The Failure Of Downtown Anniston, Alabama And My Ideas To Bring Downtown Back

Last week, Main Street Anniston did a walking tour with Place + Main Advisors, LLC on a Real Estate Redevelopment Plan in the downtown area.  If you drive into downtown Anniston today and go down the main road Noble Street, you would see a huge amount of empty buildings and for sale / for rent signs.

 

When I think of a thriving downtown, I look at two other cities I have visited.  The first is Hudson, Ohio.  The city has a higher income ratio, which means its downtown is mostly full.  And on one side is a beautiful and well-kept park.

 

The other city is Ludington, Michigan.  Its downtown is mostly all full and the streetscape is beautiful.  The streets are clean, and its biggest attraction is a car ferry that crosses Lake Michigan.

 

I wanted to talk about my thoughts about the situation, and some ideas I have about how to make downtown better.  Because in the past 10+ years I have lived in Anniston, I have watched the area stagnate and get worse.  Multiple businesses have closed, and many small businesses that did open have closed down.  The reality is this, there are two major issues in Anniston that keeps it from growing.

One is the crime problem.  Yes, Anniston still has a major crime problem.  In the last two weeks in Anniston, there have been four shootings resulting in three deaths.  And in the downtown area, you have homeless people and others harassing those who go to downtown.  With the crime and homeless problem, people are afraid to visit Anniston and the downtown area.  If you want to see downtown grow, you must get the crime under control and deal with those who are homeless and have mental issues.  Yes, I have seen plans for a new homeless shelter, but that is 1-2 years away, something needs to be done now.

Second, there are plenty of people living in Anniston who don’t earn much income.  It seems like Anniston has gotten onto its knees and are begging anyone from out of the area to visit.  You can not just rely on out of town visitors to come and prop up your downtown.  You also need locals who can come downtown and spend money at the small businesses.  Someone like me, who only makes about $250/$300 per week on average, I cannot patronize any small businesses, I just can’t afford it.  There are many living in Anniston who are like this as well.

There are two things in the downtown area that are causing issues now.  One, on the corner of Noble Street and 12th Street, is a large hole in the ground with temp fences blocking it off.  Anniston keeps hoping someone will build a hotel there, but I just don’t see it ever happening.  Even if an hotel was built there, it would never be sold out and have a lot of empty rooms all the time.  If Hotel Finial can not stay full every night, how is an hotel going to work here?  Anniston just needs to fill-in that hole in the ground and make it a mini park.

 

Second, downtown Anniston is pretty much a bar/club downtown.  Bars and clubs is pretty much the only thing thriving in downtown Anniston right now.  Bars and clubs are for adults, and is not a welcoming atmosphere for families.  And yes, there has also been crime happening around some of these bars.  Outside of the few events that happen throughout the year, there is nothing for families to do in downtown Anniston.

One other thing that concerns me is when the city builds and extends the Chief Ladiga Trail down to the Anniston train station, anyone on the trail will encounter homeless and mentally unstable people harassing people using the trail.  Just walking down Noble Street I have encountered numerous people harassing me asking for money and other things.  Until Anniston takes control of the problem with people who needs help, people are not going to feel welcome visiting its downtown.

So, I wanted to talk about my ideas for small businesses that could fit in a downtown Anniston area.  One thing I am not going to barely talk about is any restaurants.  The Anniston / Oxford area has too many restaurants!  The current restaurants open now are mostly having a hard time keeping staff around, and just seeing more restaurants opening will cause them to struggle.  We need to be focusing on new businesses that are not food related!

Here are my ideas of ten different types of businesses that could help the downtown Anniston area.

 

1: Bookstore

The Anniston / Oxford area does not have a general bookstore.  There is a used bookstore in Oxford, and a Christian bookstore in the Golden Springs area, but no general bookstore.  A lot of people like to read books, and I think having a general bookstore selling books with an area for people to read books or do author interviews would work well.

 

2: Community Theater

Downtown Oxford saw the opening of the Oxford Performing Arts Center in 2013, and ever since it has become a major success for downtown Oxford.  Downtown Anniston badly needs a theater of its own.  There used to be a theater on Noble Street, but now it’s missing its roof with a big tree growing inside.  A community theater would bring people to the downtown area.  And one suggestion for a community theater is the old Winn-Dixie building.  There will never be another grocery store going there, too many people were shoplifting there.

 

3: Ice Cream Shop

This is an idea for bringing families to the downtown area.  Kids and families love ice cream.  Downtown Oxford used to have a ice cream place of its own, until it closed down.  The only downside to this idea, ice cream would do well during the hotter Summer months, but would probably do not well during the colder Winter months.

 

4: Breakfast Spot

The Anniston / Oxford area has one of the earliest average start times for work in the country.  And this area really does not have much options when it comes to breakfast.  The downtown Anniston area is very empty and dead during the early morning hours.  Having a breakfast spot would bring people to the downtown area.

 

5: Rage Room

This is one of those ideas that would bring younger people to the downtown area who don’t want to visit bars.  One of the biggest things today is called a rage room.  It’s a place where you put on protective gear and break things!  Take a bat and break old computers, plates, etc.  What a fun idea!

 

6: Bed and Breakfast

No, I do not think a big hotel is going to work in the downtown Anniston area.  But, I do think a small bed and breakfast would likely work.  With the Chief Ladiga Trail being expanded, a bed and breakfast would be a good option for those who are using the bike trail or are visiting the area.

 

7: Salon and Haircare

Most downtowns you visit around this country has a salon.  Downtown Anniston does not have one except for that cosmetology school.  We know women and some men out there like getting their hair and nails worked on.  So I am surprised a salon / haircare place is not in downtown Anniston currently.

 

8: Something Fun For Families

For most of the year, there is absolutely nothing for families with kids to do in downtown Anniston.  For fun things, families have to go to Oxford or somewhere else.  So downtown Anniston really needs a small business that would cater to families with kids.  Something like an arcade, mini-golf, pickleball, etc.

 

9: Something For People With Pets

Yes, there is a place for pet grooming and pet day-care.  But, many people who travel also travel with pets like dogs.  An idea I have is a off-leash play area small business in the downtown area.  One example is in Mobile called HopHounds.  So many people are attached to their pets!

 

10: Something For Tourists / Visitors

Yes, downtown area has the Freedom Riders monument, but there is hardly anything for tourists and visitors in the downtown Anniston area.  How about a small museum?  How about a store selling local gifts and knick-knacks.  How about signage directing people to the bigger things in the city?  Anniston needs to do a much better job when it comes to visitors coming to this area.

 

As someone with an disability, it would a dream of mine to open a small business and hire others with disabilities, since many with disabilities are unemployed today.  But in the current environment in downtown Anniston, I don’t think opening a small business in downtown is worth it and would probably not survive.  It’s pretty much a waste of my time to even consider opening a small business consider the chaos that happens in Anniston today.

Downtown Anniston has too many issues happening.  And until the issues are corrected, the downtown area will continue to struggle.