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Page 2 of 3 <br /> that secret by making the area more accessible to the public and giving <br /> 0 them a reason to come downtown to see it.Whether to attend Art Soup,an <br /> arts performance by the river or to stroll on a nicely lit and <br /> landscaped path along the river. <br /> 5.I would like to know if the city has ever done a parking study <br /> downtown.I think that that is certainly something which needs to be <br /> undertaken before the first hole is dug.We need to have a better grasp <br /> of the reality of parking downtown-not just our perception.The <br /> downtown building owners and business owners have major concerns about <br /> downtown parking. I don't know how large a tax base that the downtown <br /> businesses provide the city,but I do believe that it is a reasonable <br /> expectation for the downtown businesses to expect that the city would <br /> help make sure that the parking needs are being met. <br /> General comment: I definitely think that there is a need for Downtown <br /> Elk River to be revitalized.I don't think,however,that to throw a new <br /> • building in the middle of Jackson Square and say "poof downtown is <br /> revitalized"accomplishes anything positive.If we do that,we have <br /> missed the whole point of doing anything.We need to either upgrade or <br /> replace the buildings along the river which need to be upgraded or <br /> replaced.As a business owner I empathize with the businesses in the <br /> buildings along the river.I would not want to have to relocate or face <br /> the loss of income during the building phase.Unfortunately,the City of <br /> Elk River has the difficult task of moving this project forward in the <br /> proper direction and making this choice for them.The task ahead is for <br /> the City of Elk River and the downtown businesses to work together to <br /> revitalize downtown while retaining its small town charm.I appreciate <br /> the hard work that Metro Plains has done to come up with a compromise, <br /> workable solution,but I don't think that building in Jackson Square <br /> accomplishes the outcome that the city or downtown businesses were <br /> 0 looking for in this project. <br /> 6/25/2003 <br />