Residents share opinions, hopes for downtown

Security, homelessness and activities serve as the main takeaways from a recent meeting to address revitalizing Downtown Poplar Bluff.

The second meeting of the day on June 24 was attended by concerned citizens, downtown business owners, council members, Downtown Poplar Bluff Inc. representatives and organizers from Retail Strategies. It came about as the result of federal grant money acquired by Downtown Poplar Bluff and used to hire Retail Strategies.

As part of the meeting, Jenn Gregory and Elliot Cook with Retail Strategies asked questions of the business owners and citizens focused around what needs to improve in downtown, what they’d like to see happen and what issues the area faces.

Gregory explained this is the second step in their process to develop a strategic plan for the area — which is expected to take four to six weeks to write. The first step was a market analysis of the area. They also walked downtown the downtown area.

“We haven’t started on your plan,” she said. “We haven’t written anything yet. We really want to hear from you guys all the things: the good, the bad, the ugly, what you want, what you think is missing, not just in terms of businesses, but just an overall quality of life down here, what the identity of your community is …

“It’s our goal to provide strategies that are kind of next steps, not all the steps. So, this is not a master plan.”

The two main pieces of identity for downtown those in attendance brought up were the river and the brick streets.

They also brought up downtown areas at Cape Girardeau, Jonesboro, New Orleans and Farmington as areas they enjoy and would like to see a similar style done in Poplar Bluff.

Several members of the group, including owner of S.W. Music Source Tim Martin, brought up concerns over the safety of the area.

Martin’s store opened in February, when he was excited to be close to the Black River Coliseum and Rodgers Theatre, but, he said during the meeting, he’s already considering relocating largely due to safety concerns.

Martin said he’s run into issues with police response times coming downtown, and he’s heard similar reports from others.

Chelsae Cordia, disaster recovery coordinator for the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission, said one thing that would help with the safety of the area is improved infrastructure. It also would make the area more accessible.

Cordia discussed streetlights, improved sidewalks and burying electric lines in the ground.

Dylan Acevedo brought up needing a police presence in the downtown area, with preferably at least a satellite office in the area in order to address those safety concerns.

“There is a stereotype down here that it’s not safe, whether that be reality or just a stereotype that is there,” Cook agreed. “People think that it’s unsafe down here on nights and weekends, maybe even sometimes during the day, and that’s causing them to not go there.

“It’s going to take an increased presence of some sort to give people that comfort level, at least for the beginning.”

The group also discussed concerns over people who are homeless or left on the streets of downtown.

Acevedo said the parking garage off Poplar Street is one of the areas in downtown where that is especially a problem.

“There’s a whole lot better we can do with that,” he said. “If we’re not going to use it, take the top off of it and leave the bottom for a parking area. There’s not enough parking downtown anyway.

“But, if we’re going to have something that we can’t use, it becomes redundant to have it there. Either tear it down or modify it so it can be used.”

Gregory said things, such as city ordinances, can give officers “the ability to deal with someone who is homeless or someone who is loitering” or regulate what businesses can come into the area.

Another large topic was the need for more things to do downtown.

In terms of storefronts, attendees mentioned an interest in more restaurants, a bookstore and an art gallery, as well as activities, such as a bowling alley or skating rink. Food trucks also were brought up.

They discussed recurring events, such as art festivals or a renaissance fair that would bring people into the area at least for a day or two, which would allow them to be more comfortable in the area.

For a more long-term vision, Cordia said, she’d like to see luxury apartments or condos on the second floor of some of the buildings in order to have the chance to live in the downtown.

Cook said it’s important for downtown businesses to work together and support each other.

“It’s extremely important that when somebody does take a chance that you support them and not only that, but the people who have been down here for 20 years, for 50 years, or five years, that you support them as well,” he said. “It’s one thing to open a new store, and this store had to go dark because of it.

“You know we want to solve (this) in a patchwork.”