The other day, the St. Louis Post Dispatch ran this story about the city of Edwardsville putting back $4 million towards renovating the North side of Main Street.
I have lived in Edwardsville for 22 years. I know every road, every back road, every corner and every other little thing you could ever imagine. I haven’t lived anywhere else.
This news is great for Edwardsville, and can substantially boost its image. The North side of Edwardsville is pretty much the worst side of town. It is also the oldest. There really is no “bad” neighborhood in Edwardsville. Earlier this year when I was looking for apartments my parents specifically told me “not to move to the North side” because it is the hood. I think this is ludicrous, because the crime rates in this town are pretty much non-existent. The little there is does occur in these neighborhoods, so they get a bad rap. It’s basically an unkept, low income part of town, but hardly qualifies as a ghetto of any sort.
I never got to go to Rusty’s, because it closed down before I turned 21. I think that bar running is huge for that side of town, and am glad to see the city is pushing to find the place a tenant, as it has been lying decrepitly for a few years now.
Edwardsville in comparison to its neighbors on the East side is already around the top of the best places to live, along with Glen Carbon. Family Circle Magazine voted Edwardsville as the “third best place in the country to raise a family” just last year. Alton, Granite City, East St. Louis, Collinsville and Belleville make Edwardsville look like the Vatican.
If Edwardsville can successfully rejuvenate its old-town district, it will have made a very good move in terms of publicizing its city.
This renovation is not completely necessary, and I think that is why they have decided to do it now. Getting this done will make Edwardsville a more attractive town, and because it is an entrance point into the city, it needs to be at the center of the town’s tourism and marketing efforts.
I would love to see this happen sooner than later, and can see it greatly benefiting Edwardsville.
Thoughts?
