The Downtown Voices Coalition is all for making sure that all things good in downtown stick around. They’re pro-mom and pop shops, pro-kitschy goods and art on the first Friday of every month and they’re pro-letting Phoenix grow but making sure it doesn’t get out of control. Now, I’m all for one-of-a-kind gifts and making sure Phoenix stays sustainable, but unfortunately the Coalition’s communication strategy mostly appeals to like-minded people.
Their messages need to appeal to businesses, all kinds of legislators, city planners and investors. They need to speak to the values behind growing Phoenix in a responsible and smart way that will appeal to people across the board. Some of those values could include:
- Fairness and Opportunity – instead of selling off the land to massive corporations and big builders, provide opportunities for all variations of businesses.
- Cooperation – working together with the existing community (who inevitably will be customers of the businesses that are looking to set up shop there) and the businesses and developers looking to move in.
- Diversity – providing all types of businesses (small and big) to cultivate customer choice.
- Common good – retaining the culture, arts and building upon public spaces to help build a stronger, more sustainable community.
They do touch on these issues, but often the communication is slanted towards people that already want to ensure small businesses thrive, the culture is maintained, and building a sustainable city.
Seriously?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know the DVC the only Downtown volunteer group that CARES enough to promote Downtown and work to improve it. The group consists of 3-4 attorneys, one MAJOR downtown devolper, citizens how care DEEPLY about downtown and yes 2-3 artists.
How on earth one could take issues with a downtown volunteer group that wants nothing more than a vibrant downtown is BEYONE me!
And equally your entire agrument makes no sense when this group takes ANYONE who cares about Downtown! Memebership is open to all, and all are welcome!
Total FAIL.
Hi Kyrsten,
ReplyDeleteWe at DVC found out recently about your blog “grading” of Downtown Voices Coalition on your book selling website, though one of our members considered it more “degrading” than grading. I think that reaction probably comes from the fact that, as you’ve never attended one of our monthly meetings or engaged a dialogue with us at any time, you must be making your judgment from reading our website or perhaps talking to the disgruntled land-flip speculators or anti-historic preservation folks we’ve dealt with over the years.
We would like to offer an invitation to attend a DVC general meeting and actually learn something about our organization. We are boots on the ground workers for a better Phoenix. As such, below are a response to your points in the blog above, and also a short list of events that DVC has joined in:
KS# “Fairness and Opportunity – Instead of selling off the land to massive corporations and big builders, provide opportunities for all variations of businesses.”
DVC has from its inception supported small-scale development of independent businesses and housing while preserving existing neighborhoods. Our original Spring 2004 discussion that became the position paper for Downtown Voices came from a lack of input allowed to be provided from stakeholders in regards to the now long-gone downtown Phoenix football stadium and its mall-concept successor, the “Jerde Project.”
Quite simply, City Hall, ASU, and the development teams supported by Jerry Colangelo and other business interests all seemed to have a voice in the plans for downtown. The stakeholder organizations and citizen groups were left out of the discussion. The May 2004 Downtown Voices conference established a set of guidelines, many of which were adopted (some might say co-opted) into Phoenix’s Downtown Strategic Plan and other similar planning documents.
KS# “Cooperation – Working together with the existing community (who inevitably will be customers of the businesses that are looking to set up shop there) and the businesses and developers looking to move in.”
Early on DVC realized that it was necessary to not only be activists but also participants. Our members have served on city design review groups, community and university advisory boards, and bond election committees, always seeking cooperation while mindful of the core principles established in our August 2004 position paper. It is important to cooperate and collaborate, but when necessary it’s also important to agitate and even litigate.
KS# “Diversity – Providing all types of businesses (small and big) to cultivate customer choice.”
Perhaps DVC does tend to lean towards the local, independent business owner versus the big-box developer or out-of-town corporation. A “coalition” as the name implies is when disparate people band together to offer an opinion with one voice. I would think this is a positive for our group, as there are plenty of lobbyists and real estate lawyers out there being paid to work for the “other guys.” If not us, then whom? Certainly they’re not getting that kind of support from the majority of our state legislature.
KS# “Common good – Retaining the culture, arts, and building upon public spaces to help build a stronger, more sustainable community.”
If anything, DVC has excelled in promoting the common good out in the open and behind the scenes, and most of the organization’s successes fall into this category. We can count on two hands the number of times city officials and mid-level managers have quietly asked us to “intervene” and “get the ball rolling” on a TRUE public discussion on a particular matter. We’re happy to take on that role… for the common good.
To catch you up, here are a few events of note that DVC undertook.
ReplyDeleteSummit at Copper Square-argued against the “zoning by variance” issue regarding self-imposed hardships from the developer, i.e. “we need to build taller to see over Chase Field” when they were the ones who selected the location. Pushed for street-activating ground floor retail and an entrance that was not walled from the street. Agreed on a stipulation, not followed, to not wall off the development so that Jackson Street and the area South of Jackson would not be visually separated.
Madison Square Garden-sought to preserve a historic structure and cultural resource by opposing the demolition of the Madison Square Garden area at 7th Avenue and Van Buren/Grand. Efforts secured a commemorative museum and exterior monument to the new development.
Downtown Civic Space-members of DVC were on bond election parks committee, original design review panel for project, attended citizen input meetings and served on Phoenix Arts Commission panel for juried review of public art piece for Civic Space.
When the iconic art piece selected by the Arts and Culture review committee was threatened with cancellation, Downtown Voices Coalition gathered city officials to a weekend emergency meeting so that interested citizens could voice their displeasure with the decision to usurp approved public process and already-in-place funding stream, and as a result of civic input the council by majority vote accepted the Commission’s selection.
“Her Secret Is Patience”, the completed artwork by Janet Echelman, has made the park more than a place with grass and trees; it has given Phoenix an internationally recognized public artwork.
Fighter Airplane Museum at Airport- a now-former city councilman sought to use Percent for Art arts and culture funds to pay for the purchase and creation of a “fighter airplane” museum at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. DVC representatives spoke in opposition to the use of public arts and culture funds for this project, and the airport subcommittee was convinced to do a financial review of the costs associated and income projected from developing this museum. When city council was presented with the objective truth regarding the high costs and low value anticipated, the project was rejected.
Sun Mercantile Building and the W Hotel- The last remaining historic Chinese-American owned warehouse in the Warehouse District was threatened with a “façade-ectomy” by the development plans of Suns owner Robert Sarver, who planned to build a W hotel and condominium project directly on top of the historic building. A court case was instituted with DVC support against the decision process of the city council, which forestalled the demolition and misuse of a historically significant structure.
Downtown Champ Car Race-A controversy between Phoenix International Raceway (NASCAR) and the proponents of a new downtown open-wheel street race by the CHAMP car sponsors brought both groups to speak to DVC at two general meetings. With the information provided regarding “green” elements for the race and accompanying festival, DVC gave its support for the race.
Others….
Late Weekend Hours for Light Rail
Pushed for shade and aesthetic improvements to new Nursing College Building ASU Downtown
Pressed for Public Park and Local Businesses in Cityscape Shopping Development
Community Input sought for Jackson St. Entertainment District
And so forth…
Steve Weiss
Steering Committee Chair, Downtown Voices Coalition
http://www.downtownvoices.org