Patrick (P.J) Hilboldt’s Post

The Wall Street Journal depicted Downtown St. Louis as a modern day Gotham made famous by the comic book Batman; they are not wrong. “The night is darkest just before the dawn.” Although the above quote from the Batman movie Dark Knight is not scientifically accurate (see 12 am), it succinctly describes the glum chapter we are on in our City’s history. The WSJ writer accurately paints a picture of a once vibrant ecosystem that is almost devoid of any pulse with its numerous vacant buildings, boarded-up businesses, scant foot traffic and rampant crime. Through compelling data, the story describes our Downtown’s descent into a doom loop Post-COVID with an inability to reinvent itself for a 21st Century remote-work world. Based on its research, we are near rock bottom compared to other major U.S. cities. We need St. Louis’ leadership to drastically change the spiraling trajectory of our Downtown with policies that reinvent how our lodestar and its residents/businesses co-exist. Other Rustbelt cities like Detroit have done an amazing job transforming their downtown’s into vibrant livable spaces again. I firmly believe we can do it with the public and private sectors working together to formulate a revolutionary strategic plan. The leaders of the City have been copied/put on notice with this LinkedIn post. Let’s see if they engage their constituents in a joint effort to rehab the face of Downtown for the betterment of our community. Show us the light! “And I promise you, the dawn is coming.” #community #rebirth #change #hope L. Jared Boyd Sara Baker Conner Kerrigan Charles E. Coyle, Sr. Megan-Ellyia Green Cara Spencer Neal Richardson, MBA Jason Hall City of St. Louis Greater St. Louis, Inc. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Alan Achkar St. Louis Business Journal Erik Siemers Konrad Putzier

Excellent and sobering article in the WSJ about St. Louis and it's struggling downtown. I used to live in STL proper, and downtown has been in a downward spiral for decades. Cities such as San Francisco and Chicago are trying to save their downtown office districts from spiraling into a doom loop. St. Louis is already trapped in one. As offices sit empty, shops and restaurants close and abandoned buildings become voids that suck the life out of the streets around them. Locals often find boarded-up buildings depressing and empty sidewalks scary. So even fewer people commute downtown. This self-reinforcing cycle accelerated in recent years as the pandemic emptied offices. St. Louis’s central business district had the steepest drop in foot traffic of 66 major North American cities between the start of the pandemic and last summer, according to the University of Toronto’s School of Cities. Traffic has improved some in the past 12 months, but at a slower rate than many Midwestern cities. https://lnkd.in/gfzkBZYF

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Check out this article from Delaware Online: These Delaware streets are among the cleanest in the US, according to new survey https://lnkd.in/eEESQY2Y

Downtown St. Louis has witnessed a troubling trend of declining foot traffic and business closures, a fact underscored by stark statistics. According to recent charts, the area's visitation rates have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, reflecting the challenge the district faces in reinvigorating its economic and social activity. The comparative data on downtown visits present a clear narrative: while there's a slight improvement since the darkest days of the pandemic, St. Louis lags behind other cities. Efforts to revitalize the area, such as offering financial incentives to retailers and creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment, have yet to make a significant dent in the downward trajectory. #realestate #stlouis #trend #foottraffic #business #closures #statistics #visitation #pandemic #economic #socialactivity #downtown #cities #incentives #retailers #pedestrian #trajectory #restructurednews If you're interested to learn more about our newsletter, subscribe here: www.restructurednews.com or follow us on Instagram @restructurednews and TikTok @restructurednews https://lnkd.in/eVrHt8JK

Texas’ major cities are vibrant (though not without their problems), but with generally good near-term prospects. That’s why it’s hard to conceive of experiencing the “doom loop” as depicted in this article about St. Louis which was once a jewel of the Midwest.  This is the counter to Austin and Fort Worth, as two examples.  It reinforces that prosperity is neither inevitable nor perpetual.  It requires thoughtful, multi-generational leadership and sound economic policies, among many other factors.  From WSJ: Cities such as San Francisco and Chicago are trying to save their downtown office districts from spiraling into a doom loop. St. Louis is already trapped in one. As offices sit empty, shops and restaurants close and abandoned buildings become voids that suck the life out of the streets around them. Locals often find boarded-up buildings depressing and empty sidewalks scary. So even fewer people commute downtown.This self-reinforcing cycle accelerated in recent years as the pandemic emptied offices. St. Louis’s central business district had the steepest drop in foot traffic of 66 major North American cities between the start of the pandemic and last summer, according to the University of Toronto’s School of Cities. Traffic has improved some in the past 12 months, but at a slower rate than many Midwestern cities.Now, it stands as a warning to others: This is the future for America’s downtowns if they can’t reinvent themselves and halt the downward spiral.  https://lnkd.in/gfTReGix

Thinking of moving to Little River? Let's dive into this charming neighborhood together. Click on this link for full video- https://lnkd.in/eH2hK5SR This video gives you an in-depth look at what it's really like to live in Little River, including a breakdown of the cost of living in 2024. #LittleRiver #NeighborhoodExplore #CostOfLiving #myrtlebeach

Trying to get your house ready to list? Here are a few general tips on where you’ll want to spend some time and effort. Prioritize things that will make it inviting, show it’s cared for, and boost your curb appeal. But this is just a starting point. If you want more specific advice to help your house stand out in our local market, give me a ring today. #SellYourHouse #MakeItInviting #CurbAppeal #ReadyToMove #ListYourProperty #OCLiving #Southland #ColdwellBankerRealty #RealEstateWithBrandi.com

Here is the June 19, 2024 market update for Mesa County, Colorado. #MesaCountyRealEstate #ColoradoRealEstate #MesaCountyHousingMarket #HousingMarketTrends #MarketUpdate #MesaCountyLiving