I ran across an article on the Center City Commission website about a downtown homebuilder who is trying to entice people who work downtown to also live downtown. Click on the link to see that article: http://www.downtownmemphis.com/downtownmemphis/documents/grant.pdf. According to this article there are 70,000 people working downtown and about 27,000 living downtown.
I thought about some of the benefits of living and working downtown. I work a short distance away from downtown. My total daily commute to and from work is 3 miles. Prior to that I literally worked one block away from my house so I understand the advantages.
Benefit #1 - Days can go by before you have to get in your car. This is at any moment in time but especially right now, a huge and obvious benefit.
Benefit #2 - You can walk to restaurants, bars and entertainment from home or work. This applies across the board to residents of the Core, South Main, South Bluffs, North Main, Harbor Town. If your destination is a bit farther than you'd like to walk, the trolley is accessible nearly the entire length of Main Street so you could pick it up at the point nearest you. The trolley makes things easier for downtown workers at lunch time.
Benefit #3 - It's getting easier to shop for clothes, accessories, gifts etc thanks in part to all the retail activity happening in the South Main district. For the past two years I was able to do all my Christmas shopping downtown (and no, I did not go broke).
Benefit #4 - The Corkscrew is back- great wine/liquor store on Front. Maybe this should be benefit #1, I'm not sure.
Benefit #5 - There is always something happening downtown. Examples: Grizzlies, Redbirds, University of Memphis basketball, shows at the Orpheum and the Cannon Center, Memphis in May, South Main monthly Trolley Tours.
Benefit #6 - The Mississippi River. You get to see it everyday from home or the office if you're lucky.
Benefit #7 - There are great parks downtown - Tom Lee Park (currently being expanded to include Beale Street Landing), Greenbelt Park and smaller parks scattered around such as Jefferson Davis Park and Court Square.
Benefit #8 - Energy - Downtown has it, to be fair Midtown has it too. No other part of town has it. Sorry.
I thought about some of the benefits of living and working downtown. I work a short distance away from downtown. My total daily commute to and from work is 3 miles. Prior to that I literally worked one block away from my house so I understand the advantages.
Benefit #1 - Days can go by before you have to get in your car. This is at any moment in time but especially right now, a huge and obvious benefit.
Benefit #2 - You can walk to restaurants, bars and entertainment from home or work. This applies across the board to residents of the Core, South Main, South Bluffs, North Main, Harbor Town. If your destination is a bit farther than you'd like to walk, the trolley is accessible nearly the entire length of Main Street so you could pick it up at the point nearest you. The trolley makes things easier for downtown workers at lunch time.
Benefit #3 - It's getting easier to shop for clothes, accessories, gifts etc thanks in part to all the retail activity happening in the South Main district. For the past two years I was able to do all my Christmas shopping downtown (and no, I did not go broke).
Benefit #4 - The Corkscrew is back- great wine/liquor store on Front. Maybe this should be benefit #1, I'm not sure.
Benefit #5 - There is always something happening downtown. Examples: Grizzlies, Redbirds, University of Memphis basketball, shows at the Orpheum and the Cannon Center, Memphis in May, South Main monthly Trolley Tours.
Benefit #6 - The Mississippi River. You get to see it everyday from home or the office if you're lucky.
Benefit #7 - There are great parks downtown - Tom Lee Park (currently being expanded to include Beale Street Landing), Greenbelt Park and smaller parks scattered around such as Jefferson Davis Park and Court Square.
Benefit #8 - Energy - Downtown has it, to be fair Midtown has it too. No other part of town has it. Sorry.
2 comments:
Benefit 5 is important to include. Especially since I didn’t know what really went on downtown. I agree with Benefit 8...
OC
Nice picture of the city...I like it. Totally agree with you, except that benefit 6 (Mississipi river) would become number 1.
Anyhow, in a short while we will have all to live close to our office, due to environmental laws and regulation...
K & M
Post a Comment