Oldest store front still standing?

Oldest store front?

  

rear view of stores fronting mini park.

This is just a question I have wondered about. Could this arched doorway possibly be the oldest store front still standing in downtown Alexandria?

I may be way off base with this because the structure compares with the arched windows with steel shutters on the block fronting Third Street.

It’s sort of a which came first.

But any way we are looking at the oldest   business structures left standing, I would think.

Is it not interesting when one takes a moment to contemplate their surroundings?

We see things that we normally take for granted in a different  perspective.

Alex

 

How to save Downtown. The 25 cent Plan. Not ten pages of Bull.

This is the block, on left.

In some of the smaller city’s..I have visited over the years I have found most of their old town centers thriving or at least achieving some degree of traffic. Their concept has been simple and straightforward. From Petersburgh, Va. to  Austin, Texas. I really don’t think any of these city’s spent a great deal of time on any detailed studies of traffic or anything else.  They just laid out a simple plan and went after it. We have in Alexandria several area’s to utilize. But probably the simplest place to start is the MOST overlooked location. I am not talking about the Bentley this time. Forget about that for now. It is viable, but further down the road…

We have a solid block of buildings fronting Third street that could be the seed element. They are located right across the street from the mini park. This stand of buildings are probably the oldest group of downtown  buildings still standing. In other town’s this type of building is used for gift shops, Antique stores ,ice cream stands and souvenir stores. Just small impulse shops. The area’s above could be used for condo’s or live in areas for shop operators.

Tax breaks could be given to building owners and shop operators as incentives. I looked in to the purchase price of one of the buildings and it was under $200,000 which in reality if this is put forward would be cheap. Shop rent could be rather cheap when included in a live in situation or other packages could be worked out.

Combined with the riverfront park, the proposed marina, the Museum of Art and The History Museum and a few other attractions that I have thought about along with the Bentley (perhaps) and the Riverfront Center and C.S. Building you have the makings of a perfect tourist situation. Promotion as a package would be necessary along with Officials actually working together.( which would be the biggest stumbling point) when have our city elected officials actually worked together for any common good?

A little cosmetic work to the facades of the buildings to make them appear as they once did and , well the whole thing handled correctly would be fantastic. It works in other towns. Why could it not work here,,,,

SO, all you nay-sayers and positive thinkers…Give me your comments…I am sure the reasons for it to fail out weigh the reasons for it not to…OR do they???

And I have a lot more ideas , based on what I have seen over the years…if any one is even remotely interested. I have not been sitting on my duff in Alexandria all my life.

Alex

I am basing my thoughts on 25 years of travel all over the United States. I have seen this in use and it work’s.. It is commerce on a small scale…

The mayor and the city council..

Uglest Building in Alexandria.

Now before any one condemns me, I am going to try to be objective. I think trying to use common sense is more the proper wording. I think the current mayor has been in office long enough to pretty much see what he is about. I give him high points for trying.  He is well educated and objective. I have actually seen times when he has sort of spaced out. But I think that is sort of selective as to his main interest’s. He has come up with some sound ideas. Basically I really do think he has the city at heart. He seems to care. He is a lawyer and thinks like one though. That works against him a good bit of the time. Frankly I give him a good grade so far.

 

The secrecy in the Cleco case has hurt him. The public thinks to this day, no matter what, the city will give in to the power of Cleco as a large entity. So no matter what the outcome, it will always be a minus mark on this current administration and the one before. That makes it a no win situation.

I am sure he has his interest he is working for as any public official does.  That’s just a fact of life. For the most part he has surrounded himself with hard working assistants. There are a few that have attention deficit syndrome, but that’s normal in any team.

I say support his efforts and give him encouragement. That’s a hell of a rough job he took on.

Now the city council is another story entirely..

I had mentioned the broadcasting of the city council meetings in an earlier post. On Chanel four of the Cable. We have a mix of good and bad there. Honestly, mostly bad. What I view is at best a three ring circus. Honestly several of them have difficulty with the English language.

I know that most of them hate each other and only agree for mutual benifit, nothing more.

Try as I may I have great difficulty finding any good points in 75% of them. And before you say anything or think anything else. I look at them as Representatives of the people, NOTHING MORE.

I know personally three of them. One not good enough to judge. The other two I do know well enough. One of them is a straight shooter and has the city’s interest at heart. The other is eager, but lacking in some quality’s. Basically he tends to listen but will not follow through.

The others I just judge by their actions, and those actions tend to be more self serving than anything else.

I don’t see things changing for the better. The majority will do anything they can to  kamikaze the mayor and the people they represent. That’s a fact that can’t be ignored.They seem to like to dance in the spotlight.

As to the poor sportsman ship of some in acting like a cry baby when opposed, that is just another slap in their constituents face that should not be ignored.

If I’m wrong please let me know.

But I really don’t see anyone who gives a  r-t’s a-s.

optimistically yours..

Alex

Oh, and on the Bentley.

Bentley Hotel

It turns out to be more of the same in the meeting today. 

 

 

 ”0″

Or to put in in the terms it will be reported.

Another constructive and productive meeting.

Here is the resolution as taken from the kalb-tv site.

http://www.gcwclients.com/clients/kalb/news/bentley_resolution.pdf

I do know this group has  done some excellent work in Baton Rouge.  BUT here? 

Sorry!

Alex

Why some people don’t run.

Smith has filed an appeal against Goins.

All I can say is HUH??  What in the hell is he scared of???????

This is a classic example of why I said earlier why don”t we have other candidates qualify.

Shades of John K. Snyder……Its not even worth going into detail on…

But please someone ..PLEASE explain this whole comedy.

Alex

More Bentley..

Alex hears rumors something is afoot with the Bentley. Perhaps it is closer to being bought. 

A reliable source has told me something might happen soon..someone said something about a special city council meeting…tomorrow?  . Let’s hope.

Then again it may be a cry of wolf again…

Either way, check out.

historicbentley.com

Great site!

Returned phone calls.

This is just an out loud question. I have a friend who called the Town Talk News editor three days ago.

He left a very polite call asking the editor to please call him back. He also left his name,  position and number.

Now either the editor is out of town on a business trip or on vacation. Because three days + have gone by and no return call.

My question is how the paper get’s significant local news story’s when they don’t return calls.  And I hear that newspapers are in difficult times now.

The sad part is that a reporter interviewed my friend about his story more than three weeks ago and it is an important event….No story, No returned call.

It is an educational and an event related story that has an impact on the community.

He is still waiting for the returned call.. I have been told of other people who have had the same experience.

I told him, its just an oversight. But who knows…

Alex

The right to Run.

Goins can run against Smith.

I am glad to see that there will be  a little bit of  competition for a city council seat. But still I would have liked for more concerned citizens  to have stepped up to the plate rather that the same old same old…But with the predictable low, low, low, low , turn out, why bother to even have an election.

http://cenlalight.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/jonathan-d-goins-does-qualify-to-run-for-district-3-seat/

 

Oh well!!

Alex

Just a Thanks!

So often when someone helps out another person in today’s world, the thank you part is forgotten or ignored. I have noticed this in the younger generation more often in their day to day  interactions.

So I would like to thank Cenlamar ,  wesawthat  and CenlaHistory for their linking of their blogs to alexcenla. We may not at times see eye to eye, but we can get along.

SO, Thank You!!

Alex

I admit, I am a snoop…

Most of the time bloggers are talking about themselves and their opinions, which is a good thing. (sometimes)  As I sat at my computer this afternoon, I tried to imagine who are the people that view and read this stream of thought are.

 I have been doing this about two weeks. I look at the traffic indicators each day and the referrals. I see that some come directly to this blog while other leapfrog from another blog to this. Out of curiosity more than anything else, I would like to know how each viewer to this blog spends their day hours. In general terms, tell me what you do, your occupation if you will.

Some  I know because, I know them personally. One or two know my true identity and hopefully will keep it to themselves. I enjoy this and wish to remain just Alex.

Unlike most bloggers I don’t try to be newsy .. Sometimes I wll give you a flat opinion. Most of the time I will try to look at both side of the story. ( that’s a very hard thing to do, believe me!)

To tell you details about myself would probably quickly give away my identity.  I will tell you my day to day job is a passion with me. I get up in the morning looking forward to it, unlike some people. I believe if I do not learn something new each day,  I have wasted that day.

So if you are a Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief or Homeless philosopher, please let me know.

No names, just the tag you are given in everyday life..

Because if its one thing I am, its a snoop.

Alex