Downtown Siloam’s new details
31 October 2007 2 Comments
For a week or more now, or so it seems to drivers in Siloam Springs, detour signs have directed people around downtown. This morning I finally found out why: New decorative crosswalks are being installed.
The gentlemen in Siloam Printing, where I was picking up some newsletters, thought it was a waste of money. I personally like the attention to detail. Decoration like this can really improve environmental aesthetics — if done well.
I’m not so sure these crosswalks will be done as well as I would hope for. As an example, the curb cuts for the sidewalks didn’t exactly match up, and the new faux brick crosswalk thus appeared slightly happenstance instead of designed and intentional. I also found myself wishing the crosswalks were slightly wider.
Regardless, this should help downtown feel more quaint. Projects like this should also add credibility to people’s efforts to fix up the space and get some new businesses down there. Although from what I hear a number of the city directors feel downtown will never be anything but offices.
Such a stagnant attitude will be self-fulfilling. Hopefully there is enough vision in town to overcome it!
I think towns should go back to cobblestone streets. Great things can be done with brick. Plus the bricks can be recovered from demolished buildings. The fake brick patterns made with cement and concrete can look good if done right, but not as good as the real thing.
Projects like this are a great way to revitalize areas and make them friendlier to foot traffic.
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