There is a third choice other than voting for no growth or bad growth: smart growth. SLO could become a much more vibrant commercial center while keeping its uniqueness by bringing chain retailers into the downtown sphere.
Imagine the downtown being a vibrant mix of local and chain merchants with the ambience of the historic El Paseo in SB.
Across the country‚ “Main Street” shopping districts are re-emerging and replacing “sprawlmalls” hugging freeway corridors.
When the downtown adjoins the neighborhoods, there is a sense of place. The human scale, neighborhood feel, aesthetic qualities, and walkability provide a very positive experience that can not be achieved by endless, sprawling corridors of malls and more malls.
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W. David Lees
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Apr 21-28, 2005.