Edition: LEDGER-ENQUIRER
Page: A1

CHRISTOPHER BOYCE,
Staff Writer

In a nation that once fed itself on river commerce, Phenix City and Columbus are not the first cities to attempt a rebirth by turning, once again, to the waters that created them.

At this early stage, it is difficult to compare local redevelopment and the white water river rafting project to other projects across the country, but elements from such projects do resemble plans being considered for the Chattahoochee River and its banks. As though connected by the same waters, many of these towns also share similar pasts:

Over the last two decades, Reno, Nev., has reshaped itself around the Truckee River, with half-mile rapids running from nearby Lake Tahoe through the city's downtown.

The allure of a storied river culture has drawn similar success in Richmond, Va., along the James River, an area rich in Civil War history.

Along the Ohio River, Newport, Ky., has been helped by Cincinnati to revitalize the industrial cities. Newport's crown jewel is its Newport on the Levee mall and entertainment complex. The 3.4 square mile city of 17,000 now draws 4 million to 7 million people to the levee annually.

Reno, Nev., is one town that Columbus and Phenix City may soon closely resemble. A thriving gamblers mecca through the 1940s, the city's gambling revenues slowly dwindled and then dropped severely in the 1980s as Las Vegas, Atlantic City and smaller casinos on Native American reservations grew across the country.

Peter Gillon, redevelopment administrator for Reno, said that era forced the city to redevelop its culture. Over the last two decades, the city has reshaped itself around the Truckee River, with half-mile rapids running from nearby Lake Tahoe through the city's downtown.

Today, Gillon said a rafter can navigate the course in 2 1/2 minutes and get out downtown for a latte or spend hours maneuvering the course. In addition to attracting casual kayakers and rafters, Reno hosts a River Festival rafting tournament in May, which this year brought 30,000 rafters to the city.

"We paid $1.5 million for it and that was such an inexpensive investment for the amount of publicity and tourism it generates for Reno," Gillon said of the rapids.

Redevelopment in Reno has spawned the $70 million Nevada State Museum of Art, the National Automobile Museum, the Pioneer Performance Center opera house and the 12-screen Century Theater. Meanwhile, the finishing touches are being applied to the $12 million Lear Theater and the Palladio, a $25 million condominium complex that will have 90 condos and 20,000 square feet of retail space, including two restaurants with river-side seating.

"People love being downtown and being near the river," Gillon said. "The key is people working, living and playing downtown. Your primary asset of every river town is the river. That's your history, your culture."

Celebrating history

The allure of a storied river culture has drawn similar success in Richmond, Va., along the James River, an area rich in Civil War history.

James McCarthy, of the Richmond Riverfront Corporation, said the city's historic canals drove the demand for the project when the city began working with their development group in 1991. The company worked for three years to develop a 30-year plan to revitalize an area then comprised of abandoned industrial projects and dilapidated power plants.

To aid funding, the city combined the beautification of the canals with a much-needed project to correct a malfunctioning city sewer system.

Today the historic trading district is again buzzing with commerce, revived by local clothing and jewelry boutiques and furniture stores as well as steakhouses, delis, bars and bistros.

But beyond wandering through the historic district or enjoying rides down the canal, visitors can learn from various historic markers posted throughout the area or by visiting the Civil War Visitors Center for the Richmond National Battlefield Park.

The Visitors Center, housed in the old Tredegar Iron Works building, ties together five battle sights and museums in and around the former Confederate stronghold. Since opening in June 2000, the 12,000-square-foot center has drawn 60,000-70,000 people annually. The center's superintendent, Cindy MacLeod, said maps help visitors envision where the battles occurred in relationship to the canal walk.

"Our presence on the canal walk lends gravity that's good for the walk," MacLeod said. "This was such a natural thing because so much of Richmond's history is involved with the Civil War. Part of the success was because the history was there."

Currently, the most pressing Richmond Riverfront development is "Riverside on the James." The project will convert two hydroelectric plants built in the early 1900s, into 122 condos, 230,000 square feet of office space, seven decks of parking and 70,000 square feet of retail space.

"It's still a work in progress because we have such large goals," McCarthy said.

Patience for progress

While progress in Reno since the 1980s and Richmond's 30-year plan has been marked, developers like Gillon and McCarthy are purposeful in planning progress in large time increments. Part of the planning process includes possible obstacles like a slow economy.

"You cannot create receptive market conditions," Gillon said.

Gillon said disappointment was strong after the city of Reno bought the $1.6 million lot that has become the Palladio condo project, and sold the lot for $275,000.

"That's redevelopment," Gillon said of the deal. "We want the best use for the property. You have to think it all the way through."

Thinking it through for Reno meant economics --- as in a $32 million one-time construction impact and an expected $8 million annual impact via sales and property taxes. Add 168 jobs to the deal and the picture becomes clear. But many of the problems of development, such as empty lots, often cloud the bigger picture for citizens.

"Everybody wants to know why you have vacant lots," Gillon said. "Sometimes you have an opportunity to acquire property for which there is no immediate use, but the community has to envision that use."

Sammy Howard, chair of the private East Alabama Riverfront Development group, said he believes residents of Chattahoochee Valley have been patient with their own river project.

"You look at every major area that's been developed, like downtown Columbus or Bradley Park, and we don't think anyone thinks this is going to happen overnight," Howard said. "It's going to be a slow process but I think at the end of the next two years, you'll know where we are going."

Bridging the divide

Leaders like Howard also agree that while patience is important, cooperation is even more vital to success for local development. Despite similarities with many projects, the Chattahoochee River's identity as a border for the region creates distinction --- or dilemma, depending on your perspective. But Howard doesn't foresee old rivalries disrupting new hope.

"The cooperation has been excellent. I don't think I've ever seen a project that people have worked so well together on," Howard said. "I think this could be our last shot at a downtown river development. I'll never say never, but if we miss this opportunity now, we'll have missed the boat."

Ed Burdeshaw, chairman of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce Riverfront Committee, said another essential element in ensuring satisfaction for both Columbus and Phenix City lies in implementing touches that assert each city's individuality.

"Any riverwalk has to be sensitive to the character of the river and sensitive to the character of the city," Burdeshaw said. "So ours will not copy the others around the country, but will be true to itself. That's not to say we can't learn from them --- we observe what they have done, we see what's been successful and we modify those activities to fit our circumstance."

If Columbus and Phenix City succeed, they won't be the first pair of cities to jointly benefit from river development.

Along the Ohio River, Newport, Ky., has been helped by its big sister, Cincinnati, to revitalize the industrial cities. Newport's crown jewel is its Newport on the Levee mall and entertainment complex --- named the top shopping attraction for families in the United States by Zagat Survey in May. Joanne Maly, the complex's marketing director, said the 12 restaurants, comedy and jazz clubs, high-end retail stores and the Newport Aquarium have created a new bridge across the river.

"Even though it's two cities, it's like one," Maly said. "It doesn't matter if you're a 30-minute drive away. It's just where the action is."

The 3.4-square-mile city of 17,000 now draws 4 million to 7 million people to the levee annually. City manager Phil Ciafardini said while Newport works independent of Cincinnati, their working relationship has benefited both cities.

"What's good for Cincinnati is good for us and vice versa," Ciafardini said. "The reality is that each community is working on their own community day in and day out. As far as cooperation, do we need permission to do what we want to do? No, but there is a spirit of cooperation as being important to draw unique venues to the urban core that ultimately benefits the entire region."

Progress on the 'Hooch

Since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finished a feasibility study for the dam removal in July, developers have been awaiting approval of the plan to remove two dams on the Chattahoochee.

A representative from the corps could not be reached, but in July it was reported that a decision was expected this fall.

Burdeshaw believes the project is progressing well but said the process will be a long one. "Anyone involved in the planning process realizes you don't go into these projects if you're interested in instant gratification," Burdeshaw said. "You can't force-feed them, you must wait until the appropriate time."

ON THE NET

East Alabama Regional Development Board: www.phenixcityriverfront.org

Reno-Sparks, Nev., Convention and Visitors Authority: www.rscva.com

Richmond, Va., Riverfront Corporation: www.richmondriverfront.com

Newport on the Levee in Newport, Ky.: www.newportonthelevee.com

DOWN BY THE RIVER

As Columbus begins its own redevelopment projects, other river cities have also revitalized their riverfronts.

RENO, NEV.
River: Truckee
Population: 180,480
Size: 69 square miles
Median household income: $40,530
How it's going: After its boom-town image collapsed with the Vegas explosion of the 1980s, development has grown steadily. Their $1.5 million, half-mile white water river rafting course has drawn national attention and helped their downtown riverwalk grow and attract vacationers from nearby Lake Tahoe.

RICHMOND, VA.
River: James
Population: 197,790
Size: 60 square miles
Median household income: $31,121
How it's going: In the midst of their 30-year development plan, the canal walk is managed day-to-day by a private development group, but the city has provided input and some funding. Richmond is even more steeped in Civil War history than Columbus, and draws more than 60,000 people annually to its 12,000-square-foot Civil War visitors center along the riverfront.

NEWPORT, KY.
River: Ohio
Population: 17,084
Size: 3.4 square miles
Median household income: $32,858
How it's going: A skip across the bridge from Cincinnati, their Newport on the Levee development had a city of 1.6 million with a median household income of $54,690 to draw on. This has helped them draw more than 4 million people a year to the mall and entertainment complex, making it the perfect example of how fast development can grow in just three years.

COLUMBUS /PHENIX CITY
River: Chattahoochee
Population: 185,781 and 28,265
Size: 216 square miles and 25 square miles
Median household income: $34,853 and $26,720
How it's going: A $6 million, 2.3-mile river rafting course and a $70 million National Infantry Museum are in the works and multiple developments are bound for both banks of the Chattahoochee River.

Source: All data from 2000 census stats, except for Newport, Ky., and the median income for Phenix City, which came from 1999.