Thread: 900 take a 'Billion Dollar' bus ride

Downtown Fresno is DEAD. MOD EDIT It does come alive between 12:00 - 1:00 pm when all the Federal, State, and City government worker go out to eat in a one block area. And that is the extent of Fresno. MOD EDIT

900 take a 'Billion Dollar' bus ride
By Louis Galvan / The Fresno Bee
09/30/07 00:00:00


Allen and Diane Barnes, who moved to Fresno five years ago from the East Coast, call it a treasure. Jo Anna Salazar, a lifelong Fresnan, thinks it's one of the most exciting places in the city.

The three were talking about downtown Fresno as they joined about 900 people Saturday on free, guided bus tours of the district, hosted by the Fresno County Economic Development Corp.

Tagged the "Billion Dollar Tour" because of the estimated $1 billion that has been invested downtown in recent years in private and public development, the event kicked off shortly after 9 a.m. from Chukchansi Park with six city buses loaded with the first group of men, women and children -- about 200 strong.

The purpose of the tour was to educate the public about the history of downtown and its future, said Steve Geil, head of the Economic Development Corp.

Diane Barnes, 59, and her husband, Allen, 68, were living in Portland, Maine, before they moved because of the weather to Fresno and settled in old Fig Garden.

It did not take them long to discover and fall in love with downtown, they said.

Frequent visitors to the Fresno Grizzlies baseball games, Selland Arena events, Arte Américas and many art, music and ethnic events on the Fulton Mall, Diane Barnes said she and her husband have found out that downtown "has so much to offer."

"But the community has to be committed to use it," she said. "If the community does not use it, it's going to get lost."

The couple said they took the tour to learn more about plans for downtown, and also to get a chance to visit the 5th District Court of Appeal courthouse, which opened a few weeks ago.

Salazar, 49, who works in northwest Fresno but lives on Huntington Boulevard just east of downtown, grew up in Fresno during downtown's more lively years, but she still finds it a rewarding and exciting place to shop and visit, she said.

She was on the tour mainly to take some photographs for her husband of some landmarks in danger of being torn down, and also to show her support for revitalization of the district, she said.

"There's so many wonderful places down here," she said.

People who say they are afraid to visit downtown because of fear of becoming victims of crime have it all wrong, she said.

"We have crime in all parts of our town, including in northwest Fresno where I work," she said.

Maxine Maples, 80, a retired elementary school teacher, has lived in Fresno for nearly 60 years and also remembers downtown's glory days, when large department stores, clothing shops, restaurants and movie theaters attracted people from all over the county.

Maples and her neighbor, Volga "Jimmie" Condon, 82, go to the Fresno Grizzlies baseball games, used to attend the Fresno Falcons hockey games at Selland Arena before the team stopped playing there, and still attend as many festivals as they can on the Fulton Mall and other nearby sites.

Downtown might never be the same as it was years ago, but there is no reason why it can't become a better place, she said.

"I know one thing, we are not afraid to come down here," Maples said, getting a nod from her neighbor.

Departing about every 15 minutes from Chukchansi Park after completing a wide loop around the district -- roughly bounded by H, Ventura, U and Amador streets -- the last busloads rolled off shortly before 1:30 p.m.

Plans for the tour were about two months in the making, said Esther Cuevas, event coordinator. It covered 28 locations to visit, including seven stops.

Geil said maybe in about five years there could be another similar tour. By that time, he said, the event could be called the "Five Billion Dollar Tour."
The reporter can be reached at lgalvan@fresnobee.com or (559)441-6139.

http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/152138.html

People who say they are afraid to visit downtown because of fear of becoming victims of crime have it all wrong, she said.

"We have crime in all parts of our town, including in northwest Fresno where I work," she said.

Quite a disclaimer, eh? Doesn't that just make you want to jump on a bus or plane and head to downtown Fresno?

People who say they are afraid to visit downtown because of fear of becoming victims of crime have it all wrong, she said.

"We have crime in all parts of our town, including in northwest Fresno where I work," she said.

Is she bragging?

http://www.fresnobee.com/static/crime/#

Take a guess where downtown Fresno is? I actually work right in downtown Fresno. I get a bit concerned if I have to do an hour of overtime as I have a two block walk to my car.

My brother works in Fresno. He has a concealed carry permit and carried his handgun with him at all times. He expects some day he might have to use it to stay alive. That is how bad Fresno is, it's basically an 1880's Wild West town.