Perhaps one of the most pressing social issues in the downtown is the fact that the Arriwani Hotel and the Saint Vincent DePaul Place represents a source of affordable shelter and meals for the region’s desperately poor and mentally ill. From a purely business and marketing perspective, these uses should not front on Main Street.
These uses detract from the retail experience by leaving visitors and downtown residents with the perception that downtown is a dangerous and unwelcome place.
Nevertheless the City recognizes its obligation to provide for its fair share of the region’s less fortunate. For this reason, the City is working with those involved to make the land use more accommodating to its residents and less threatening to downtown shoppers.
The Arriwani Hotel and the St. Vincent DePaul Place are located in historically significant buildings. Their historic significance should be enhanced and as an initial step, the Main Street frontages should be converted to more retail type establishments.