Moms Talk: Development Downtown?

This week, our Moms Council would like to know how residents feel about the development of the downtown Kennesaw area and if you are interested in seeing new projects come to fruition?

Vanessa Aguilar: Kennesaw is a wonderful community with great parks, fabulous family-oriented events and a sense of pride. The one area I feel Kennesaw is lacking is the downtown. I have to admit, I am very biased. I came from a part of NY where we could walk to everything. But because of that, I would like to see Kennesaw be a central area with a grocery store (Trader Joe’s – please), apartments, parks, businesses, bakeries and restaurants. Many people like to keep Kennesaw historic. I believe you can and also keep up with progress that will make Kennesaw the envy of Cobb County. I love the sense of community that is here and what a joy it would be to be able to walk around and shop and have a great lunch in Kennesaw with more variety. I salute the local businesses who want to make downtown Kennesaw strong. I know Kennesaw can have it all – an historic presence and thriving downtown. Continue to support local businesses, and don’t give up on downtown Kennesaw. Progress is being made.

Kristi Vinson: I have seen businesses come and go. I personally have owned one business downtown and have been responsible for managing two others over the years. While successful to a degree, they obviously did not have staying power to survive because they no longer exist. I believe in order to be successful in these economic times, a business needs to have the magic formula. What that is, I’m not exactly sure. It seems so many businesses today are hit or miss. It takes more than a financial investment to succeed. I believe that downtown Kennesaw has so much potential for growth and development, particularly in the areas of retail and dining. I have always been a believer in patronizing local mom and pop establishments and would love to see more incentives to entice the growth of small business in our downtown area. I think we made a great move with the walk-through underpass. I am excited to see the expansion of The Trackside Grille. I love seeing the previously vacant hardware space being utilized for the new Teen Center. I would be interested to hear what ideas our Patch readers have to promote growth and economic stimulation in our downtown community.   

Brandi May: I am a huge supporter of eating, shopping and playing where you live. I just wish downtown Kennesaw could offer a little more in the area of those things and more. I know that in these economic times, it is especially hard for small businesses and I wonder if it would be possible to get grants to help develop the downtown area. What are everyone’s thoughts about that? I know that, before the economic crash, there were plans in the works to develop the area across from City Hall into a Live, Work, Play type development- but that was put on hold because of the economy. Would residents of Kennesaw be in support of a development like that? We need to do something soon or everyone will keep spending all their money in Acworth...