Your vision for Colorado Springs? (Denver, Center: buses, homeless, light rail)

[CSNative]

Originally Posted by CTownNative

I really like the way the city is right now so I don't want to see huge drastic changes. I would like to see the skyline improve though, it doesn't have to be Denver sized but a couple 200-500 feet buildings would be nice.

Yeah, we don't need drastic changes... we just need a few upgrades. I used to be obsessed with bulking up the skyline, and I'd like to see that happen... but over time I've become more concerned about the "urban experience" at ground level than whether we look like an overgrown suburb from the top of Monument Hill. Towers or not, we need to be focused on propping up business, arts and culture, and residential density... whether that comes in the form of higher density single family housing, low-rise apartments, or towers, I don't really care at this point. I do think you can build a tower without destroying the pedestrian experience.

[Postal]

I'm not really one for living in a "downtown" environment. I think about it every time I hit one of those big cities. I was in Seoul a few days ago and it hit me again. I like the convenience and the ability to walk/metro everywhere, but I also want to come back home to a decent-sized house and a yard. I've lived in too many apartments and townhouses along the way that I'm want that escape from other people quite often.

[CSNative]

Originally Posted by Postal

I'm not really one for living in a "downtown" environment. I think about it every time I hit one of those big cities. I was in Seoul a few days ago and it hit me again. I like the convenience and the ability to walk/metro everywhere, but I also want to come back home to a decent-sized house and a yard. I've lived in too many apartments and townhouses along the way that I'm want that escape from other people quite often.

Full disclosure, for all of my anti-sprawl comments, I do live in a suburban area of town. When I set out to buy a house last fall, I looked downtown, on the west side, and in the fountain valley area. Everything in my price range in the city was collapsing, those old houses have terrible foundation problems. The fountain valley was the only place I could get a place in reasonably good condition in my price range. I didn't like apartment living at all, it was too business like... I felt like I lived in an office building or a box sub-divided into a pod, and I was allowed to live in one of those pods for a fee. Blah. Still, I think I could enjoy downtown living, though, under the right circumstances... the problem is, the right circumstances don't exist right now. I suspect owning a condo or a townhome is a different experience than renting a 1 bedroom apartment in a lower income complex.

[ryanek9freak]

that is what i've been saying all along

[PokerMunkee]

A freeway that runs smack in the middle of CS and goes from east to west. It's a PITA to get from Powers to Woodland Park!

[ryanek9freak]

Good luck on that ever happening

[toxicavenger]

I lived in Baltimore for a few years and I don't want the Springs to be anything like it. I did like some of the conviences of Baltimore but I like the small town feel of downtown Springs. And I think there are alot of things hurting business downtown. In my eyes the #1 problem is "bums". And I live directly downtown and see this everyday. Also the way they decided to jump up the meter prices put a hurting on alot of customers. Plus the only thing that seems to bring in money downtown is nightclubs. But IMO I think America the Beautiful was a waste of money when that could have been used to finish or upgrade a pre-existing park like Monument Valley. Why did they build that park there anyway if they are giving away the land next to it (Art Building) to developers? Last time I heard anything about that land they were having issues with it because of coal contimanation. But that is the last I heard of it, I am sure someone is more up to speed on some of the issues then I am.

[CSNative]

The original plan for ATB Park made sense. It was funded by the springs community improvement project tax... "SCIP." It was originally called "Confluence Park" and was to be the centerpiece of what turned out to be yet another failed urban renewal project downtown. The convention center and sky sox stadium were also supposed to be in the same general vicinity along with new condos, lofts, shops and restaurants. The park we ended up with is a shell of what was originally promised, and the rest of the development never materialized. Along with the gas building (art building) remodel, backers of the re-development project in the area are still pushing for a parking structure, a hotel, and a small number of residential units... but ATB Park ended up being another grandiose vision for downtown Colorado Springs that ended up fizzling into mediocrity. Contaminated soil from past industrial use did slow down the hotel project... the economy slowed it down even more.

P.S. - Mayor Mary Lou Makepeace was behind "SCIP." She really had a passion for this city and saw the same potential in it that I do. She faltered when she essentially scolded the citizens for shooting down "SCIP 2", but I would love it if they'd re-name it "Makepeace Park." She truly cared about the place and the people, unlike a certain current mayor, who has shown little interest in making Colorado Springs a better place during his time in office.

Nor'wood Development Group still has a rendering of the original plan for the Confluence Park area on the company website. You know... before the radical right completed its takeover of city hall. You'll note in the rendering ATB park on the bottom left hand corner, surrounded by hotels and apartments, with a baseball stadium on the center right side of the page.

[toxicavenger]

I know last year I was told they rent out the ATB to Farmers market for there wed. events but they were trying to raise the rates on it. So hopefully they don't because that is the only thing that happens down there that is any good. I remember when it was called Confluence. Alot of the homeless walk over from the Salvation Army Hope Center and hang out there. What a waste!

[CSNative]

The north end of Monument Valley Park is pretty much homeless territory too. I have such mixed feelings about that whole situation... I can understand why people are uncomfortable, but I don't know that, as a city, Colorado Springs has done a very good job of coming up with a solution to the problem that serves the homeless, and the average citizen. There was a proposal some years back for a massive homeless center in the Mill Street neighborhood (near the power plant downtown), but the neighborhood railed against it. It likely would have drawn the homeless out of the core to some extent. It's hard to say how much of a solution it would have been, though.