Growing up on the east side of town back in the
60s and 70s certainly didn’t plant a seed of urban
living in my soul. I lived at the end of long stretch
of road in a subdivision where every house looked alike. I
never really thought much about it, it was home. Recently,
I drove past my old neighborhood and I noticed that it
hasn’t changed much over the past four decades; but it sure
showed me how I have.
One of my biggest surprises upon returning to Frankfort
two years ago is how interesting and appealing our downtown
has become. I’ve also been shocked at the number of
people who call downtown Frankfort home. I’m not just
talking about South Frankfort or the surrounding historical
neighborhoods, but about those folks who dwell in the
upper story residences in the heart of downtown. Amazingly,
there are currently over 200 rental units in downtown,
though I am told that they are rarely vacant for long
because there is always someone on the waiting list ready
to move in.
Living in other cities has certainly expanded my view of
possibilities and opened my imagination about what can
be. But I realize that there were people in Frankfort back
in the 70s and 80s who had that vision and began acting on
that inspiration. We can thank people like Bill Crumbaugh
and John Gray and others for creating many of these wonderful
living spaces downtown that are so popular today.
And, there are new visionaries that are emerging who are
planning projects that will greatly expand the options for
the downtown residential population .
I’d never really thought about the positive impact of
residents on the vitality of a downtown. But recently one
respected developer shared that there are three things
that a healthy downtown needs: residents, residents and
residents. He noted that when people can walk to work
and home and then find options for eating and recreation
nearby, it strengthens the area. It makes sense. People are
drawn to areas where there’s an energy and an aliveness,
they want to be a part of it. And, rest assured, tourists want
to go where locals hang out; I learned that lesson in Key
West when visitors would always ask, “where do YOU like
to go?”
I also just read about the 10/10/10 Rule of healthy downtowns.
It is also known as the “Rule of Critical Mass” according
to Roger Brooks, founder of Destination Development.
He says that in less than a 3 block area there needs
to be three things for a downtown to really be considered
a destination: 10 places that serve food,10 specialty shops
(not chains or big box stores) and 10 places that stay open
after 6 p.m., preferably for entertainment .
Well, believe it or not, downtown Frankfort is almost there!
When is the last time you dined downtown at any one of
our 13 restaurants and cafes? How about shopping? Do
you realize that there are 14 retail shops to choose from?
And, have you listened to any live music lately, either on
the Old Capitol Lawn, or at one of the 5 pubs and bars in
the area? These options are currently available, and there’s
more to come.
Kelly Everman, Director of Downtown Frankfort, Inc.
