Ir^ r’ i n The Battalion • Page 7 ..|| ■ - I Thursday • June 1, 1995 ■■■ (S>iqq£ THe ftaccro N6W JEFS^V TT"me Battalion Established in 1893 Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of the editorials board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other Battalion staff members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, administration, faculty or staff. Columns, guest columns, cartoons and letters express the opinions of the authors. Contact the opinion editor for information on submitting guest columns. Editorials Board Jay Robbins Editor in Chief Rob Clark Managing Editor Sterling Hayman Opinion Editor Kyle Littlefield Assistant Opinion Editor It’s About Time Historic Northgate receives a much-needed face lift. Last night the City of Col lege Station presented the con clusions of a study concerning the first step for revitalizing the Northgate area. The city currently is taking serious steps to give this historic area of College Station a series of much-needed face lifts. Regard less of the need for such reno vations, officials should ensure that enacting the project does not prove to be too detrimental to area businesses. Currently, reconstruction is under way on the strip of Col lege Main extending from Uni versity Drive to Church Street. The project has closed the road to all automotive traffic and has eliminated all parallel parking in front of College Main businesses. This loss of traffic and adequate parking has created problems for many Northgate establishments. Although College Main must be closed in order to re place the gas and water lines, the construction obviously is affecting business. The city should ensure the project is completed on or before the Aug. 1 deadline, for many of the businesses depend heavily on the traffic of returning stu dents. Also, the appearance of the area is in much need of im provement. In fact, when for mer President George Bush visits College Station, his hosts avoid Northgate because it is such an eyesore. Businesses continue to survive in this dy namic area, despite its run down appearance. However, Northgate could withstand many improvements, and the city should continue to promote its renovation. Almost as old as the Univer sity itself, Northgate has played host to a variety of busi nesses, from a theater to a pornography store to a coffee house. Despite all of the changes that Northgate has witnessed, however, the condi tion and appearance of the area have steadily declined over the years. It is now time to give North- gate a face-lift — to give the area even more character and appeal. In the process, though, the city should be careful not to damage what is already there. Inconveniences worth future benefits Kyle Littlefield Asst. Opinion Editor I t just goes to show that things do actually change in Aggieland. Northgate, an area known for its historic stores and bars, is undergoing a face lift, which has owners and customers alike in a sort of stupor. The first stage of revital ization, which is a project of the City of College Station Development Ser vices Department, has a portion of College Main, from University Drive to the Church Street intersection closed to traffic until ap proximately August 1. The closing of the street has left about four feet of sidewalk on each side of the street allowing pedestrian access to the busi nesses that line the street. The inconvenience of not being able to park on the street and the fact that the con struction is an eyesore to the area, has meant slow days for businesses along the street. Many are wondering if these inconve niences, which could be fatal to small-busi ness owners, will be worth it in the long run. Will the revitalized Northgate, mean more business? And if it does, will the same shops be around to see it? The first weeks of summer have business owners speculating what’s to come. Many can not conclude if the construction has hurt their business, because the street was blocked off during A&M’s interim, a usual slow time for businesses. Some stores are disappointed because the city has added insult to injury; Baker Hart of Software Exchange claims that his store did not know about the project until a week be fore the construction began. However, to the city’s credit, he did say that three contractors associated with the project have offered their assistance. But really, what could they do? “Well, for one thing,” owner of Trade Winds Bead Co. Carol White said, “I am upset that they hit us at the slowest time — the summer.” White wishes the city would have consulted the businesses over when the project was done. Todd Traylor, manager of Marooned Records has a different sentiment. “It’s really easy to get mad about it, but I’m glad they are doing this in the summer, and not in the fall.” Traylor explains that many of the businesses establish their clientele right before the fall semester when students are returning to Col lege Station or arriving for the first time. If businesses such as the Aggie Cleaners, Sarge’s and the Northgate Barbershop set up this repeat clientele, then it can make for a financially successful year. If they don’t — which Traylor fears would have happened if the construction occurred in the fall — it could be bad news. In other words, the nature of the business determines how they are affected. Whereas Northgate Barbershop may not be affected because it has already established relation ships with repeat customers, the relatively new businesses may experience a decrease in business. The main gripe of the businesses affected by the construction is that the city of College Station has not done an adequate job of com municating to potential customers that, yes, they are still open for business. “The way the construction has blocked off the streets, it looks like we’re not open,” says Michael Gessner of Aggie Cleaners. Traylor says that the city did print up some fliers that let the customers know the businesses would be open. The only problem is that in large, bold type it reads, “College Main Closes for Reconstruction,” and then further down in the notice, in smaller type, it says that the businesses will remain open. Bemie Gessner the owner of Aggie Clean ers took the matter into his own hands and printed his own notice, which lists all of the stores lining the closed street and reads in large type, “WE WILL BE OPEN DURING THIS TIME.” However, in the midst of the inconve nience, the stores are trying to remain posi tive. “As long as they get it done quickly, it won’t hurt ... besides, they are re-doing the sidewalks, which will make business better,” Hart says. Even White of Trade Winds Bead Co., could find something positive. “Having the street closed has forced peo ple to walk by all of the stores, whereas when. parking was available, they had the option of parking in front of the store of their choice. Now people walking by will notice all of the business’ signs and windows which may help business,” she said. It is important to remember that the city 1- should not be perceived as the “bad guy” in this ordeal. Revitalization, while it may in- *< convenience customers and business owners *• for a while, will most likely increase business -' and beautify the area. The positive attitudes of the businesses should be commended. Hopefully, when Northgate’s revitalization is complete, busi ness will be better, and all of the same busi nesses will be there to see it. Kyle Littlefield is a senior- journalism major' . peace and times of war, does in- deed find the observance of- *- Memorial Day relevant. It is the Battalion’s responsi bility to see that it prints those.' subjects and issues that are rel evant to Aggies. The Battalion should not let a leftist stance or what is con sidered politically correct-,.'- stand in the way of printing what is important. Millions of people, both mili- tary and civilian, gave the ultL-^ mate sacrifice during World-; 1 ' War II. Because of their valiant 7 service, many brave people did--- not come home to their families and friends. I firmly believe and sincerely j hope that these sacrifices will never be forgotten or taken for’'-” granted. Bryan A. HiH ^ Class of ’95 f TThe R/vttt/njli c>n Editorial Staff Jay ROBBINS, Editor in Chief Rob CLARK, Managing Editor Sterling Hayman, Opinion editor Gretchen Perrenot, City Editor JODY Holley, Night News Editor Stacy Stanton, night News editor MICHAEL LANDAUER, Aggielife Editor Nick GeORGANDIS, Sports Editor Stew Milne, photo Editor Staff Members City Desk - Assistant Editor: Eleanor Colvin; Re porters: Katherine Arnold, Javier Hino josa, Scott McMahan, Jill Saunders, Michael Simmons, Wes Swift & Tara Wilkinson Aggielife Desk — Feature Writers: Kristen Adams, Amy Collier & Libe Goad; Columnist: Amy Uptmor Sportswriters - David Winder and Lee Wright Opinion Desk - Assistant Editor: Kyle Littlefield; Columnists: Elizabeth Preston, Frank Stanford & David Taylor; Contributing Columnists: Justin Barnett, Margaret Gor don, Alex Miller, Chris Stidvent & Mark Zane; Editorial Writers: Jason Brown & Alex Walters; Editorial Cartoonists: Brad Graeber & George Nasr Photographers — Mike Friend, Roger Hsieh, Nick Rodnicki & Eddy Wylie Page Designers — News: Kristin DeLuca & Kristen DeRocha; Sports: Robin Greathouse; Ag gielife: Stew Milne Copy Editors - Rob Clark & Sterling Hayman Graphic Artists — Toon Boonyavanich & Melissa Oldham Strip Cartoonists - Valerie Myers & Quatro Oakley Office Staff - Office Manager: Julie Thomas; Clerks: Wendy Crockett & Heather Harris News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. 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