How worldwide trends are affecting downtown
For years working in television news, one of my jobs was to work with the show producers to determine the most important national and international stories to include in the daily newscasts.
There were dozens of compelling and interesting pieces from which to choose – some funny, some newsy and for whatever reason a lot of water-skiing squirrels. We tried to choose those stories that had the highest likelihood of directly affecting our viewers in the Ark-La-Tex. A skirmish in an oil-producing region in Russia could affect the price of oil here at home. A series of bank failures overseas could impact local interest rates. A bombing of a U.S. ship in Yemen could mean that troops from Fort Polk or aircraft from Barksdale might be pulled into the fray. It was easy to see how we were interconnected with events happening in Baton Rouge, Washington and around the world.
As poet John Donne famously wrote 400 years ago, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” The same is true today for both individuals and downtowns.
Downtown Shreveport is not immune to outside in uences, and to keep up, we have to be willing to change with the here and now or become irrelevant in the future. DDA representatives recently attended a national conference for Main Street communities and were deeply interested in a talk about opportunities coming our way – if we are ready for them.
Many of these are trends of millennials (those born roughly between 1980-2000) and Generation X’ers (roughly between 1965-84), and they will affect downtown in far-reaching ways. Let’s take a look at a few of the changes.
1. The days of moving to take a job are rapidly ending. Instead of moving wherever the job is, millennials are deciding where they want to live, then moving there and either looking for a job once there or creating one. This puts far more importance on being a place where people want to locate, so quality-of-life amenities that include retail and restaurants, live music, vibrant arts and culture, and cool residential opportunities are key.
2. It’s all about young professional women. In 2009, more women were employed in the U.S. labor force than men. By 2016, college enrollment is expected to be 60 percent female. Women are anticipated to dominate professional occupations, so downtown is going to have to appeal to them by being a safe, vibrant, mixed-use environment with an emphasis on retail and opportunities to socialize. Realtors, brokers and of ce building managers should take notice. There are things they can all do to attract women.
3. Consumer behaviors are changing. We are seeing what planners believe is a permanent realignment in American consumption patterns. Impulse spending appears to be a thing of the past, replaced by practical and deliberate spending.
The factors determining value now are quality, functionality, convenience as well as environmental and social considerations. This is as true with everything from a piece of clothing to renting of ce space or a downtown apartment.
4. Transportation and mobility are shifting in a big way. The new bike racks downtown and the emphasis on pedestrian-friendly streets have big meaning to millennials, who do not (gasp!) love their cars. In addition to attracting millennials who may not have cars, downtown is also a perfect place for Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers who are tired of spending a signi cant part of their paycheck for car, insurance, maintenance and fuel and want to do away with a giant house and yard while they are at it. For this, we need additional residential opportunities.
5. Sustainability is where it’s at. With pedestrian and bike-friendly policies, energy-ef cient buildings, a location that requires little driving and “recycling” of older buildings into new uses, downtown should own sustainability. Sustainability is considered more than a trend; it is making its way toward the “megatrend” category, as a large-scale change in behavior. Events like the Makers’ Fair and Farmers’ Market already cater to this megatrend.
There is plenty downtown Shreveport is already doing, but more opportunities are there for the taking. If we’re ready, we can create the vibrant downtown we want. If not, downtown’s best days will be – sadly – behind it.
Liz Swaine is the executive director of the Downtown Development Authority. She can be reached at liz@downtownshreveport.com.
