A Letter To The Editor: Salisbury's Downtown Deja Vu Stinks

For several decades the revitalization of the downtown area at public expense has been a goal of the political/business elite even though most City residents oppose using more public assets for that purpose. About thirty years ago a group of so-called city planners conceived the "RUDAT" plan; during the reign of Barrie Tilghman and the "Dream Team" controlled City Council, the HyattPalma plan was adoped; and there have been others by the Desman group, etc. Despite great fanfare in the Daily Times for such "professional" guidance and the Urban Salisbury episode, the downtown area has declined to the point of dormancy except for the Perdue chicken processing plant and governmental activity, plus offices of those who are involved in that activity, such as engineers/architects and lawyers.

The extensive growth in governmental and related facilities, including the City/County "GOB", the state office building and expansion of the County Courthouse, has done nothing to prevent the exodus of stores and general offices. There is no foreseeable demand for downtown residential or commercial premises that is not being met or cannot be with the ample existing surplus (vacant space).

Today we have another mayor facing the end of a terrible term in office who is attempting to cast himself as the savior of Salisbury by regurgitating the notion that somehow the downtown can be transformed into a mecca for residents and business under his "vision." Salisbury residents should recognize this latest attempt for what it is: more of the nonsense promoted by the same groups --.the Chamber of Commerce and Greater Salisbury Committee -- that have been doing so for years.

This time the scheme has progressed from absurd to ridiculous. To generate what he claims could be 500 residential units and more jobs and stores, Ireton proposes to sell most of the public parking lots, with those who currently use them shifting to the parking garage, which has some available space as do the various lots. Does he realize that there is excess parking space now because the retail stores and many other businesses have left the downtown area in recent years. There is humongous existing vacant space, but Ireton wants to create another 100,000 sq. ft. more. If even half of that which now exists were filled, on days when the court calls in jury panels (when the garage is packed in the morning) parking would be impossible without the lots. And the garage is not convenient for some parts of the downtown.

He has formed a "revitalization commitee" and is proposing special breaks for developers. Many members of that committee (several are city employees) have some form of conflict of interest. Hopefully the City Council will be proactive by voting to tell Ireton as soon as possible that it won't be bound by anything he or his advisors recommend. No doubt Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields will march in lock-step with Ireton, so it would probably be a 3-2 vote.

And no doubt there will be expression of interest in doing development downtown -- just as there was to do those condos on the river that either went belly-up or have proven very difficult to sell. Salisbury does not need more of this stuff. We have much greater and Citywide problems than the downtown area.