Business owners in downtown St. Johns are sharing their thoughts on the city's revitalization efforts as officials gather public feedback on a new five-year master plan.
- Business owners report positive momentum with full occupancy in downtown buildings.
- The redevelopment of the silo area remains a key topic in revitalization discussions.
- City officials aim to complete the master plan by early next year after gathering community input.
WATCH: St. Johns business owners share vision for downtown's future
I visited downtown St. Johns to speak with local business owners about what they believe would help revitalize the area.
Dean Mazzolini, a third-generation business owner, has deep roots in downtown St. Johns. The business he inherited, Bruno's Bar, has been in its current location for nearly 100 years.
When asked what changes he'd like to see downtown that would benefit his business, Mazzolini was optimistic about the current direction.
"I don't know about what changes I really want, but everything's going in the right direction," Mazzolini said.
His comments come as city officials invited residents to view and provide feedback on a draft of the city's five-year plan, which includes downtown revitalization efforts.
"All our buildings are full, which has been really nice. And most little small towns you go to, their buildings are not all full because it's pretty tough for a small place to make it," Mazzolini said.
At the master plan open house on Monday, I spoke with resident Archi Tomczyk about what she envisions for downtown's future.
"I would like to see a variety of stores that would cover all of our needs... We used to have a children's store. We used to have a store that had games and toys," Tomczyk said.
One key topic surrounding downtown changes has been the redevelopment of the silo area. Both Tomczyk and Mazzolini shared their thoughts on the iconic structures.
"They've been here for so long. They really kind of mean St. Johns in a way... do some fun murals on them or something," Tomczyk said.
Mazzolini expressed openness to various possibilities for the site.
"Whatever they decide to put there - if they tear it down or if they build something from it, I think it'll only help," Mazzolini said.
City officials say the goal is to have the master plan completed early next year.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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