I have been reading this gals column for some montjhs now. She just doesn't get it. She has no concept of business and costs as related by this column.

What most don't get, and civic leaders fail to understand in situations such as this is how to get bang for your bucks.
To many the above may sound like a bunch of rhetoric but the following facts require serious consideration.
The city of Saint Joseph, should by now recognize the effects and shortcomings of new expansion without appropriate regard for what already exists. Simply put, if you do nothing more than add to areas beyond their economic capacity, you are stealing from Peter to pay Paul. This is the issue that must be addressed in deciding between locations of a downtown convention venue, or the ag expo north of town.
While either concept can be successful, it is in the best interest of the city and county to maximize its investment by focusing attention to an existing area most in need of revitalization, thereby accomplishing two goals from a single act.
One last thought; take a careful look at the "motives" of any individuals claiming the downtown concept has too many obstacles. The only barriers existing are a lack of vision and creativity in finding solutions.

I am all for more revenue and even moreso, I am for a downtown I can spend an entire evening in.

But here's the real problem with downtown as I see it.

First of all, "easy access off the interstate" doesn't apply to the East side. Did the person making that comment not notice the gigantic interstate overpass along downtown?

Here's the thing... we're going to bring travelers into St. Joseph's downtown for what? To see our ridiculous eyesore of a scrap yard? To see all the trash accumulated under the bridges by homeless locals? To see firsthand that there are in fact over 50 different colors of red brick buildings in downtown alone?

Okay so they're here, now what? They get to eat at Taco Bell? Hardees? So they spend an evening with us downtown and that's how we thank them and accomodate them? Or maybe they would feel better since our local PD stands in front of every bar downtown, hands on their hips and faces just waiting for someone to say or do something stupid so they can pounce? Yeah, a warm welcome indeed.

I can't help but turn my head everytime I'm northbound on I-229. DO SOMETHING WITH THAT MESS AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE WE COULD BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN FOR REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN. I say the whole scrap yard moves 200 yards to the south, UNDER, or right next to the bridge (if it must remain downtown).

MichaelH - Valid concerns and at the same time you are reinforcing the points I am making.
Once it is decided that the downtown area is the location for a convention center, along with it comes a house cleaning. That means removal of the eye-sores and yes, even some demolition for expanded parking and ease of access. On the subject of access remember roads can be changed and made to fit any need.
Don't be concerned over restaurants either; once the demand is there both franchise and independents will be fighting for the space, which will also push any undesirable out very quickly.
Issues such as these are dealt with every day in the older and historic areas of many cities with great success, but as I said it does not happen without effort, planning, and most importantly creative thinking.

Where is the city going to get the money? How are they doing to budget this year?

Downtown, there is enough "good old boy money" already poured into it that you can bet they are going to assure development continues, that's a no brainer.

Downtown issues have been listed. No parking, asthetically challeging -

Hey, what if that steel plant is moved to the industrial area, the Triumph foods area or someone on the south side, and that land and more in the area could be used?

I'd like to see the finacial performance and contributions the current Civic Center has given us too.

What does the city as a whole hope to gain and what is the money trail going to look like?

St. Joe loves us some history? Where did you go to school?!

St. Joe also loves us some scrap metal!
The scrap yard is one of downtown's most successful businesses. Why should it move to accommodate an unproven conference center? The comments have done a great job of revealing the real issue - the city does not have one clear vision for either downtown or the east side, let alone both of them together. Can taxpayers be expected to support a conference center until a vision is clearly outlined?

We already have a scrap yard next to the Stockyards and close to Trimph.

susanm - It is great that the scrap yard is a successful business. If, however, you are advocating that future renovation and development of the area should be predicated on allowing this business to remain in its present location, I suggest you take a step back.
This is not to infer that the scrap yard should be shut-down. Rather a partnering providing relocation to another location while also clearing the area for a new and more productive use is in order. By doing this it can be a win, win, for the business and community. City and country gain the area for redevelopment and the scrap yard can gain the benefits of improvements to their facility and in doing so be even more successful.

Coming over the I-229 bridge and looking into the city at night can be a beautiful thing. The daytime view of the courthouse and all the other buildings is sullied by the scarpyard. A meeting planner is sure to be turned off if scouting the area for a convention.

"Once it is decided that the downtown area is the location for a convention center, along with it comes a house cleaning."

I wish the preceding comment were true. However, I think it's a tad idealistic.

Kansas City lawmakers thought the same thing would happen when they built Kemper Arena and the American Royal Convention Center in the West bottoms. It didn't work. The place is still an eyesore because private investors didn't want to foot the bill for a municipal idea. Why build in a dead area (West Bottoms/Downtown St. Joe) when you can build in a growing one (KC suburbs/East St. Joe)? I hate the fact that our Downtown has deteriorated, but you have to look at things from the perspective of a person looking to start a new business.

Like it or not, most St. Joseph citizens seem to have made a collective decision to spend their dollars on the east side of town. I would prefer a thriving downtown area, but I think St. Joseph missed that chance decades ago when Missouri Western decided to build out east instead of Downtown. If Missouri Western had built downtown, the core of St. Joseph would've thrived in a similar (but smaller) manner to Columbia and Lawrence. I think it's an apt comparison, as the three cities are roughly the same size. Just think of all the restaurants, retail and bars that students would support. And there would be more demand for Downtown housing. The whole scenario makes me wonder if St. Joseph might be the patron saint of missed opportunity. Maybe someone with a Catholic background can help me out.

I appreciate the fact that people want to capitalize on what we already have and build a convention center downtown. But are we really capitalizing on existing infrastructure if we have to tear down half the buildings, rearrange the streets, and displace businesses that don't fit the aesthetic plan?

The ag expo center seems like the most bang for the buck, in my opinion. I guess this means I'll have my quirky, uncrowded downtown establishments to myself...

just_sayin - Many of your points are legitimate and why careful and logical decisions must be made when planning such projects.
I also agree with your observations of how the city has "taken" to favoring the north and east development but would suggest that you note what has resulted with each migration; i.e. effect of North Village on East Hills.
Bottom line for Saint Joseph, and any other city for that matter, comes down to two choices. Choice one, provide sound investments in the type of projects that will rejuvenate and benefit the community. Choice two, continue on a path of allowing the expanding deterioration in areas and accept what the continued decay translates into for the city and people in terms of a undesirable environment and lost revenue.
The choice is simple, fix what is broken and reap the rewards or do nothing and pay what I think is a much greater price over time.

St Joseph is poor period, has been for a long time. The demographics are NOT here to support so many of these ideas. What needs to happen first is that this city needs REAL companies that offer REAL jobs. I know so many graduates of MWSU that are working in jobs that do not require much or any education earning below $10 an hour if they stay in St. Joseph. People that do NOT earn a liveable wage, do not pay enough taxes to build public projects unless City of St. Joseph and Buchanan County officials want to take a 50% pay cut to help fund their pet projects.

arch - Your conclusion that Saint Joseph, needs companies that offer and pay a reasonable salary is accurate. Companies are selective though in both what an area offers as well as its "demographics". Cities are successful in attracting industry when it is likely to provide recognition and serve the goals of the corporations.
On the positive side Saint Joseph, with MWSU, has many attributes in its favor lending to an effective and educated workforce. On the other side of the coin, it is clear civic leadership at every level has much work to if they intend for the city to be successful in bringing in the type of companies you want to see, largely due to the fact that locations having urban decay usually see the pattern expand and have a negative effect on the surrounding region. All adding up to a "no thank you" by companies looking to move.
Most people think problem areas remain contained, until one day when they step out and find the conditions reaching their neighborhood.