About 60 residents attended the panel discussion on the Downtown Town Square project, sponsored by Build2Win on May 31 at the Nashville Social Club.
The three panelists were:
1. Tom Metcalf of Metcalf Builders represented Steve Neighbors of Hop and Mae Adams Foundation, who proposed the Downtown Town Square project.
2. Doreen Mack, president of 2020 Downtown Project, who successfully converted a town along a freeway into a historic walkable downtown as we have today.
3. Kathleen Beasley, who had direct experience of small towns converting into large cities including private-public partnerships and convention centers underperforming outlined objectives.
Each had a different perspective as did the residents in attendance. Residents want to retain the small town charm. Where does a small town get and retain its charm? What comes first, the people or the town's environment?
Size of town matters as HGTV reported when it declared Carson City as the charming small town in Nevada as published by Reno Gazette Journal in a February article. Let's live up to that standard.
The esthetic architecture structures around town contribute to the well-being, character and neighborly nature of residents. Huge block buildings, with or without brick facades, are not endearing to people or make them feel neighborly toward each other.
Do you know any big city which is in the charming town list? Residents have overwhelmingly rejected the project renderings developed by the project architect available at youtube.com/watch?v=P8W-m2ha2Fs.
The mission of Hop and Mae Adams Foundation is to "do good for Carson City.” Let's make that a reality with public input and full transparency of discussions between the project proponent, builder, mayor and the board of supervisors.
Some residents are collecting ideas on what they would like to see downtown. If you want to contribute, contact info@build2win.org and we will connect you with the group.