If we really want to see our overall community vibrant we need to look back to the downtown area. There are a number of old warehouses, buildings in disrepair, etc... that can and should be salvaged. Look to any thriving downtown and you'll see the great incorporation of retail development and commercial real estate in those cities. There is no reason (other than developer's greed) that a project such as mid-town can not be accomplished downtown. You could attract many businesses, even large retailers into old stores like the old Spiller Furniture store for example. I'm not describing one big Mid-Town downtown, but I'm describing carefully selected areas with shops dispersed throughout the downtown area that blend retail chains and create opportunities for local cafe's, boutiques, etc... The City will have to stand up to developer's in the future and not just let them build wherever. Instead, the the city will have to "partners" with the developers to build this vision.