I walked past the Hess Department Store building this morning. There were at the most two dozen people on North Queen Street and East Orange Street, of course since Urban Renewal there is absolutely nothing for people to do in the area. Even the eye doctor and the bagel store across the street have closed for lack of business.

I was reminded by walking up East King St. how many businesses have closed in the last few years. Even five or six years ago, the first three blocks of East King Street were active with a healthy mix of businesses both large and small. Now it seems there are more vacant business properties, both big and small, than occupied ones. In spite of former mayor Charlie Smithgall's oft-repeated claim that his policies have improved downtown Lancaster, it is quite obvious that downtown Lancaster is currently in far worse economic condition than it was eight years ago.

If former mayor Charlie Smithgall had concentrated on what Lancaster needed, instead of focusing on one gigantic project that caters to special interests and ignores the residents of Lancaster, perhaps businesses would have been attracted to the area instead of driven away. Smart business people know the proposed taxpayer funded hotel and convention center is a false promise that will quickly become a liability instead of an asset, and many have left the area while they still can. It is Charlie Smithgall's lack of genuine leadership that has resulted in the ongoing economic deterioration of downtown Lancaster.

You're correct ... but don't put the blame totally on Charlie. The convention center feeding frenzy has all types of leaders sucked into the hype. Political, business, social and neighborhood type leaders all are hoping for something to change for the better.

Charlie got swept-up in the process. You're right-on, nothing positive has happened downtown in the years that this grand plan (and growing grander by the day) has held Lancaster City hostage. That in itself is a crime, and Charlie is a part of it ... but he had big friends.

Artie,
I have to disagree with you on this. Lancaster’s downtown was declining long before Smithgall took office. I would say the past four or five years of Smithgall’s administration has this trend been turning around. There are a lot of factors that contribute to the demise of city’s downtown. Malls, strip malls, suburban sprawl, and “White Flight” are all some of the causes of declining downtown everywhere not just Lancaster.
What also hurts Lancaster city is the perception in the county that the city is so dangerous, and dirty and drive by shootings happen all the time. This is blown way out of proportion. The real issue is that Black and Hispanic people live downtown and because of this it is assumed that the city must be dangerous. This, in my opinion, is a major reason why people from the county don’t want to come downtown along with the fact that there is very little to do.
The downtown needs entertainment venues. Yes, we need to be family oriented entertainment but don’t overlook the 25-40 demographic. The “young professionals” have a lot of spending power, and fresh ideas. We need venues that will attract these kinds of people too..

I can't disagree with many of your comments, but there can be no doubt that the first three blocks of East King Street are in far worse economic condition than they were just a very few years ago. Perhaps the area surrounding the downtown is doing well, but the very heart of the city has an increasing number of gaping holes. This includes parts of North Queen and East Orange Streets.
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY YES !!!!!!!

I really don't understand if this 'the city isn't dangerous' line comes from shopkeeper propaganda, or is simply because it hasn't happened to you yet. The last job I had in the city, I was the victim of two robberies(one heavily-armed) in a three day period. There was another attempt 3 months later. Personally I don't think you are any safer in most parts of Lancaster than Detroit.