Broadway visions

Entertainment lives downtown. Sure, it takes vacations to other parts of the city at places like the Show Me Center or Rhymer's in Town Plaza, but entertainment lives downtown.

When friends or family come in from out of town, I take them downtown. I walk them by the floodwall to see the murals. We pop into the shops along Main Street.

Broadway -- which is considered a part of downtown -- is largely ignored, unfortunately.

But I'd like to be able to extend the walking tour I give my visitors. I would love to start at William and Main streets with Old St. Vincent and not have to stop and turn around when we reach Broadway.

For that reason, I attended the Broadway Corridor Project public meeting Monday. Business owners and residents gave the city plenty of suggestions to improve the drag.

They wanted to add off-street parking so more people can access the shops. Add a bike lane so the cyclists are safe and riding off the sidewalk. Improve the sidewalks with decorations, shade and more trash cans. Create new or maintain current green spaces where people could eat lunch outside.

I went as a consumer thinking about the businesses that would be good to have along Broadway. Things like boutiques, maybe laser tag in one of the larger buildings, making the Broadway Theater a theater again.

Many others went as businesses thinking about their customers and ways to make their experience more enjoyable.

The current walk along Broadway is hot and boring. It's all about the destination. You drive around the block waiting to find a spot 15 feet from the front door you're about to enter.

We envisioned a Broadway where people wouldn't mind walking a few blocks to reach to their actual target because they would pass by art and under trees. We envisioned a Broadway that would welcome guests, not make them turn around and head the other way.