Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Jed Boal reportingWith all of the construction going on downtown, city leaders steering the process want to make sure businesses survive the digging and building. We caught up with the man who tries to deal with all of the growing pains of progress.
The Key Bank Tower came down nine months ago with a lot of debris, dust and excitement for the future of City Creek Center. Since then, construction crews poured more concrete, hoisted more beams and plowed ahead on several downtown projects.
Bill Knowles, Downtown Rising ombudsman, describes the scene as, "just a lot of activity."
A new skyscraper will rise at 222 S. Main St. Residential buildings are under construction, and completion dates for the big projects are years away. That frustrates businesses trying to keep customers.
Knowles says, "I think the optimism is starting now to overcome the pessimism and some of the anxiety because we are not just talking, we are really getting things done downtown."
Knowles is the point guy who fields the calls of frustration and solves problems related to construction. He met with the Mayor's Small Business Alliance today and gathers with business groups to help minimize the impact of construction. "We meet on a weekly basis, we get issues resolved. People go out and work with me, trying to find answers to problems that people have," he said.
A few blocks west, the completion of the TRAX extension helps The Gateway and other businesses on 400 West and 200 South. They've got their construction hassles behind them.
Knowles said they're concentrating on, "a very unified effort that's been stepped up considerably in the last six to eight months to focus more attention on the positive activities and opportunities going on downtown right now."
In the months ahead, keep your eyes open for special events and promotions downtown, as businesses are eager to keep their customers and bring in new ones.
E-mail:jboal@ksl.com
