Smart Growth Ogden

Downtown

Read a letter to the editor about "Outlet Stores in Ogden"

Traditionally, downtown is where people go for whatever isn't available in their local neighborhoods--that is, for most jobs, entertainment, and a greater variety of shopping and services.

America's downtowns developed in the pre-automobile era, when people traveled by foot, trolley, or train. That's why downtown shops are close together, the buildings are tall and narrow, and it's hard to find a parking place. With the rise of the automobile after World War II, stores and employers began moving to strip malls and office "parks" dispersed throughout the suburbs. Anyone with a car could easily get to these places, and there was plenty of room for parking. The costs to society, however, were tremendous: sprawl, traffic jams, loss of community, and second-class status for children, many of the elderly, and anyone else who couldn't drive a car.

These trends have affected Ogden along with the rest of the country. The shopping centers have moved to 12th Street, the Newgate Mall, Riverdale Road, and beyond. Weber State University moved in the 1960's to a car-friendly campus on the east bench. Even the local newspaper finally abandoned downtown a few years ago. The decline of passenger trains hit Ogden's downtown harder than most cities, because our economy was so dependent on the constant influx of visitors.

Today, everyone in Ogden seems to agree that someone should do something to save our downtown from further decline. In principle, there are two possible approaches. One option is to make downtown more car-friendly, putting in parking lots and encouraging big-box retailers--essentially turning it into another suburban commercial district. The other option is to stick with the older, pedestrian-friendly design principles, to attract those who might want an alternative to suburbia. Compromises between these two approaches are always possible, but every additional parking space adds to the distance that pedestrians have to walk between buildings. The failure of the Ogden City Mall is a lesson in the inherent conflict between car-oriented and pedestrian-oriented design.

We're hopeful that a pedestrian-oriented approach can work for Ogden's downtown. During the last decade we've seen tremendous public and private investments in this approach, including several attractive high-density housing developments, the new amphitheater, Lindquist Field, and the restoration of the Municipal Building, Peery's Egyptian Theater, and many other buildings.

However, a couple of key elements are still missing from Ogden's downtown. One is a good transit system to bring people from the surrounding neighborhoods into downtown. The other is a critical mass of businesses to meet the everyday needs of downtown residents. Having to drive a mile to buy groceries defeats much of the purpose of living in a high-density, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

Another change that might help downtown Ogden would be the return of a steady influx of out-of-town visitors. While some people seem to feel that this is an essential element of downtown revitalization, we're not convinced. Tourism is a competitive and volatile industry, so we would be wise not to bet too much on it. Our preference would be to diversify our investments, with an emphasis on attracting the residents of our own city and county into downtown Ogden.