Revitalizing a neighborhood is a major undertaking for a community. It takes a lot of investment and effort, but there is always a chance of failure. Even if you hire the best people and pay skilled remodeling contractors to make the homes look better, there is always a chance of failure if you don’t solve some underlying problems. If you want to avoid that, you should study some of the more successful stories of revitalized neighborhoods out there.
Platteville, Wisconsin
Sometimes, a neighborhood needs to revitalize some buildings to get the community pumped up for action. A good example of this is what Platteville, Wisconsin did with several of its downtown buildings. One of the beneficiaries was a dilapidated old auto dealership. Now, the property has been converted into a 70-room apartment building that provides affordable housing and a first-floor classroom for a local college.
Another redeveloped building was a former Carnegie Library. Considered a historic site, the building was then being used as an office space. With a little polish and remodeling work, the exterior of the building looked like when it was brand-new. Additionally, access ramps and elevators were added to make it a more modern office.
Campbell River, Vancouver
Campbell River is often considered the Salmon Fishing Capital of the World. This is thanks to the unique location and its plentiful natural resources. In terms of community revitalization, what the region needed was more in terms of ecological help. Seventy years of development and exploitation have done a lot of damage to the environment, causing problems with the economy. One of the big acts that helped was to dredge the Campbell River estuary. Closing some of the more damaging industries was also a big help. This created a better environment and saved money for some businesses.
Las Vegas, Nevada
When people think of Las Vegas, they don’t often think of it needing to be revitalized. However, the issue with the city is different. While the city is popular for gambling and entertainment, the local government wants to branch out. They aim to draw in entrepreneurs and innovators to the city to set up shop and generate revenue independent of the usual industries. Las Vegas has thrown a lot of money into investing in this. It has put in over $100 million to attract small businesses and tech entrepreneurs to bring their start-ups to the city.
Louisville, Kentucky
Tourism is another way to revitalize a community. That is exactly what Louisville is going for in its push to make the block around the historic Louisville Water Company a tourist site and hub for those planning to tour the local distilleries. Local government and private developers are building big in the area. First, there is the 600 room luxury hotel that will provide accommodations for visitors. Besides that, a large apartment complex with 200 units is slated to help the locals find proper lodgings.
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore has had a bad reputation for some time, with some parts being considered blighted. One of these is in East Baltimore and those close to the John Hopkins University Hospital. The local government has embarked on a major revitalization project that will cost nearly$2 billion. It has already borne some fruit. The public schooling system of East Baltimore has seen a fresh new school building open.
Besides that, the goal is for 2000 energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly homes to be in the area when done. This is done through new construction and refurbishing. Besides housing, commercial spaces are to open as well as a new technology park for industries. In the end, it is hoped that the community would be able to service and provide for all income levels.
Seattle, Washington
The South Lake Union has been around for a hundred years. Recently, it was just an area full of industrial buildings. But renewal has changed the community. It is now the headquarters of the internet giant, Amazon. It has also become the hottest real estate market in the country. The local government has helped out a bit by doing some zoning changes, allowing for more than 2000 housing units to be developed and creating thousands of feet in retail space.
Knowing what others have done right can help in revitalizing your neighborhood. You’ll have to take the lessons learned from these success stories and make them a reality. It won’t be easy, but you won’t be alone in doing it. If you have the entire community behind you, then there is a solid possibility for success.
