Say what? I'm thrilled about the Tower renovation, but I disagree with you completely on this point, ODG. There's nothing wrong with the wig shop, or the Jamaican t-shirt shop, or the Asian grocery. That's called eclecticism, and it's what is sorely missing in this "city."
Go to a real city and delight in the diversity and funkiness real urban neighborhoods. Attitudes like this: "let's replace the 'junky' wig shop with an architect's office" are what make me skeptical that this city will ever actually accomplish meaningful urban renewal.
Our single biggest renovation project, Bricktown, has been scrubbed for suburbanites with Disneyland-like ambiance.
I like the wig shop (though I never shop for them and don't anticipate doing so in the future). I like that corner Asian convenience store. I like the body piercing place next to an upscale restaurant. To me, that's urban, and that's what we desperately want here.
Now, while we're on the subject, I would have no problem getting rid of that horrific Motel Liquidation shop or whatever the heck it is, or at least utilizing some code enforcement to get them to spruce it up a bit.
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