will say when a bar or restaurant or any other business open late sprouts up nearby and she no longer “has the place to herself”.
Anyway, I’m glad the article was done with mostly a positive angle on downtown living, but I think it missed the mark.
[...] article titled “Downtown living has perks, say residents” that I posted on my blog a few days ago is in the Dispatch’s “Letters to the Editor” section today. (Wow, three links in [...]