Columbia Can Become Relevant Again

There’s a great feature in this week’s Christian Science Monitor that touts the success of the redevelopment of a dying mall in Lakewood, Colorado.

They took a more radical approach and tore the whole thing down. Luckily for us, we have the ability to incorporate the mall into a more complete vision of downtown.

The article points out some of the cultural amenities that are thriving in Lakewood:

Much of the activity seemed to be centered on “Block 7,” a strip of art galleries and storefronts subsidized by Continuum. Jeffrey Steffonich, a college student working at a studio, said, “There’s been a lot of interest [in Belmar] among young people … interest in the culture … the galleries. People see it as a cool place to live.”

Now, we all know that Columbia has always had a thriving arts scene. But imagine being able to stroll down the streets of downtown, pop into an art gallery or even hear a band at a new venue. We need more cultural amenities to make Columbia an attractive place for people of all ages.