By Thornton Crowe
An interesting conversation with a friend prompted a discussion about Salisbury's Downtown Plaza and what happened to the area as we knew it when we were little kids. There were all kinds of stores and fond memories but when you look at it now, it just looks like this vast wasteland, even in the light of a regular workday. Even in the Eighties, downtown had a little more pulse. The WMDT station looked clean and fresh rather than the mold-smelling eyesore it is today.
Besides yelling litigants leaving and lawyers going to court, downtown is not where it's all happening, contrary to the dippy commercial which molests my television daily Truth be told, it's liken to those burned out ghost towns in Michigan and Ohio. Most of the storefronts are empty, denoting decades of deterioration from neglect - nothing close to its former glory.
When did it this happen?
This whole Plaza concept goes back to a rage started in the early Seventies when many downtowns installed walking outdoor mall as a way of revitalizing the dying main street. With malls springing up throughout America, it gave shoppers a different experience from standard strip malls and big mega-level malls. Here, the Salisbury Mall became 'the' meeting place on Friday and Saturday nights; thus replacing downtown's appeal.
 |
| Charlottesville's Downtown Plaza |
What went wrong?
Well, for the folks at City Hall, it should be reiterated, Salisbury is not very business-friendly. Sure they say they like small business but that's a coined phrase that sounds neat-o. The truth is the City wants to pick and choose who gets to buy buildings and move in downtown, and it appears from the lack of businesses, they don't have too many friends.
Look at all the businesses that have come and gone over the years... It's understandable that Vernon Powell wanted to be out by the Centre but there have been little beauty shops and trinket/junk stores like the two near the stop sign - now all gone. There's only a couple of eateries there but they have strange hours, are expensive and unpredictable.
Additionally, how many years have they charged for parking? It's really absurd to believe we are Baltimore, Washington or Philly that we should have paid outdoor parking or parking meters. The meters are an 'eye sore' but also they don't provide enough revenue to make them worth their being a deterrent to potential shoppers. Plus, employees and business owners don't get a break either.
Can it be fixed?
 |
| Charlottesville's Plaza with Movie Theater |
Additionally, Day and SPD Chief Barbara Duncan would need to get honest with themselves about downtown crime and seriously crack down on any criminal elements in the area at all times. Hence, this means beat cops would replace meter maids. Perhaps instead of getting a fancy drone to spy on good residents, we could get them a horse or two so they could be all fancy and snappy!
There are plenty of successful models to show the City how it can be achieved successfully, but the trick for Day is to be open to trying what's proven to work!
It seems like such a shame to see downtown continue to fall into this incubus of decay, considering its once rich history. However, until Day wakes up and sees the light of day, it will continue to fall into disrepair, thus, making it harder for people to envision it as anything other than the ghetto it's become.
Would you like to see the downtown area come back to its former splendor every day instead of just one Friday a month and New Year's Eve?
108 comments:
I think what you have delivered here is a good start. However, there's a LOT more that needs to be addressed, like anchor stores to attract other businesses. I'd like to see a half moon roof over the entire Downtown Plaza making it a rain or shine destination. I've been saying for many years, build a set of gates on either end where you can close it down on Friday and Saturday nights like a Bourbon Street. I firmly agree with getting rid of the parking meters Downtown and scrapping the section 8 housing units. I could go on and on about it but I don't want to sound like a broken record.
Put a lot of places to buy cold beer in there. Maybe even have a Cruzin Week. Seems to work for Ocean City.
Downtown has never been the same since Salisbury politicians closed Main Street. They thought this might allow downtown to compete with the Salisbury Mall. They were wrong...it only caused a dead zone. If closing a Main Street, allowing only limited parking and traffic, planting shrubbery and adding seating is so successful...why didn't all local towns do it? Now the politicians think allowing one way traffic will bring back the downtown plaza. Wrong again. Main Street should be fully reopened to traffic and parking as it was years ago.
Very good article and yes I would like to see Salisbury become Salisbury again. No need for all the blight and empty store fronts downtown. Day, open your eyes. You are the mayor and you are the one who, out of all other people, should be business friendly and encourage businesses to move here or relocate downtown. If you don't know how, then get Joe or other businessmen on your side and they will show you how, just quit letting Salisbury go in its current path of death beyond recognition.
The parking meters are the main barrier keeping the stores closed. There are no meters at any other store or mall in the city, so naturally the shoppers go to where they can shop relaxed in knowing they can take as much time as they need without the threat of a monetary fine when they are ready to go home.
Just one look at Berlin, Cambridge or Easton could demonstrate what happens when retail space if offered to small business on an even playing field with the other retail spaces in town. There's no need to go out of state for a comparison when we have the comparisons right next door to look at.
Sorry to say this but I don't care to wander the downtown area regardless of attractions. I barely feel safe going to the mall these days. It's no wonder more and more people are shopping online, it's just safer to stay home.
The plans they have now for downtown, the people who own condos down there will take a royal blood bath. As taxpayers would think they would be bitching to high heaven. Their condos won't be worth squat if Day puts Section 8 next to their places. They might as well be in Section 8, too. Does Dr. Reeves want to be in Section 8 housing after renovating his building that is his office and living space? He's put a ton of money into his building and it will be worth nothing. There's a ton of condos down there and some paid premium for them. Is the city going to make up the difference for them between what they were worth and what they will be with Section 8? Day doesn't frigging think and its become a very big problem causing residents massive loss in money.
Why doesn't the county intervene in this? Someone should have enough sense to stop this garbage plan from going into affect downtown. Can't someone file a lawsuit against the city who owns property down there? An injunction to put a halt to it? None of the citizens voted on this plan, Jake just took it upon himself to approve something massive like this without consent of people who actually pay for it!
844 terrorists and criminals bank on you being afraid like that. Don't be. You're letting them win. Stand your ground.
I sometimes have to remind myself that the 1st amendment includes the cognitively challenged.
I've always believed they made a huge mistake putting law firms where retail should be. This doesn't help generate money for the local economy. The law firms can be on the second floors or in the back if space allows. Many firms along Main Street are nice but they're nothing close to these pictures of the other place. While the city was being a dictator on who can buy and not buy in downtown, why wasn't it telling landlords to make sure they put professionals in second floor offices, freeing up the street level spaces for more retail, food industry and other patron attractions?
Change has to start in Annapolis by lowering and eliminating taxes that make doing business in Maryland unsustainable and change in the banking industry where they don't lend to small business anymore.
901 if that's the case, why does Berlin, Cambridge and even Pocomoke have decent downtown areas. It's not just about Annapolis. It's local people getting proactive and involved in making those downtowns thrive with the help of the local government. You want to change the world, start with your local government.
You can't blame everything on Annapolis 901. Salisbury people are lazy and have surrendered their town to crime because they allow Day and Duncan to cover it up instead of dealing with those issues head on. Annapolis doesn't steer local politicians, we do. Its time we stepped up and did our job instead of letting them run amuck unchecked. It's clear Day isn't mature enough to handle his position and needs serious guidance from community leaders in the city and county.
People would walk around downtown if they cleaned up the sewage all around it. The thugs and homeless ruling the area can be moved out. It's called busting them for their crime. SPD isn't too sharp on it. Christmas tree theft and assault happened how many months ago was captured on video but still no arrests? No information? Doesn't sound like Duncan is doing her job so why is she police chief. Get her outta there.
Why don't they put a museum downtown in one of the buildings with the big display windows? Wouldn't that be very cool?
Too bad they trashed the movie theater downtown where so many people have personal history. The big empty field is so much better.
Parking meters were fine when they were first put in because it was just the thing to do but once malls started opening with big parking lots, they should've been removed. Paying for outdoor parking is ridiculous. Can understand the covered parking because it does protect cars from elements but outside?
Why doesn't Jake see this cause and effect?
Can you imagine the local yahoo police on horses? I'd pay to see that spectacle alone. It's a cool idea. I always love seeing the equestrian police in Central Park.
Joe, what kind of anchor stores are you talking about? Please don't say big box stores. Do you have any ideas?
8:59, With all due respect, the City has nothing to do with putting lawyers or anyone else Downtown. You can't say, no lawyers etc.. That's like saying, this is a white neighborhood only.
Recreating a concept for the Plaza area, (for example) would require many meetings with the PROPERTY OWNERS and garnishing their interest and ultimately participation. However, Day and Ireton continue to put the cart before the horse and while it may be cosmetically pleasing to the eye, it does not mean it will in fact revitalize Downtown.
You can't put boys in to do a man's job, (so to speak). I can't tell you enough about how your elected official have controlled Downtown for decades and everything has completely failed.
My ideas for Downtown would work. My ideas would actually increase property values and ultimately businesses would get into a bidding way just to buy any property that became available. So WHY aren't they running full speed with my idea, well, simply put, it's because it's my idea and God Forbid they do anything Joe Albero suggests.
Finally, it would take someone like me to manage that project from beginning to end. Again, boys can't do it so they put lipstick on a pig and dress it up cosmetically and act like it's a success. Section 8 housing is not a success. In fact it's an instant failure. It's what Liberals do because they have no business background and they are seriously afraid of a real challenge.
In my opinion the government in Salisbury and Wicomico County are so blind they can't properly asses the real economic issues of the are. Lets remember back when the industrial park was thriving. We had Dresser, Crown Cork, Sealy, and Boat builders. There was an industrial base here. Now they are all gone. The industrial park just like downtown is a ghost town. Now lets take look at Roanoke VA. A town similar in size to Salisbury. Not a wealthy town but a town with almost no unemployment. A thriving downtown area along with the usual urban sprawl of malls, Lowes, Home Depot, Applebee's, Red Lobster, etc. You get the picture. So why do they thrive while a town like Salisbury withers on the vine. First and foremost they sided with industry companies instead of backing the local unions. The unions here tried to play hard ball with companies like Crown Cork. Those companies flipped Salisbury the big middle finger and said AMF. (Trust me the MF doesn't stand for my friend). I now drive right past Crown's new facility in VA on my way to vacation down there. The exact same operation they had here in Salisbury is now in Franklin VA. But it wasn't the unions alone that caused this problem. No the city government played a bigger role. Taxes and regulations drove the companies away. I have first hand knowledge of this. I have friends who were forced out of business here. They were forced out from unfriendly government practices. Now they have thriving businesses in places like Roanoke and Greensboro NC. Unfortunately they own property in the industrial park they can't sell. Nobody is looking to buy here.
I helped open a new business here in 2012. A small restaurant/pub. Every time we turned around the city would slap us in the face with one hand and held out the other hand wanting more money.
Some years ago I worked for a company that opened a new golf course and restaurant in Queen Annes county. The county bent over backwards to help us get up running. They went to bat for us with environment impact studies and hearings. Planning and zoning. That company now pumps big bucks into the county tax base. This company even bought and paid for a new sewer system in the town of Queenstown. Wake up Salisbury. Your local government isn't the solution.....they are the problem.
9:16, absolutely, good question.
Starbucks, Seacrets, anchor stores.
You have to have something there you know will draw people. There was a time when I was running for Mayor where I had a meeting with the the owners of Evo. While they loved my idea of a Bourbon Street, they wanted to buy a building down there to be a part of it. I strongly suggested against it and instead suggested they simply put a taste facility there where they could draw people to visit their main facility on the other side of Rt. 13. I suggested they rent the space instead.
Starbucks? Joe, how could you? Rise Up would be great downtown. They have Main Roots at one end of that strip why not a local owned company at the other, too? Isn't Seacrets a meat market? Drunk college kids? Why not classy clubs and a Discovery museum like that other place. I went on their website and they have some very cool businesses in that downtown. They also incorporate it into the area history.
We have a lot of history here, too but the city doesn't employ a real historian for this area. You have one professor at the college who runs the Nabb Center who is an expert in Colonial Chesapeake history who would probably be more than happy to help a fellow historian get enough information on the local area to do a very nice museum downtown. They have stuff in the basement for display collecting dust that would provide the city with a nice start to having a great attraction.
918 you're absolutely spot on. We've lost a ton of big industries in this area. My dad told me Campbell's used to be here, too. All because of frigging union greed. Companies got fed up with the strikes and all the BS.
9:18, thanks for sharing.
Here's what I see being a major problem here.
You have an economic development director who has failed for almost two decades, yet he still has his job. HELLLLLOOOOO!
You start right there and hire someone who has a proven record.
So WHY is he still there? Because the GOOD OL' BOYS do NOT want growth. They are loving every ounce of the public's stupidity and ignorance.
They HATE Joe Albero because I'm too freaking smart for them, I have a proven business success record and finally I have the absolute biggest voice on the Shore to EDUCATE the public and challenge these people like they've never seen or experienced.
IF they were smart they'd be begging me to step in and help them but NO ONE will get elected IF the big money makers are challenged with someone who could bring in competition. Remember Folks, you paid, (so far) $140,000,000.00 for the waste water treatment plant. You paid $14,000,000.00 for a fire palace. You are IDIOTS! You somehow allow elections to be controlled without question and nothing changes. The same people are still employed doing a sh!tty job. They lay low, the media says NOTHING about how bad things are here and you let boys do a man's job.
The ONLY time you will EVER see things move in the right direction is when you put someone like me in place to turn things around.
Let me close with this. The Good Ol' Boys are getting older, close to retirement. So what will they do, (open your eyes) they'll put their KIDS in positions to take over the businesses, elect their friends, (young) to important decision making positions and guess what, it will never end. It was your election to lose.
Why don't they do Third Friday festivities every weekend during warm weather months? It would be great. They could do them on Friday and Saturday nights every weekend and the residents wouldn't be that put out because they're usually done before 9. It does help generate revenue in places like MoJos and Market Street because people people move their groups over to those restaurants once the street fair is over. Why doesn't the city think in those terms instead of smacking Section 8 bandaid on the problem and consider it solved? Who would go to Third Friday once it becomes the official 'hood' of Salisbury? No one who would spend money!
I guess you could call it an anchor store but an Amish Market the kind in Easton and Annapolis. We stopped by the one in Laurel yesterday and the parking lot was like Grand Central Station. Vehicles in and out constantly. Lines 6-10 deep for food, ice cream and the main check out. We watched just about everyone leave the place with a bag in hand. The Easton Amish Market is the same when it's open. I've been there when it's shoulder to shoulder in the market.
9:37, What I did was something YOU and 99% of City taxpayers have never done, I put my money where my mouth was and I actually bought an expensive property Downtown. I'm sorry that wasn't enough for you big shot.
I was targeted by the Tilghman and Ireton administration with write ups and fines from the City on the simplest things wile they refused to target buildings that were actually falling apart like Parker Place. I refused to take their crap any longer and I sold and got out.
Because of the Liberal leadership and their lack of true vision, yes, I ran like a bat out of hell. I'll add, the taxes down there are absolutely ridiculous. Many property owners are paying an average of a THOUSAND dollars a month in taxes alone.
As for the Disney thing you mention you clearly never understood my concept. The Disney theory was based on it not costing the taxpayers a dime to revitalize. Just as Disney built Disney Land and Disney World. They are BOTH the largest exhibition centers in the world, yet 99% of the people going there think its a theme park. It is, but it's sponsored by major corporations and was built at their expense, (the G.E. Carousel) etc..
I delivered ideas thinking out of the box.
Joe, the locals are mostly rental tenants who don't give a sh** about the local economy but boosted it enough to have two Walmarts. It comes down to demographics and homeownership. Sure lots of big cities have more rentals but that's because ownership can only go so far when you have limited space. Salisbury isn't a major city so there's no excuse for such a high rental rate even with the college. The landlord class can make more money raping students than renting commercial space. Look at Seagull Square for a prime example.
Speaking of which, I'd love to know what 'deal' Rinnier worked out with the State of Maryland to put the Comptroller branch office Seagull Square when the place was designed for the University? Why are they in that shopping mall? What kind of tax kickback did Rinnier get for it? They shouldn't be there at all because those storefronts were posed to the school as being geared toward the students. They've pushed out great little stores because of their high dollar rental demands but a state government office is right there where the pizza place used to be.
Landlords are just as guilty of driving out business as the ignorant government officials in this area.
itll never be like Charlottesville...
that place has CLASS.
9:41, thanks for sharing that. Look, I'm confident there are MANY creative ideas and suggestions to what people believe would be successful. You asked me for an example and I provided some. Sure, a Dumsers Ice Cream facility there would be great too. Keep the ideas rolling in, that's great. At least I started the conversation. Day and Ireton have accomplished NOTHING. Unless you like looking at cartoon pictures with multi million dollar signs on each one of them with drawings of LOTS of people, not reality.
Seagull square has many open storefronts 948 because Rinnier charges high rent. I know the owner of Designer's Edge and the reason they moved out is because the rent is ridiculous. Rinnier cashed in both ways. Demanding big rent from retailers while taking money from the University to build the structure in the first place. They're screwing people every which way with that deal. They can afford to have empty spaces because they're getting major bank for the people who are there. Now there's a micro-mall being built right across the street where the McDonalds used to be and its owned by the people who own that little place next to it with the cool exterior. More high dollar rent because of the college accessibility.
These local landlords bitch about the college plenty but have no problem taking money from them to build their buildings to accommodate students who generally don't spend money because they don't have a ton of it. No local businesses to generate part-time jobs and the college only has so many student positions, students are broke for the most part.
Rinnier has been ripping off Salisbury for decades. They're nothing but hacks who couldn't care less about the community or its residents. They're like Cannon. Scumlords who oversee a lot of the garbage that comes into the area. Look at Oak Hill. Those places could be premium townhomes. They are a nice size and right on the River. They could put money into them but don't because they've been jerking around welfare recipients, drug dealers and college students for years.
If they fixed them all up (instead of just the ones that caught on fire) they would be great places to live. But the cheapskates Bill, Blair and Lisa are, they don't even hire a full-time lifeguard to keep the pool open normal hours during the summer. They also don't let residents who are late on their rent even use the pool. (Nazis) Instead they build expensive apartments on Old Ocean City Rd with a ridiculous name. Ocean Aisle. What a joke.
Invite a businessman to a tax and spend party?
What world are you living in?
Silly rabbit
9:03 COUGH, COUGH when the heck was the last time you were in "downtown" Pocomoke? Puhhleeeesssse.. It is a cesspool, drug down to the depths by the former city manager and past city councils. Drive down there and tell me that you really want to model Salisbury after Pocomoke. I lived there too many years and I saw it fall from the "Friendliest Town on the Easter Shore" to the Section 8 Capitol of Worcester County - and you know what that brings with it. Only a fool would try to open a business in Pocomoke.
Why is the Maryland Comptroller's office in Seagull Square? That's an excellent question. Bet you'll never get the real sweetheart deal made with the Rinniers for that sham. No doubt the Rinniers did it at the taxpayer expense and their gain. That's how they roll. That's why I always dissuade people from renting from them. They're crooks. Bill and his kids, Blaire and Lisa are both crooks.
Joe, would Day's plans really happen? Seems to me he's too busy making commercials about non-existent achievements than actually doing real work involved to make those achievements happen. Frankly, Jake, like Jimmy, are just a PR machine with no substance. He's a poodle mayor who shows up for photo ops. He's a baby kisser not a builder.
The parking lots downtown don't even have validation so local merchants can't validate parking for their customers. Even in Los Angeles, they have parking validation of 2-3 hours depending on the business. This encourages people into downtown areas to shop even when there's paid parking only. The city wasn't even smart enough to implement something like that. Pathetic.
Wasn't Culver going to hire some Economic Dev people?
The status quo rests as much on tve County.
Why are the politicians so anti business people contributing to government?
The Ward Museum isn't a museum about local history. Why doesn't the County and City make plans for a combined effort? It would be nice if they did this and it would generate revenue through merchandise, too. Most cities have a historian on staff even if only part time. Why doesn't Salisbury/Wicomico? I know they paid a photographer to take pictures of downtown buildings a while back but never heard what they intended to do with them. This was long before Jimmy and Jake's parade of fools.
Downtown died from greed. City of Salisbury died from greed. Problem was you can only drain so much from a city that has no purpose. There were city council members making plans for bypass, they had information on this bypass, then dropped off the board and bought land up prior to it being announced. They made millions off Salisbury-Wicomico County - un-ethical but hey, they are living high on hog for being smart I guess.
You put a bypass AROUND Salisbury, to feed Ocean City - you killed Salisbury right then and there PERIOD.
I agree, made traveling to Ocean City, much easier for Baltimororns and our life easier during the summer on Route 50, at the cost of running the city into nothing. That traffic did bring business, it did help the economy. Blow up the Bypass one summer and watch the change.
As far as politicians, they only get in office for one reason, to make or help their buddies make money. Mayor Martin was one of the last good ones.
I worked for Paul Martin and he was a stand up guy. Very personable. We haven't had a real mayor since. You can't count criminal crooks like Barrie, Jimmy and Jake as real mayor.
Dear Joe.
Allentown PA had those plastic and steel canopy's and after a few years they looked trashy and dirty. They take a lot of upkeep. They block the sun and make the whole place look dismal. They took them down decades ago.
They have to be cleaned weekly. And it takes a lot of man power to deal with it.
Joe is absolutely right on-point when he says that the economic developer has failed - yet he continues to hold office. Let's examine the real facts:
1. Businesses (mainly large manufacturers and I might add some Fortune 500s) have fled our area. Manufacturing jobs at that! Plants like Crown, Haliburton, Globe Hoist, Chesapeake, Airpax, Heinneman, Maxum, Standard Register and I could go on and on - we've all seen the list published many, many times on SBYnews.
2. Local universities initiate cover-up and try indoctrinating our youth that the new service sector is the new NORM. FALSE!!! (emphasis added by commenter).
3. Hostile regulations, over-taxation, ANTI-BUSINESS ZONING ORDINANCES - (ie. tier maps). Businesses are repulsed by such anti-business infrastructures.
Bottom-line - you reap what you sow more than you sow and latter than you sow.
4.
What do you expect from a guy who watches Headquarters Live crash and burn then turns around and wants to build an even bigger venue to crash and burn? As a wise man told me, the money is already in Jake's pocket so it's really no big deal if a project survives or is successful. It's all about feathering his nest because he has no real income of his own. Unless you want to calculate his allowance from Daddy.
Barrie Tilghman should be personally on the hook for that $140M sewage plant disaster. She should have to pay everything over the $30M the city got back from the builder. She gives female mayors a bad rap because she proved herself a crook throughout her so called service to Salisbury residents.
Where do most people shop? Why do they chose to shop there ? Who is it that shops there ? Now that the Bury is a low income city depending on State and Federal assistance , I don't see any change but down hill. It's very close to the so called "Detroit Disaster" . Your leaders are blind and very liberal , they are so used to spending your money for any and all stupid crap , they think it's OK. I do like the newer road passing through the city of course the state paid for it. That street called Fitzwater is a total mess along with most side streets in your crime infested slum hood.
It's so nice to be back at my home , miles away from the trashy slum hood .
10:10, Culver made every attempt to create that department but the Council wanted complete control over the department and Bob would have nothing to do with that, he was right.
The legislative branch should have nothing to do with the executive branch.
In my honest opinion, I think the County should abolish the executive branch if the Council wants to continue to control it. What you've been seeing over the last 2 years is a freaking joke, seriously.
Joe mentioned Dumser's. We are in Bishopville. We have relatives on Mt Hermon in the area right before it turns into businesses. In the summer they drive down to West OC Dumser's for ice cream and we meet them there to sit and eat our ice cream and talk for a little while. We do this several times a month. Also while Chesapeake Bay Farms Berlin is much closer to us a lot of the times we drive to the Pocomoke location for ice cream in the summer. Our dog gets to go for the ride he loves and we enjoy the drive.
Crooks like Cannon want control, Joe, so they can pull fast numbers like the county tax reduction. They can skew all the legislature to fit their needs and enrich themselves in the process. People elected Cannon but he feels entitled to his position like a male version of Hillary. He's one of the born here, local elites who has no concern for the 'little people'. People here just get taken in by his talk but that's all it is. Talk.
1042 think Joe was just throwing out ideas of businesses who would draw people to the downtown area. Connect the dots, kids. It looks naive when people comment like this on hypotheticals.
10:34 Hit one of the nails on it's head. Salisbury is very low income add to that the population isn't large even when you reach out to the neighboring counties and DE. This is why it's laughable and quite mind boggling when Day continues to make ridiculous remarks about how Frederick and other places are successful so that means Salisbury can be doing what others are doing. I honestly don't think he is capable of coherent thoughts or logical reasoning with the beyond stupid things he comes out with.
I vote Amish Market. Everyone eats. Makes so much more sense to lure people downtown then that silly music venue idiotic idea.
In a puff PR piece where Jake plays the Public Relations man it says:
"Day is hyperfocused on the city's physical appearance, particularly its branding and signage, but also its benches, planters and trash cans, which are not uniform at present and clearly bother the mayor's design sense."
Mayor's design sense? Seriously? Low income slum housing is going to be designed with an aesthetic other than module housing residents will trash within months of moving in, if not, days?
Here's a brilliant example of how Day plans to destroy downtown's historic buildings one by one. Best place to start, get the low income people in so the neighborhood loses what's left of its value and then drive the current owners out with the City buying up those properties for bargain basement prices. Cheap good.
Jake Day doesn't care about Salisbury's appearance, he's seeking to destroy whatever historic dwellings we have left in the city. He's a scammer. A fraud. A charlatan disguised as a do-gooder whose only interest is his own.
Wake up people, you're being used, abused and otherwise disrespected by this 12 year old idiot mayor. Time for him to bounce.
Jake, you may be able to fool the local riff raff who vote for you but real business people see your deal. Is there something in the city's charter to remove this guy from office before we sustain any more damage? Salisbury would be better off without a mayor temporarily while we look for a suitable replacement.
10:18
Please elaborate with a very short list of what Martin did for the city or residents. That would be interesting, you might start with annexing water and sewer...hint. Today's management style has been going on with Martin and before.
Section 8 housing will not work unless they put a WalMart downtown that is convenient for shoplifters.
Its a democratic gay welfare agenda to keep votes.
I would like to see it like the old days but better as described, a place where families can shop, maybe a fair priced furniture store, or maybe some antique stores again places for families year round as Joe describes under some kind of dome or half cover so good for rainy days too, ice cream shop, sandwiches and wagon vendors it could be done nicely not just bars and 3rd Friday parties.
I will NEVER go downtown its nothing but snowflake gay welfare thugs making pizza for the SPD Pt police cover up chef.
Paul Martin would NEVER have allowed the mess Salisbury has become. The Fire Department wouldn't be out of control, the police would do their jobs and there would be no Section 8 housing being contemplated for downtown.
The downtown revitalization committee has always been a bunch of inexperienced windbags .
How about a Nathan's Hot Dog Shop on the Plaza?
3rd Fridays??? That event only caters to the LGBTQ community once a month. Hard to develop a thriving downtown for a very limited event held outside only 8-9 times a year. Got to have more events than that. Something that attracts a broader spectrum of people.
I noticed how many police officers were at the Salisbury Festival yesterday. They were there for a reason. When you go to downtown events in Berlin you are lucky to see only 1 officer. What does that tell you.
Yes hot dogs. Normal things that just about everyone likes. The hip or "in" type of food and the places that serve them have a limited customer base.
IM ALL FOR THE MORE BUSINESS AND ETC, I THINK SOME OF THE PARKING LOTS COULD BE DEVELOPED BUT NOT ALL, LIKE FOR TOURISM TYPE OF STUFF FOR EXAMPLE WE COULD PARTNER WITH NASA AND BRING AN SCIENCE MUSUEM DOWNTOWN OR AQUARIUM DOWNTOWN. I REALLY DONT THINK THEY SHOULD BE ALL GOING TO LOW INCOME HOUSING. I MORE OF AN PERSON OF INCOME DIVERSITY LIKE SOME OF THEM YOU COULD BUY THOSE APARTMENTS AND SOME ARE FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE SUCH AS SENIORS AND VETERANS. BUT PEOPLE WHO COULD ACTUALLY WORK I DONT THINK WE NEED MORE OF THAT. I THINK DOWNTOWN COULD BECOME MORE OF AN FAMILY ATTRACTION WITH BUSINESS, TOURISM, AND ALSO FESTIVALS AND EVENTS. ALSO ANOTHER THING WOULD BE TO UPGRADE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
Joe, that's a fantastic idea and imagine the people who would frequent a hot dog stand downtown. It's food that appeals to all without robbing your wallet. You could have it open everyday and it would get business. Look at the one that worked out of Lowe's parking lot. Its a wonder someone didn't do this even if were just for the court crowd.
They used to have outside concerts on the steps of the county building, whatever happened to that? They should have other events also like a BBQ contest for all the area restaurants. MoJos has a portable they could bring and cook up some great eats. This kind of thing would drive up business for local eateries substantially. Low income housing never brings money to an area, it only detracts and discourages people from going to the area at all. Day is sinking this city and you people are sitting around watching it happen. What's your problems?
The NASA museum would bring people from all over the world to see like the Smithsonian without the travails of traveling in DC. An awesome idea, 145. Excellent!
There are all kinds of cool places that could go downtown. The Bourbon Street idea would be awesome and bring people to the area from all over. It would be awesome to see city hall get behind this because it would be something for the whole community to enjoy not just a few. Isn't that what the point of city government is; to provide things for entire community to enjoy and prosper from?
To ANON 8:27AM The reason I used the metric for Charlottesville is because their population is comparable to Salisbury. (42K to 33K respectively) Additionally, Charlottesville is predominantly centered around a University (UVA) and caters to same type of permanent staff and student body albeit bigger and more affluent than SU.Therefore, it shows this type of plaza plan was designed to accommodate townships with the same demographic model.
Berlin, Snow Hill and other localized places don't have the same type of demo/population numbers and make-up so this is the reason for using a like-model to point out what we have verses what we could have.
Hope this answered your query. Thanks for the comment.
Why would I ever want to go down town with my faimly. Even if they had faimly friendly places you would need 5 cops on every corner just to keep it safe.
One glaring example of Jake Day's incompetence is the whole East Main renovation project. In September they touted about the big project beginning in October, but then in December everything came to a screeching halt in midstream because Boy Wonder didn't have all the permits needed from the state due to the environmental issues. Now we have a huge mess and even though businesses can have foot traffic, you still can't drive to your destination without detours. Why would anyone think Day's half-baked ideas which never have real merit would ever be viable solutions for helping to restore Salisbury's downtown is just outrageous. He can't even plan a simple task like the East Main deal without royally mucking it up. Brilliance in his own mind, he may have a masters in urban planning, but he flunks in the common sense department which weighs far more on his lack of solid choices.
I worked there. It was a regular occurrence to have 3 or 4 (or more) "people" walk into the store and 2 of them would belly up to the employee while the other two loaded up their arms and ran. Then the other two would walk away. NO police in sight. With a loss of 10% from theft who could survive. The stores even hired security guards but never actually arrested anybody.
What went wrong ? Mmm , I just tossed my Albero for Mayor tee shirt in the trash , I wore it out , I picked the only cammo one he had on the rack at that time. I had great hopes at that time for the city. Then I talked with Asmar Ashanti , he told me they were supporting Ireton for mayor. After 8 years of propaganda and liberals in charge , that's what went wrong. Many leaders will claim they are republicans and conservative , it's all lies. Obama has done a wonderful job of tearing our nation apart . What the hell are we suppose to do now , all the kings horses and all the kings men just can't do it. What went wrong , my opinion is GREED. Just break it down and use Cannon as an example. Use the previous mayors as an example. All Bull crap and everyone believed it.
Certainly will screw up your mind at times.
Its been happening for decades. The liberal democrat progressive mentality, like a cancer it has destroyed towns, cities, counties and nearly destroyed our Country. Their only in it for themselves, their close friends, they rape rob and pillage, they lie cheat and steal and the outcome is destruction, decimation, crime and poverty. It can be reversed/fixed, it'll take time, it'll take heavy handed accountability
5:09, good comment.
They are not good ole boys.
They are Freemasons.
Learn the truth.
People not understanding that section 8 housing is not the answer to downtown's decline are simply being foolish. Have any of you been over to Booth Street across from Wicomico Nursing Home? Have you seen those new projects and how trashed they are? This is what Day wants to put smack dab in the middle of Salisbury. A slum. A proposed ghetto from the start. Not an area that devolves into one but a planned one with the directive in mind from the start. Are you people seriously kidding? Is that what you want for your downtown area?
I just wonder how many people will start using the bypass to get from the south end to the north end so they can avoid driving through the ghetto to get where they're going. Maybe people who elect a mayor whose hellbent on making us the worst place in Maryland to live deserve the ghetto. I'm glad I'm moving on from Salisbury. It can't happen soon enough. When my age group all move out what will you have? A retirement ghetto community that doesn't even have old rich people.
It's the younger generations taking over. The dumb ones who are stupid enough to stay here that is. Look at who is coming up through the ranks in the Gilkerson family and Jake Day. Please. All these born-here morons that continue their dogma with a new twist. Let's destroy the city. They don't care about anything or anyone else. We're just raging against the machine. Let 'em move their ghettos in, then they'll see it ain't so hot being mayor of mini-Detroit where the country, if they know who you are, looks at you with pity. They have no pride in this area, they laugh at this area when they go to Market Street and tie one on after screwing over the residents all day long with their stupid nonsense and fiscal incompetence.
Nothing will work downtown until you attract people wanting to spend money on a good time while banning those looking to ruin a good time .
731 didn't think you could ban the mayor and his lackeys from an area of town. Nice thought but highly unlikely.
731
It is a simpleton statement
Not much thought went into your comment.
You can probably do better. Think about your meaning, then write it.
Simple language, but think it out a bit first.
Thank you
Nathan's is a good idea for sure.
Roanoke has a "Famous Weiner Stand" and it is absolutely fabulous.
Very simple, hot dog with onion, mustard and chili.
Yum.
Always serve pork.
It keeps out the rif raf . . . .
:)
Money has been done. Deal has been struck. The asses who agreed to do this low income housing will build it and go to Florida.
The fix is in so to speak and the dye has been cast. It's a shame because Salisbury used to be a nice place to live. With people like Day and former mayors like Ireton and Tilghman, the area has been ruined most likely beyond repair. Suggestion to anyone who is still mobile is move to better places here on the Shore. You don't need to live in Salisbury so why bother? They don't care about you as the voter, they don't care about the area as a community. All it is for them is a cash cow they can rape until every ounce of life has left the carcass. There's absolutely no reason to continue inhabiting Salisbury anymore so let it fall by way of so many towns in PA and OH that have simply closed up and called it a day. (no Pun intended.)
Just saw another business in Salisbury closed June 1. Radio Shack is now no more in the Bury. Fun, more people on unemployment, looking for jobs in a place where jobs are scarce at best. This area is so depressed it's not even funny anymore and Day wants to drive the final nail in the coffin as quickly as he can. We can all sit around talking about all the cool woulda, coulda shoulda talk but in the end this deal has sealed with a big middle finger to Salisbury residents courtesy of Day and his idiot minions. They're more concerned with their gayness multiculturalism that pretty soon won't even find a place here in Salisbury because no one with any money will live here anymore. Way to go Jake. You done good boy!
Radio shack went away everywhere. Old business model like sears.
Joe -- you should get the county council to hire you as economic director. Put all your ideas on paper and approach Joe Hollowy and Mark Kilmer. They are men who understand and will listen. With their support and Culver's, which you have automatically already, they'll get Larry Dodd on board and John Hall too. Joe, you can save this county. Make your voice heard directly with these leaders who need your help. The blog is a start but you need to be in the room with them to make change.
Smallsbury will NEVER be like Bourbon Street. 🙄
Like I said on your Radio Shack article, Thornton, you can't expect Salisbury to do anything with downtown when even county stores can't get tenants. Man, this place has gone down hill for years. It's past the point of no return. My people are selling homes and moving on because this place is washed up.
joe Alberto says bring in anchor stores. Name some. Sears? JC Penny? Montgomery Ward? Maybe a Blockbuster? The reality is big chain anchor retail stores are going away very fast. Even if all these other downtown issues were fixed and there was a Sears and a Pennys on both the plaza and at the mall where would you go, the mall or the plaza? The plaza went downhill in the first place because the anchor stores left and went to the first mall when it was built and now bringing back those dinosaurs is your answer for fixing the plaza? You keep complaining about a place you would never go to in the first place.
1036 don't be so naive, anchor stores are any store that draws people a shopping area. You don't have to have former big stores like Pennys or Sears. Please. You could put a microbrew in a place and it could draw traffic. Look at EVO over near the hospital. That old Ice Plant is in a crap neighborhood yet every night its jammed. Get your head out of your tushy. You're not living in today.
Day is a dreamer and a bad accountant. He can't even do things like East Main without it costing a fortune. The whole situation is just ridiculous. Why don't you people elect competence over some face boy to represent your city. I'd rather have a thriving city with a butt ugly mayor than a sh&&hole dump with a mayor who could pose for International Male.
1036 at least Albero still gives a sh** about Salisbury enough to think of ways to improve it. That's more than we can say for the people at city hall. Wouldn't you agree? Section 8 next to the Library. Think about it. How many Sec. 8 housing do you know doesn't degenerate into a hell hole within months of opening? They ain't called Ghettos because they're Beverly Hills, dollface.
Salisbury University compared to UVA? Oh my God, I've seen it all. That's Dr. J's wet dream isn't it? But its far from any reality. She would never be president of such a great school. I get where you're coming from Thor, but seriously just reading that, it made giggle a bit because Janet will read that and have a little happy dance.
I was a part of Urban Salisbury, I remember seeing all the plans for the revitalization of Downtown. Over the years the council, the mayors, and the building owners never cared to do anything about downtown. I could never wrap my head around why they did not care to change.
I've traveled all over the US and downtown areas similar to Salisbury are doing great and filled with people every night of the week. Winchester VA has very similar layout; it works great.
One major reason the downtown was destroyed the bypass. The bypass diverted all the ocean city traffic away from downtown. They were Benjamin's and Hess's main customers. Then Salisbury opened the (old) mall and downtown lost them anchor stores. The mall had better parking and it was free. Plus the mall had a grocery store, so all your shopping needs were in one place. Closing the street downtown was also a mistake. Now you have an unsafe area at night too another reason not to go there. Adding more restaurants isn't going to bring in crowds either. Then they are planning on putting in a section 8 housing unit and take away a parking lot talk about shooting yourself in the foot, whose stupid idea is that. Downtown is only good for law offices at this Point. And having third Fridays to get people to go.....only time they go there to party on that day, but it is no incentive to continue through the week to go there as there's nothing there.
811am Benjamins never left downtown. When the store closed it was gone permanently. Only Hess moved to the mall.
811 many other cities did the plaza plans and it didn't cause a crime wave like we have in Salisbury. Could it be that on the other side of the bridge there's a rundown neighborhood surrounding that Perdue plant? Or the hood not far away? Even in the eighties the areas surrounding the downtown are just rundown neighborhoods with residents indulging in criminal behavior. Basically it's set in the middle of a war zone. How can this be a safe space? Violence & crime spills over into areas it surround. Use your noodle poodle.
For years, there has been a negative stigma associated with the down town area. I'm afraid at this point, it's too late. It would take at a generation for the negative connotations to dissolve, and that is if things are done right.
Don't expect downtown to flourish until there are millennials with cash in hand. So far there is only a tiny handful, each scions of local construction and development magnates, along with their hangers-on. They are long on Eastern Shore boring projects, but short on what's good for anyone but themselves, even though they and their buddies talk a great line.
The downtown area is toast. Jake and his band of asses have ruined Salisbury along with Tilghman and Ireton. They've screwed around so much it's beyond repair. Hope you all are happy living in Sh**sville.
@10:07 The only similarities between downtown Salisbury and Bourbon St are the homeless people.
1:13. How much traffic would that actually bring in???
958 it's not like you really give a sh&& so why ask? You're just being a dickhead. Nothing more. Why don't you take your bad attitude and go beat up on some teddy bears for awhile. You wanna live in the hood, you got it, cupcake.
Brick and mortar stores are done not because of the internet but the art of customer service has been lost. I have and still do try to buy locally but 9 out of 10 times i go to buy anything i end up having to get it online it's a shame i know I'm not the only shopper that has had this problem and after awhile you start to not even bother with going to a store. The ones i continue to use are the ones with great customer service prices makes no difference to me as long as its within reason.
What went wrong is you all elected that idiot Jake Day and with him came a bunch of morons. Simple enough.
Post a Comment