Reinvesting is a topic on my mind, lately.  A friend of mine was driving down Coal Avenue for the first time in a long while this past week.  She used to work downtown and at some point she stopped noticing the vacant buildings that clutter Coal Avenue.  But this past week when she was cruising down Coal, her eyes were opened.  I think this is how it is for many of us who work downtown.  We just stop seeing what we don’t want to see – which is a plethora of empty storefronts amongst some really great businesses.

I have no idea what needs to happen with the City, the BID (Business Improvement District), building owners and with any other entity/person that has a stake in downtown development.  What I do know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) is that something needs to happen.  And I am not unaware that things tend to move slowly when so many people/entities are involved. But I also recognize that we need to start.

Like most of mankind, I am a very impatient person.  I detest meetings where nothing is accomplished.  I cannot stand people talking to hear their own voice.  I don’t appreciate my time being wasted.  These are things that we can all agree on, right?

I want so badly for something to happen for downtown.  Something huge that will completely change the landscape down there . . . but I will settle for one idea, one simple idea.  Maybe it’s not an earth-shattering or groundbreaking one – but it’s a start.

We really do need to stop talking a simple idea to death.

Let’s begin to revitalize downtown Gallup.

And for those of you that have less invested in downtown, please feel free to walk around down there.  It’s always good to see a new face in one of the MANY GREAT PLACES TO SHOP AND EAT.

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