This is confusing. On the one hand we have METRO CEO George Greanias suggesting that the Danger Train has helped increase property values along the Main Street Line; on the other hand, the Chron’s Nancy Sarnoff points to a restaurant, Convey, that lasted one year before closing down:
“Downtown in general is a struggle,” she said.
A number of restaurants have closed over the past year, including Les Givral’s neighbor ERA and Cabo, a couple blocks away.
Les Givral’s has operated downtown for almost nine years and business continues to be challenging, Le said. The Vietnamese eatery tried opening at night but there just wasn’t enough business.
“We couldn’t sustain the cost,” she said.
The city has been trying to help downtown retail businesses through grants and other marketing efforts, but Le said the downtown population shrinks at night and parking can be a hassle.
Billions of dollars spent, a parking authority created, surveillance cameras installed, another sports stadium constructed, and yet, it’s still not enough.
