Photo Credit: girlcalledheaven on flickr.
You should care about what happens to Overton Square. Please say something about it here.
There are examples of successful gentrification of blighted urban/residential retail areas all over this country, and of them Overton Square could be a shining star. The possibilities for the Square are endless, but it takes many people with a singular vision and a common goal to make this happen. This discussion is a great way to start. Please tell everyone about this site and encourage them to get involved.
"Part of the Square's draw is its heritage. Another is its architecture. Frankly an ugly, brick and fake stucco mega-retailer would erase one of the city's few remaining cultural gems.
"Overton Square could include upscale boutique retail, restaurants and office space, but it must have a strong anchor to make it a destination not just for the general public, but for like-minded retailers as well. I agree with Stoy's comments about the draw of Playhouse on the Square, but there needs to be more -- a draw that pulls more than the occasional visitor/tourist.
"Midtown shoppers must make compromises to shop at any of the current grocery options. We either have to deal with complacent filth, parking nightmares, or price gouging to offset poor security. We are in desperate need for a different experience. A clean, affordable food market with upscale sensibility (like Trader Joe's) would be a step in the right direction, one that would fit nicely with a forward-thinking plan to breathe life back into an Overton Square of which we can all be proud.
"More people on the Square more hours of the day -- more days of the week -- will make it sustainable."
