When did downtown Durango become broken? Main Avenue and the historic district are a beautiful, authentic showcase for generations past and future.
Does the city of Durango need to spend thousands of dollars on outside consultants to redesign our historic downtown for changes that will cost millions of dollars and years to implement? The city’s budget priority should be affordable housing, aging infrastructure, wages and the cost-of-living issues.
The idea that residents have weighed in and a majority support a redesign is nonsense. The surveys, meetings, etc., are colorful and well-intentioned, but they can’t possibly describe the financial, logistical and historical impacts on the city. The associated public meetings aren’t for commentary. The entire exercise appear to be a formality for pushing through expensive improvements that city staff and consultants want. The presentations seem to give to weight to maintaining our historic district as is.
All the buildings on downtown Main Avenue (with the exception of the old post office) are privately owned. The opinions and preferences of those landowners should be given high consideration, since proposed changes could drastically and negatively impact their businesses. Only a handful of enterprises will benefit by transforming downtown into a de facto pedestrian mall at the expense of all taxpayers and existing downtown businesses.
Spend public treasure wisely, not wishfully.
Laurel Waller
Durango
