It has increased the tax base, created jobs and improved the atmosphere and quality of life. But there has been a cost. As desirability has risen, so has the price of real estate. Some businesses are getting squeezed out because they can't afford skyrocketing rents. The proximity of new, upper-floor condominiums to night clubs such as the Frozen Paradise has created tension and strained the notion of neighborliness.
Parking also is harder to come by.
For these reasons, it's good that the city wants to take a fresh look at Broughton Street's redevelopment and how it should proceed. The current plan for the street, which City Council approved 14 years ago, was fine for that period. Now, a new set of challenges awaits. Back in 1986, when the city took steps to revitalize this area, it wasn't a question of picking and choosing which businesses or uses would be good for the street. Rather, it was convincing someone anyone that Broughton wasn't dead and was ready for a comeback.