Friday, March 21, 2008

Fighting Back?

Looks some of the merchants in the Wood and Liberty area are fed up. As you may know, that's been a trouble spot because of people loitering in the area and creating an environment that some may consider intimidating.

The McDonald's location there now has posted signs in the windows advising customers to contact the Mayor's office about the situation. The signs list a phone number and e-mail address. You may be aware that Wendy's gave up a while back, abandoning their space on Wood Street. Arby's has had trouble, and so has the CVS store. McDonald's has probably gotten the worst of it. They've blocked off some sections to cut down on loitering, and they have a manager aggressively chasing people out.

No word yet on whether Mayor Ravenstahl's office has heard many complaints. The area could use some help before more merchants take Wendy's approach and just leave.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm just curious what you have in mind. I mean, people have a right to "be". And the number of places to "be" is shrinking down to nothing.

The hardships of life take a lot of people down. Imagine yourself there (instead of from the point of business as most of your readers can do that part for you), at the bottom, and offer up an idea. It's a really good thing that you comment on the concerns of our city center (and the businesses obviously have to be there lest we have no city center at all). I'd just like to find a holistic solution rather than more shuffling of people who are already disenfranchised and have ended up settling at McDonalds because they have no other place to go.

Think about it and bring your suggestions. You'd be surprised who reads these blogs.

Terry said...

I'm not sure what your point is. If you're suggesting the homeless are the problem, that's not correct. It's roving packs of kids who congregate in the food places, then clog the sidewalks when they get ejected. They aren't disenfranchised, they're creating a bad environment for the people who want to do business on that street. A downtown street shouldn't be a hangout for 20 or 30 high school kids who don't feel like going home.

Anonymous said...

Wood Street just sucks, anyway. that area is dirty, smelly, and just awful. this city, i fear, will never have an emotionally healthy, useable downtown.