Attempting an alliance between Logan and USU
It’s common for students at USU to complain about Logan’s lack of options for entertainment, but the staff of the Logan Downtown Alliance is trying to change that.
“There seems to be a disconnect between the university and the city of Logan,” said Gary Saxton, alliance manager. “We’ve been working with different people — like department heads, faculty, ASUSU, the alumni association — trying to bridge that gap to make Logan a college town.”
Saxton said annual events sponsored by the groups, such as the Parade of Gingerbread Homes, the Celtic Festival in March and the summer sidewalk sale are what touch the community the most.
“I’d probably have to say my favorite is the sidewalk sale,” said Joseph Needham, president of the Logan Downtown Alliance. “It’s the longest standing event and has the greatest potential to grow.”
The alliance creates a forum for downtown businesses so they don’t have to face problems alone, Needham said.
“There are parking issues,” Needham said. “It definitely gives a voice to the city. It inspires uniformity throughout the downtown, and together we strive for improvement and development.”
The alliance and Logan City planners are working together to build a housing development in the downtown area, he said.
If this project could bring people into the area, it would open the door for more things students want, Needham added.
“If we can get the population that are living and walking around downtown, we could bring in more restaurants and movie theaters,” Needham said. “In this housing we could have students, middle-aged or even elderly people who would create a good dynamic and make things happen.”
Since one of the major problems downtown is parking, Needham said the housing development would have housing on the top, parking in the middle and retail shops on the bottom.
Kirk Jensen, the economic development director for Logan, said the city and the alliance have worked together in the past on several similar projects.
“The alliance is very instrumental with the city in achieving its goals,” Jensen said. “When we’re doing something, they offer any assistance they can give. It’s been helpful in coordinating events and projects. They talk to the surrounding merchants and hear what their concerns are and address them.”
Jensen said the alliance has become an important asset to the city. He said the events it plans are valued by the community.
“If the alliance didn’t exist, that would create a significant void,” Jensen said.
He said links established between the university and the alliance help to improve the community as a whole.
“Starting a couple years back, the alliance has been helpful in bringing Homecoming-related events downtown and … making them bigger than they have been before,” Jensen said. “(Saxton) has also done a good job of bringing university students with their expertise and knowledge to help the city.”
He cited an example in which a landscape architecture class submitted ideas for physical improvements that could be made around town.
Saxton said the gap between the city and university comes from the different needs of community members.
“There’s a perception that where (students) are and where (Logan is) are different places,” Saxton said. “We’ve been working very hard this last year to find where this disconnect occurred and make this a college town that students would want to come into and hang out with classmates and friends.”
Another way Saxton said he and the alliance are looking to close the gap is by encouraging visual arts students to showcase their pieces in venues downtown rather than just on campus.
He said the alliance has done a graphic arts show in the past and is planning another one in May. In addition, it’s planning to sponsor an independent film festival in Logan next year.
“USU students are young; they’re vibrant and want quality entertainment, food, nighttime environment,” Needham said. “We want to fulfill those needs. The downtown’s goals are really just to be more hip (and have) more offerings. The overall goal is to keep downtown vibrant and keep it as the center of the city.”
Saxton said more information about the Logan Downtown Alliance can be found on Logan’s official website.
– m.noble@aggiemail.usu.edu