Look familiar?
Sadly, this is the picture that most visitors receive when they visit small town (and large city) USA. It has been said that perception is reality and reality is perception. We bring this to your attention as an example of one of our services - to make you aware of things that have changed over the past half century that don't have the impact on local citizens that it would have on visitors or those considering moving to your area. It's kind of like that frog in the boiling water story. Change over time doesn't have the same visible impact as sudden change. Our cities are ready for SUDDEN AND IMMEDIATE CHANGE!
Over time, our communities, with rare exception, have deteriorated as industry and high wage earners have moved away - a trend that actually began in the 60's. The photo above is a view of downtown Bucyrus, OH, once the home of major industry. The tax base has declined, people have moved away, and there was an obvious need to rebuild community spirit. We tell you this to say this. Some of our thoughts and ideas are FREE! This is one of them - to share some thoughts on what other communities have done. In the case of Bucyrus, the city commissioned a painter to change this eyesore to something beautiful. Here is the result!
Yes - it is the same wall with three dimensional artwork. The building didn't have to be torn down and the whole appearence of the city changed for a relatively small investment.
The picture below a before and after view of a similar project at a Niagara, NY shopping mall. The drab store wall at the top has now been changed to a thing of beauty as shown on the bottom.
Yes - that IS the same building! It's amazing what a little paint and talent can do! Want to know where to find the guy that did this beautiful work? Well, that's one of the little secrets reserved for those we serve on a contractual basis. You'll learn more about our services in the Our Services section of this web site.
We've saved one of our best examples of a city with a vision. A sawmill and a healthy logging industry fell apart when the Great Northern Railway Company pulled out of Leavenworth. Washington during the great depression. The re-routing of the railroad and the subsequent closure of the sawmill sadly converted the town from a bustling, thriving hub of commerce into a hollow, empty community. For more than thirty years, Leavenworth lived on the brink of extinction.
But in the early 1960’s, everything changed. In a last-chance effort to turn their precarious situation around, the leaders of the community decided to change Leavenworth’s appearance, hoping to bring tourism into the area. Using the beautiful backdrop of the surrounding Alpine hills to their advantage, the town agreed to remodel their hamlet in the form of a Bavarian village.
Hoping to create more than a mere facelift, the entire community rallied to create the illusion of Bavaria in the middle of Washington State. Besides the complete renovation of the downtown area, community members worked to begin a series of festivals. The Autumn Leaf Festival, Maifest, and the extremely popular Christmas Lighting Ceremony were the first of many attractions Leavenworth offered to passers-by.
The new plan worked. Ever since the change to a Bavarian motif, Leavenworth has become a pillar of the tourism industry in the Pacific Northwest. Today, close to two million tourists come to Leavenworth each year, each visitor finding their own individual love affair with the community. The story is a landmark case of human spirit: The people of Leavenworth not only survived their most critical hour, they endured.
Here is a before and after view of Leavenworth. The view at the left of the city in the early 60's. The view at the right is a view as the city has essentially looked since the 70's when we were there. The little town with the Can-Do attitude not only could, they DID something about revitalizing their community and this was long before bailouts, incentives, and stimulus programs. YOU can do the same!
Bucyrus and Niagara photos courtesy of the Cities of Bucyrus, OH and Niagara, NY
Leavenworth photos courtesy of Bob Smith and the City of Leavenworth, Washington
