Downtown Provo is in need of revitalization and BYU and UVU students have their own ideas of what they want to see there.
The revival of the downtown area has been the on the minds of a number of parties, all of whom realize something needs to be done.
“There seems to be general agreement that downtown Provo is not the thriving place that it once was,” said Paul Glauser, Provo city director of redevelopment.
The Provo Redevelopment Agency recognizes the area has a lot of value, but it has been allowed to wear down. According to Glauser, downtown has always been the center of Utah County, but Provo wants to reaffirm its place as the center of the county in various ways.
“It has a lot of charm, really nice features, historic buildings, beautiful shade trees, interesting collection of restaurants,” Glauser said. “It has all kind of gotten tired, maybe been neglected a little over the years, and so we are trying to correct some of those things and reinvent the downtown.”
Kyra Moon, an electrical engineering graduate student, has noticed this.
According to Glauser, the intent is not to recreate the downtown as it was 30 or 40 years ago, because downtowns don’t fill the same function today they did back then. Malls and other developments fill that function.
Because of the large student population within a few miles of downtown, the Provo Redevelopment Agency approached the on-campus, student-run public relations firm, Bradley Public Relations, to help downtown appeal to the university crowd.
“What the research showed us most significantly is that there is a real disconnect between how business owners and the downtown area choose to cater to the university communities that are a relative few short miles from downtown Provo,” said Jeff Dubois, Bradley Public Relations manager. “There are a number of cultural disconnects that make downtown provo lose in respect to other entertainment venues in Utah county.”
But what is it exactly that college students are looking for in a downtown area? David Landry, an electrical engineering major from Clinton, Miss., said he doesn’t go downtown just to go.
“One time I went to a place called Velour,” Landry said. “They have small music groups come perform different styles different nights and I went to that because some former neighbors of mine were performing there. So if I am going downtown it is for a particular reason.”
He further explained that where he comes from influences his decision.
“I am from a small town,” he said. “I don’t really find the idea of wandering a citified area that interesting.”
Grant Adamz, a master’s student in sociology, wants to see more year-round opportunities downtown.
“I want it to be more inviting to college students and have more events that get students out and about,” he said. “Especially during the wintertime. Like an ice sculpture competition or something that combines the seasons and art.”
Adamz also said he would enjoy seeing some more food options, small-time cafes, and events that bring the community together, like open-air concerts and Latin festival-like fairs.
Other students are looking more for a place to get away from campus and study or be away for a while.
Craig Alder, from Meridian, Idaho, also has a different perspective in what he wants.
“A big thing is just ambiance,” Alder said. “The building design, events that they have, do they have places you can go to hang out. Do they have a place I can go and do homework that is comfortable and relaxed, like a lounge.”
Alder said the downtown area is often the first impression people get of a city.
“One of the first things you notice is that this place looks cool or this city has a cool downtown,” he said. “Like when you go places that have cool statues or different art pieces, live music outside.”
As many before him, Alder had a hard time pinpointing the problem.
“I don’t know if it is the design, the streets that go through there, or places that open up, but it feels crowded,” he said. “Like a bunch of intersections. If there was a bench in downtown Provo I wouldn’t just sit there.”
Although each student has their own ideas for the types of restaurants, stores and entertainment available downtown, there does seem to be agreement on some issues.
With the right changes, the relatively small area could be a big contributor to the local economy. Downtown Provo is one of the nicest historic downtown areas around.
“We have an authentic downtown in Provo,” Glauser said. “It is one of the best ones in the state if not the region in terms of still having a lot of the basic infrastructure and physical features that have been there for a long time.”
