So, not to boast a little bit, Downtownmakeover has now been around 20 years. 20 years! I rarely do long form articles/posts, but I figure with all the recent talk of downtown, both good and bad, the many misconceptions about downtown lurking about, I figure it’s time to talk about the unique challenges downtown has. This is a great primer for those new to Reno wondering what the hell is up with downtown Reno, those who don’t understand the mechanics of downtown and simply resort to blaming local govt, and those who like, myself, have a genuine passion for downtown and urban living.
Virginia Street: The Elephant in the Room
Walk down Virginia Street today, past the Reno Arch and through the heart of what should be northern Nevada’s most vibrant urban corridor, and you’ll see something that would have looked familiar twenty years ago: dark storefronts, faded “For Lease” signs, and block after block of casino walls with no windows, no entrances, and little life. According to a placemaking study commissioned by the City of Reno and conducted by Gehl Studios, 70 percent of Virginia Street’s frontage is considered “dead”—meaning no active businesses, no street-level engagement, nothing to draw people in.
The numbers are stark. Today, roughly 5,000 residents call downtown home. Yay for them! I applaud them for embracing urban life in Reno. I’m one of them. BUT, The median household income sits at $66,956, well below Washoe County’s median of $85,600. Nearly 40 percent of downtown’s population is aged 50 or older. And perhaps most telling: less than 10 percent of downtown’s housing stock has been built in the last twenty years.
This isn’t a story about economic collapse or natural disaster. It’s something more frustrating: a slow-motion stall that has persisted despite consistent efforts, public investment, and genuine optimism that I’ve expressed for 20 years. The…