Home / News / Viewpoints / Editorial

EDITORIAL: Moving Soup Kitchen a plus

Posted: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 10:00 am | (9) Comments

Font Size:: Default font size; Larger font size

Just because you need food doesn't mean you're a criminal.

But in the city of Glens Falls, the two are often connected in the public's mind unfairly, because the Open Door Soup Kitchen is based on the first floor of the Madden Hotel, a notorious hangout for drug dealers, prostitutes and other criminals on South Street.

It's time to separate the two and give the soup kitchen its own space away from the criminal element.

We applaud Bud Taylor and the Rev. Bruce Hersey from the Soup Kitchen, Todd Shimkus of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, and other volunteers who are seeking a more appropriate and meaningful location for it.

Getting the soup kitchen off South Street and into a roomy building still close to downtown will have multiple benefits for the city and its citizens.

First, there's the obvious removal of the soup kitchen clients from the mixture with the Madden crowd. In its own separate space, organizers can not only provide a safe, welcoming environment for the food service, but also expand their offerings to provide counseling and other services to community members. There are lots of vacant buildings close to downtown - and in areas already providing services to the same clientele - where the soup kitchen could go. Already, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Shimkus say, they've identified half a dozen potential locations. They're looking for other property owners to contact them if they have a suitable site.

Then there's the benefit to South Street of opening the area in and around the Madden to commercial development.

The image of a run-down South Street is, as we all know, one of the first impressions people get when they enter the city. The area has to be redeveloped similar to the way Glen Street and parts of Warren, Bay and Ridge streets have been upgraded.

Removing the soup kitchen to another less visible area of the city helps remove the negative image people have about South Street in general and opens the way to changing the perception of downtown. Since the soup kitchen is in the Madden, moving the soup kitchen elsewhere will make it easier for the city to further address the Madden element and to either support renovation or razing of the aging eyesore.

Clearing that space on South Street will make the street more inviting to potential businesses and help change the attitude of potential customers toward visiting that section of downtown. And that could lead to more rapid changes in improving the entire avenue.

With new businesses and new customers, the street will be more inviting to developers anxious to take advantage of the city's potential. As the general appearance and atmosphere improve, and with people being less afraid and uncomfortable to be there, it will encourage more individuals to move into the upper floor apartments. Having a vibrant residential population is a proven way to stimulate a downtown economy.

Cleaning up South Street will give visitors entering the city from Broad Street a more positive impression of the city in general. With a better image comes more positive buzz about the city, both inside and outside its borders. And that means even more growth and an even greater expansion of the city's tax base.

Moving the soup kitchen out of the Madden should trigger a positive chain reaction of events for South Street. It's a necessary first step, and we're glad to see it being vigorously pursued.

Local editorials represent the opinion of The Post-Star editorial board, which consists of Publisher Rick Emanuel, Editor Ken Tingley, Editorial Page Editor Mark Mahoney and citizen representative Bill Reynolds.

Posted in Editorial on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 10:00 am Updated: 10:55 am.

Print Email