Where Is Downtown?

WhereIsDowntown.jpgAt a recent City Council meeting, in the context of considering sites for a new liquor store, the members asked, “Where is Downtown?”. Apparently the City Administrator suggested that they ask the Economic Development Authority.

Passing up the opportunity to comment on the somewhat humorous irony in this situation, I will instead offer the definition that the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation has been consistently using for the last five years…the C1 and C2 Zoning Districts.

Although some might argue to specify the downtown more based on architectural features, focusing more on multi-story buildings with near zero setbacks, perhaps defining it more along the lines of the historic district, the NDDC has thought of it as the Central Business District. In addition to being the heart of our community, downtown is the center of our commercial activity.

Of course, as far as the liquor store location is concerned, we believe that it is a key component of downtown’s commercial vitality. We’re advocating to keep it that way.

4 thoughts on “Where Is Downtown?

  1. David:

    They are St. Olaf Avenue to the north, Washington Street to the east, Eighth Street to the south and east to west steps of Spring, Linden, Poplar and Plum Streets to the west.

    Dust off that old zoning map they gave you when you were on the Council.

    😉

    Ross

  2. Thanks Ross. Is there a “historic district/downtown” street boundary, and is that different than Central Business District?

  3. David:

    The Registered (with the National Park Service, I believe) Historic District is different (much smaller) than the Central Business District. There a map of the Historic District on the wall of the Archer House.

    Ross

Comments are closed.