“It’s been a very positive effect on the downtown businesses. People feel safe coming down here again. We kind of took our streets back which was the initial task in front of us,” shared Tom Zmolek with the Court Avenue District.New life has been breathed into the Court Avenue District.Businesses say the streets feel safer following the entertainment zone project.In May, sections of Court Avenue started being closed off to traffic on Friday and Saturday nights.Live music and food trucks are brought in as well as increased security measures to limit violence.”It was pretty sketchy at closing time back in May,” Zmolek said. “When we put up the security and fencing and scanning and wanding and all that sort of thing, was to keep that clientele out of downtown.”Zmolek says this project was only supposed to go to Labor Day weekend but they decided to extend it until Halloween.Those who’ve ventured down to enjoy the bars and clubs before and after these new measures say they’ve noticed a difference.”The recent adjustments to the downtown scene is pretty cool, it kind of reminds me of back home in Kansas, the power district. They’re trying to make it safe and secure for everybody,” said bargoer Cortez Pinks.”It was a lot different before they started shutting off the corners. It’s a little bit more secure but you always have your knuckleheads running around here,” said bargoer Marcus Archer.
“It’s been a very positive effect on the downtown businesses. People feel safe coming down here again. We kind of took our streets back which was the initial task in front of us,” shared Tom Zmolek with the Court Avenue District.
New life has been breathed into the Court Avenue District.
Businesses say the streets feel safer following the entertainment zone project.
In May, sections of Court Avenue started being closed off to traffic on Friday and Saturday nights.
Live music and food trucks are brought in as well as increased security measures to limit violence.
“It was pretty sketchy at closing time back in May,” Zmolek said. “When we put up the security and fencing and scanning and wanding and all that sort of thing, was to keep that clientele out of downtown.”
Zmolek says this project was only supposed to go to Labor Day weekend but they decided to extend it until Halloween.
Those who’ve ventured down to enjoy the bars and clubs before and after these new measures say they’ve noticed a difference.
“The recent adjustments to the downtown scene is pretty cool, it kind of reminds me of back home in Kansas, the power district. They’re trying to make it safe and secure for everybody,” said bargoer Cortez Pinks.
“It was a lot different before they started shutting off the corners. It’s a little bit more secure but you always have your knuckleheads running around here,” said bargoer Marcus Archer.
