DOWNTOWN DREAMS – it’s more than buildings, a living city means people living in it

ATLANTA. Baltimore. Buffalo. Chicago. From Cartagena, Colombia to Seoul, South Korea, from the steel capital of Pittsburgh to the motor city of America, cities across the globe have found ways to reinvent themselves, dusting off industrial pasts and emerging as vibrant urban scenes with a future.

What did those cities, some close to utter physical decay and social and economic despair, have in common that can work for Nassau? What lessons can we learn from others while maintaining what’s distinctively ours?

First, if it’s any consolation, just about every one of those dramatic turnaround stories begins with a city down on its heels with a smattering of empty storefronts, falling rental rates and shorter business hours.

Failure begets failure, crime moves in and residents move out, seeking safer ground, abandoning once desirable downtown living quarters and a place that cannot find a way to live up to its past.

You could argue that Bay Street is not yet dead, just a patient on life support, buoyed by thousands of cruise passengers who flood the sidewalks making their way to Junkanoo Beach or the Straw Market, and caregivers like John Bull and Coin of the Realm who maintain the dream of higher standards one day paying off.

Sadly, the spirit of historic Nassau has all but vanished, sliding further south to West Hill Street, NAGB, John Watling’s, a few churches.

The trajectory is predictable - a city on its last legs and lungs attracts stakeholders who, having heard years of warning, gather and rush to the rescue of the dying patient.

In June Jacobs’ classic treatise on the life cycle of urban spaces, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, the title says it all.

Here we find ourselves, 30 years after we began talking seriously about the need for preservation and municipal management, 25 years after we commissioned the Historic Nassau Study that told us to move shipping off Bay Street, to envision the harbour as our highway and to preserve the architectural treasures we have through incentives, 20-some years after we created a tourism police division and talked about a BID (Business Investment District).

Here we are, at last, with the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation taking steps to rescue the patient before it is strangled to death by an overdose of cheap t-shirt shops and cheaper souvenirs.

We kept the patient alive, breathing, but not thriving. So as we stand at this promising junction, there is much to learn from those places that were in far worse condition than Nassau, urban areas abandoned where lives were discarded along with trash, back alleys and abandoned places so economically and socially challenged that police avoided them after dark.

Nassau is in far better shape than many cities around the world that yanked themselves out of a nightmare and found the daylight.

That doesn’t mean the work will be easy or the magic happen overnight but for those of us who left a part of our heart in its architectural wonder last remaining architectural residential treasures downtown, needs a new roof but a new roof is expensive and so are real property taxes and other expenses. We cannot risk the loss or deterioration of this last east of East Street treasure. community, including provision for upkeep and maintenance. In heat as we have recently endured and are likely to continue to experience, we should invest in a block-wide cooling fountain.

Nassau, its never-to-bereplicated details of leaded glass, coral rock walls, second story lofts, A-lined warehouse roofs and the arms of its madeira trees, we know a new downtown is waiting to be born. Downtown starts with people who live there. And here is where the story starts. It starts with people who live there.

There could be five-year property tax forgiveness for stores on Bay Street that convert upstairs spaces from dusty, hot storage units to contemporary lofts and apartments. Margaritaville and The Pointe are perfect examples of life breeding activity after dark – stroll down the pier in the evening between the two properties and see the action at outdoor cafes, small shops, at the marina.

But the largest potential thrust to bring life to Bay Street lies east of East Street where highrise living can change the future of downtown Nassau from souvenir city to vibrant, pulsating capital of the nation.

Taxi parking spots need to be reduced in number and more staff parking must be made available south of Shirley Street with trams running downtown employees to offices, restaurants, shops and other businesses or offices. East Hill Street configuration is yet to be announced and may hold the key to double or triple-decker parking.

The Nassau Public Library should be converted to a mini-museum of pirate history once the building, which is a treasure in danger of dis integration, is properly restored.

Re-creations of historic events should take place for photo opps throughout the historic trail along the city’s streets and side streets.

Once the new American Embassy opens, and one of the most charming streets in the country is no longer closed to the public, Queen Street should be opened up with the steps at the south end leading onto West Hill Street and providing better access to the historic district and NAGB.

Each new movement will trigger another. Residents will want more dining choices, cafes, bookstores, jazz clubs, rake ‘n scrape or an intimate entertainment venue stool, plucking a guitar. The boardwalk leading from east of town to the Paradise Island bridge should be wide enough for runners and leading west, for cyclists, creating more activity day and evening.

If cities from Seoul, South Korea to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania could do it, so can we. Nassau reborn will never be the Nassau of the past, but we have a chance to make it a Nassau we created for the future, a treasure we celebrate, not one we avoid, a proud centre of commerce for a proud people of The Bahamas.

Next week: what we need to preserve and a new look at Collins House

The dream of a lively, active, bustling downtown is more than buildings whether they are set for demolition or declared the poster child of preservation. It’s the people who make a place.

To make the dream of a new historic Nassau come true, we must create a desire for people to live downtown and we can do that with something we have mastered - incentivising.

The single most basic rule of a success story in downtown revitalisation is residents in the midst of that urban space you want to bring to life. A living city means a city with people living in it. Victoria Court, one of

To make numbers work for any developer or investor even at a mid-price point per unit, exemption to the 4-story limit will have to be granted in exchange for open green space with public able to enjoy a view of the water on either side of the structure.

Current usage of former cargo shipping properties for construction equipment storage is not only not the highest and best use of such property, it deprives the public of any view of the harbour.

Downtowns also require parks and green spaces.

Every high-rise granted a building permit following all stringent environmental (DEPP) procedures must be made to donate green space downtown and a park elsewhere in a

Civil Society Bahamas

AS THE Commonwealth of The Bahamas celebrates 50 years of Independence, Civil Society Bahamas (CSB) continues to promote debt management as the key to empowering people and creating economic independence in the country.

CSB is engaged in a series of Debt Management Consultations in conjunction with a Regional and International Partners: the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), and the Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy (FORGE), and Debt Justice UK. These Consultations are as a part of a pilot programme with two other Caribbean countries, with the aim of tackling debt in the region.

President of CSB Dr Anthony Hamilton said: “The Bahamas’ Golden Jubilee is a perfect time to highlight the significance of the role of the people in the governance of their own country.”

He further emphasised: “The continued recognition of the role of the citizenry and residents in governance engagement is critical to participatory governance and strengthening of democracy.

“The civil society sector and Civil Society Bahamas, in particular, also takes this opportunity of the Golden Jubilee to celebrate the impact of tripartite governance as we continue to take responsibility for the road to the next 50 years - forward, upward, onward, together.”

CSB held its third and fourth Debt Management Consultation sessions on June 26. The themes were: “Older Generation Insight: We’ve Conquered this Mountain Before!” and “Anatomy of the Debt: Implications for National Financial Health and Solutions”.

The sessions were held at the University of The Bahamas in the FR Wilson Building and brought together notable Bahamians from a cross section of society, public and private, to provide their input and solutions for debt management in The Bahamas.

The sessions were sponsored in part by AACARI, the Agricultural Alliance of the Caribbean.

As the apex body for civil society organisations or NGOs in the country, Dr Hamilton said

Antique Auto Club Of The Bahamas

AFTER not being able to hold any Antique Auto Shows for a four-year period due to the COVID pandemic, members of The Antique Auto Club of The Bahamas (AACB) decided this year was time to get started again. Along with settling down to get a show organised, club members decided they should help a well-deserving charity.

The Bahamas Associations For The Physically Disabled (BAPD) was selected to receive full proceeds of the 2023 show, which was held at Arawak Cay, the club’s usual location and had good attendance. Presentation of full proceeds from the Auto Show was recently made at BAPD headquarters.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BAHAMAS & TURKS

THE District Grand Lodge of Bahamas and Turks participated in literacy days at EP Roberts Primary School during the 2022/23 school year.

Children read aloud as the work of CSB is critical to national development.

The intent is for the debt management solutions emanating from the consultations, to have a widespread effect on the citizens of The Bahamas. While national debt management is vital, so is personal debt, as many Bahamians are suffering - especially since the double impact of Hurricane Dorian followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By finding solutions to the debt crisis in countries like The Bahamas, the CPDC believes that people’s livelihoods and wellbeing will be removed from the current state of crisis to one that allows them to flourish.

The CPDC has concluded, because there is a silent debt crisis, the mental and physical health, educational opportunities, and other critical areas of the way of life for people in the Caribbean are being adversely affected without being noticed. brethren stood beside them. Students were fascinated to learn that UP Keeps the Light On was written and illustrated by students of Hope Town Primary School, Elbow Cay, Abaco. The diverse book selection featured Edwidge Danticat, Sabrina K Marshall, Peter D Maynard, Patricia Glinton Meicholas, Hon Michael Pintard, MP and other authors.

The campaign to end the debt crisis is one that CSB has taken seriously and has, consequently, engaged experts at every level of public and private institutions to help reverse the troubling trend. Countries vulnerable to climate change like The Bahamas have added threats and real reasons to move quickly to tackle the debt crisis.

For more information, and to share your debt crisis, and most importantly, to find practical solutions for your debt challenges, contact CSB by visiting www.csbdebtjubilee.com, and, www.civilsocietybahamas. org.

EP Roberts Primary School Principal, Maneica

Pratt said: “Our students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and this was evident in the way they listened attentively and asked a plethora of questions. We look forward to more community support like this as we work together to improve the literacy rate in our school and by extension, our country.”

Men who read inspire children to read. Now more than ever, our children need positive examples of men who care and invest time to read with them. The District Grand Lodge of Bahamas & Turks set the standard.

Laurenne McDonald, literacy day coordinator, said:

“Thanks to the District Grand Lodge of Bahamas and Turks for leading literacy days at EP Roberts Primary School.

“It was an amazing experience to watch your team share their love of reading. Students asked lots of questions related to the stories and readers’ professions. Readers provided insight and thoughtful responses.

“Now more than ever, our children need positive examples of men who care and invest time to read with them. The District Grand Lodge of Bahamas & Turks definitely set the standard.”

Article written by Laurenne McDonald, literacy day coordinator