Blog Archive
Downtown Alive - October 11, 2007 - What is it about a warm restaurant, great food and great beer that make for a perfect October night? Or how about standing in the middle of hundreds of friends on a crisp evening with a drink in your hand and fantastic live music? Welcome to the Fresh Hop Ale Festival. Last Saturday hundreds of people came out for the Festival, held downtown at the Millennium Plaza. The evening was full of ...
Downtown Confetti - September 21, 2007 - Standing in Times Square in New York City pulls at all your senses simultaneously. There is the smell of hotdogs, the sounds of insistent car horns, talking, and blaring media, the touch of steam rising from the street grates, and the sight of people from all over the world coursing down the sidewalk--the ultimate sea of people. Sean and I were there for the International Downtown Association ...
My Downtown - September 06, 2007 - It's funny, you never really hear people speak proudly of their suburban surroundings (we have the best darned Shopko in all of Eastern Washington), but you do hear people speak passionately about their downtowns. There is a reason why downtowns are referred to as the "hearts" or "pulses" of their cities. A thriving downtown reflects a thriving city. This week I got an email from someone who ...
Another Great Week in Downtown Yakima - August 30, 2007 - When I first visited Yakima in January, the one thing I noticed right away was the tremendous redevelopment potential of a number of the buildings in downtown Yakima. If you study life cycles of downtown redevelopment, you'll find we are in the emerging phase where catalyst projects like the Hilton Hotel and Capitol Theatre plans spark interest in many of the surrounding vacant properties. This ...
The Emergence of Downtown Yakima - August 16, 2007 - When the word revitalized gets used, many begin to think of a certain economy. In the case of downtown Yakima, it's more than just the economy, it's the people that create that economy. Perceptions, ideas, feelings, and personalities must change to move forward. In order to change our economy, a new energy and new feel must come to the people that shape it. Gone are the days when a JC Penny's ...
Ummelina Journeys Downtown - August 09, 2007 - A foot massage is always a good idea. A massage with a clay cup of refreshing organic iced tea or perhaps a glass of wine is pretty near perfect. The two aforementioned things in a beautiful environment filled with draping fabric, aromatherapy, and soothing music is approaching heavenly. Ummelina International Day Spa is coming to downtown. After twenty-two years as the number one spa in ...
Paving the Way to Progress - August 02, 2007 - Soon North Front Street will be paved with beautiful cobblestones. Today the street is full of tractors and dirt, pushing toward this goal. The same is happening up and down Yakima Ave as shops between Front Street and 7th Avenue watch the preparation for new sidewalks & streetscape, including lightposts and planters like the ones that line the East side of Yakima Ave. And while all of this is ...
Super Condos - July 27, 2007 - To watch the up-turned faces of those walking down 3rd Street you'd think that Superman had been spotted in the blue Yakima skies. People are practically bumping into each other as they walk past Ron's Coin & Book paying no attention to where they are going, but watching the new developments on The Lofts Condo project. To all those who doubted that great things could come of the old Bon Marche, ...
The Feel of Folklife Downtown - July 18, 2007 - Downtown Yakima was electric Friday night as people walked from restaurant to restaurant to eat, drink, and socialize as they listened to various bands play. We sat out in front of The Depot enjoying the warm air, our glasses of crisp white wine and the sound of folk music. We popped into Bob's Keg and Cork for a few minutes to view the full-house there and then made our way around downtown, ...
How to Mix a Martini in a Glass Studio - July 05, 2007 - Creating a successful downtown is not simply about filling it up with businesses, but also infusing it with a sense of creativity and uniqueness. At times when I've visited suburban areas in other cities I've been overwhelmed by the sameness of it all--the burger chain next to the discount clothing chain next to the coffee chain. Conversely, when you enter a well-maintained downtown you should be ...
At Home in Downtown - June 29, 2007 - Italian food is comfort food to me and I was wonderfully satisfied by the salmon and delicious mashed potatoes I had at Cafe Melange on Wednesday night. New owner Lisa Rembold has added lovely details to the interior while continuing to uphold the restaurant's repuation for fine food and a fantastic selection of local wines. I happened to be sharing this meal with three people who are ...
Downtown Character - June 19, 2007 - This morning I walked by Essencia Bakery (smelling cinnamon rolls as I went), through the 2nd St. parking lot and back around the former Petco building. As I rounded the corner I was greeted by the beautiful new sculpture by father-and-son artists, Michael and Chad Gray. More than a dozen feet tall, the bronze, glass, steel and basalt structure gleamed in the morning sun. It was an amazing ...
Get the Latest News About Downtown - June 12, 2007 - We are so thrilled to have our website up and running. Our next goal is to get you, Yakima locals & out-of-town fans, to sign up for our email list. We want to be able to zip you the latest information, whether that be a fantastic new retail business for you to check out, a great lunch deal downtown, entertainment reminders, or tidbits of information that you may not hear about any other way. ...
Welcome to the new Downtown Yakima Website - June 06, 2007 -
Ignore people who say it can't be done! Welcome to our new website! This is a tremendously exciting time to be in downtown Yakima and to be a part of the renaissance taking place in town. Downtowns don't revitalize themselves overnight and ours is no exception. It takes dedication and teamwork to make a positive economic environment in any downtown area. More importantly, it's about attitude, it's ...
