Private, public investments flow downtown

by Eric Olson

SBJ Reporter

eolson@sbj.net

"There is some incredible investment downtown," said John Simmons, director of Urban Districts Alliance.

Simmons would know. He has compiled a list of completed and ongoing downtown construction projects, along with their values. The result: $103 million invested since July 2003. To put the recent investments into perspective, Simmons said that between 1997 and June 2003, public and private investments totaled $130 million.

The data was shared at the Aug. 31 City Council luncheon.

Immediately afterward council members took a walking tour of five ongoing projects downtown.