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We all know that downtown is going through a revival and a period of renewed relevance.
You can walk down nearly any street and see the changes with your own eyes. New businesses are popping up, in spite of the economy. Lofts and other downtown residences are multiplying like rabbits.
And compared to national averages, this is still very much a buyer’s market. That’s the good news.
While the rest of America was struggling through the worst parts of this recession, Tulsa, in many ways, remained in a bubble.
Some businesses closed, but not many. Jobs were cut, but nowhere near the level of those cities with heavy industry.
And although I was one of those people to lose a job, I always felt the city as a whole was lucky. I thought we’d dodged a bullet. And perhaps we had. But just because one bullet has been dodged doesn’t mean that others aren’t on the way.
We had more murders in 2009 (70) than any other year on record. You can’t turn on the local news without hearing about another robbery at a bank, gas station or even a grocery store.
It’s not uncommon for crime rates to rise during times of economic hardship, but that’s not the only problem. The services our city provides are hurting. The police force has been cut dramatically. The fire department is dealing with similar issues. And effective July 1, Tulsa Public Schools may be eliminating 161 positions, according to a plan laid out by Superintendent Keith Ballard.
The situation doesn’t quite scream “Move to Tulsa!”
“Statistically, downtown is one of the safest places to live in the Tulsa region,” says Sean Griffin, founder of downtown’s Collaboratorium and chair of entrepreneurialism for the Tulsa Economic Development Commission. “But as long as the cost of gas remains low and the perception of crime downtown persists … people will avoid urban environments.”
The word Griffin uses that poses the biggest threat to the continuation of this restoration is “perception.” Perception is everything. I person ally don’t feel any danger in my home or in my city. I feel no fear when approached by a homeless man or woman.
But I know this is not a majority viewpoint. We have to deal with this perception problem because with all of the cutbacks the city is facing, the perceptions may soon become fact. How can we hope to bring down that embarrassing murder rate with a handicapped police force?
I keep using words like “revival,” “renewal” and “restoration” because each word refers to a darker period that preceded it, a darker period often brought about through mismanagement and a blindness in regard to public perception.
With so many exciting things still to come, we can use this moment as an opportunity. We cannot only keep people from leaving the city but also bring back those who have already left. We’ve all heard the quote that “those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I couldn’t agree more.
