Letter: Why we must redevelop downtown

My wife and I were on the fence about whether or not to purchase the downtown building at 716 North Carson, previously known as Washington Street Station. After all, the building was more than half empty and had not attracted a new tenant in five years.

A bank had repossessed the building two years previously and had been unable to sell it even as it gradually cut the initial listing price almost in half. And to top things off, the building had extensive water damage throughout caused by a leaky roof, and the few tenants it did have were unhappy with conditions.

What convinced us to move ahead with the purchase were discussions with the Chamber of Commerce, City Manager and the Northern Nevada Development Agency about the downtown redevelopment project. We were excited about a new phase and identity for Carson City that the project signified, and we decided that we wanted to be a part of this new focus and spirit.

Wendy and I have put significant energies and monies into the building including hiring a Carson City contractor to completely fix all of the flood damage as well as make other enhancements, purchased art work by a local artist and framer for the lobby, and rebranded the building with a new name and logo. Our efforts have started to pay off as we’ve already attracted a new tenant and have had significant interest from other potential renters.

While we made our decision with eyes open, I was still dismayed to learn about the lingering controversy about the redevelopment project. To me, eliminating one of the Carson City Street lanes while increasing pedestrian traffic should be – as the techie crowd in Silicon Valley likes to say, “a no-brainer.”

Jeff Speck writes in his book, Walkable City: How Downtown can Save America, One Step at a Time, “…walkability is perhaps most useful as it contributes to urban vitality and most meaning as an indicator of that vitality.” He also says, “Creating a higher quality of life is the first step to attracting new residents and jobs.”

I lived in the San Francisco Bay area for all of my adult life until moving to Nevada three years ago. I started, ran and sold a couple of high-tech companies, and like to think that I have a decent feel for entrepreneurs. It’s small business, and in particular, small start-ups that are fueling job growth in America. To help build an entrepreneurial culture and to and to keep and attract the young people that are necessary for the city’s future, we need to make the city a destination where they want to live and work.

It has become obvious to me that there is a contingent of folks in Carson City who don’t want change. But as City Manager, Nick Marano, pointed out in his recent Chamber of Commerce sponsored “Soup’s On” session, that the labor force is smaller now than it was 10 years ago, and that the number of businesses has declined as well. Doing nothing, in my opinion, means continued decline of the economy and degradation of the city.

Cities across the America have revitalized their downtowns and their futures by initiating pedestrian-friendly projects similar to the one being considered for Carson City. With Tesla now opening a battery plant near Sparks, we have a golden opportunity to attract both new business and talented employees to the city.

While I live in Stateline and don’t have a vote to cast, I have several business friends and associates who live Carson City – and all of whom are in favor of the downtown redevelopment project. I urge you to cast your votes in the upcoming election for those forward-thinking candidates who are committed to revitalizing downtown.

Steve Kaplan