If businessman Brad Usry had looked into a crystal ball 25 years ago, he would have seen a different image of Riverwalk Augusta than he sees today.
Like many city residents, Usry had a romantic vision of tourists flocking to the riverside walking esplanade where they would enjoy shops and restaurants – more so than exist nearby now. The riverwalk hugging the Savannah River banks would be a popular spot, busy with activity and a contagious energy.
That vision isn’t dead, Usry says, but the riverwalk has hit many speed bumps curtailing its potential since opening on April 1, 1988. At that time, city leaders and residents took pride in the multimillion-dollar development, the brainchild of former Mayor Ed McIntyre but promoted by his successor Mayor Charles DeVaney as the cornerstone of downtown revitalization.
“We took our Savannah River and little else and turned it into a showplace. If you like what you see today, there’s a lot more to come,” DeVaney said when it opened.
via Vision for Riverwalk is different from reality | The Augusta Chronicle.
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