Downtown Resident Survey Seeks Ideas to Improve Quality of Life

Downtown residents have their first opportunity since 2013 to voice their opinions on what they like and dislike about downtown living, and what they want to see in the future in a new online survey underway.

The Downtown Council is seeking answers about everything from the quality of sidewalks and landscaping to what is missing from the retail scene in its questionnaire, a project being run by the organization’s new residential liaison, Jared Campbell.

You can find the survey here.

With the population of greater downtown growing an estimated 63 percent over the past seven years, from 20,599 to 33,523, there should be a lot more answers to what’s on residents’ minds.

“More residents create more opinions, that’s a big change,” Campbell said.

“A lot of what was initially asked for in previous surveys have been built out–a grocery store, schools–and now we’re curious to see what new big ticket items will be verbalized.”

A 6,000 square-foot ‘synthetic lawn’ has been installed by the Downtown Library garage as a better place for downtown residents to take their dogs when nature calls.

In fact, residents responding to the survey are asked specifically to write what their big idea is for downtown in the future along with how green space can be improved, what amenities are missing and what would be their dream retailer.

“In my new position, this will serve as a road map in 2021,” Campbell said. “It’s important as we come off the pandemic to address the needs of residents.”

The Downtown Council defines greater downtown as extending from the Missouri River south to 31st Street and from the State Line east to Bruce R. Watkins Highway.

This includes many neighborhoods and districts such as the River Market, Central Business District, Crossroads, 18th & Vine, Power & Light District, Westside, West Bottoms, Crown Center, Union Hill, Columbus Park and more.

To spur a quick response, the Downtown Council is offering a chance at a raffle for a $100 Rally House gift card to those getting the surveys done by next Friday (Jan. 22). The survey however, will continue to be online after that date.