by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
An expert in rebuilding urban areas told an assembly of City officials and private developers last week that they must provide downtown visitors with unique experiences to keep them coming back.
Dave Feehan has spent 35 years consulting in downtown revitalization projects. His successes include New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Miami Beach.
Speaking to a crowd of about 30 at The University Club, Feehan said downtown was a stage, and the people running it should put on a performance for visitors.
“Downtown is a platform for you to celebrate your community,” said Feehan.
“Do you have the opportunities in place for people to enjoy your downtown?”
Successful downtowns no longer offered visitors goods and services, he said. Rather they offered experiences.
Feehan offered Providence, R.I., as an example. He said the City had once paved over their river but now offered gondola rides and a fountain show to lure people to its downtown banks.
“People don’t remember months, years or decades,” said Feehan.“They remember moments.”
Housing is the driving force behind a successful downtown, Feehan said, adding that housing brings retail, restaurants and entertainment close behind.
He said Memphis’ ongoing resurgence was built on a foundation of 10,000 recently built housing units.
“From what I’ve seen, an explosion of vitality downtown is driven by housing,” said Feehan. “Without core residents you won’t get great dining or entertainment.”
The chief competition for downtowns, he said, are walkable, suburban shopping plazas and urban main streets similar to San Marco Square. He said the urban main streets offer authentic urban design and architecture exemplified by San Marco’s lions. They are very walkable and offer unique shops.