Why They Choose Downtown
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downtownslc.org the MAGAZINE FALL/WINTER 2018 MEDIA KIT Why They Choose Downtown SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ALSO INSIDE: CULTURAL CORE • OPERATION RIO GRANDE • DOWNTOWN LIVING PATIO DINING • BOURBON GROUP • CITY CREEK • CAFFÉ MOLISE • STAYCATION Downtown Magazine 2018_Spring Cover.indd 1 4/30/18 2:52 PM downtownslc.org the MAGAZINE downtownslc.org the MAGAZINE The Downtown Alliance, presents Downtown the Magazine. Downtown TECH SUCCESS FROM SALT the Magazine tells the story of the people, businesses and events LAKE’S EPICENTER contributing to a dynamic urban center. the MAGAZINE downtownslc.org INSIDE ECCLES THEATRE/ Downtown the Magazine is an important tool in reaching your 111 MAIN THREE PROJECTS THAT REDEFINE customers through cost-effective advertising, targeted to thousands HISTORIC BLOCK 70 DINE O' ROUND A DINING GUIDE of downtown employees, locals across the Wasatch, visitors and FOR SOME OF DOWNTOWN'S BEST FLAVORS conventioneers. In addition, Downtown the Magazine is also delivered HOLIDAY PLANNING YOUR HOLIDAY GUIDE TO GIFTS, to local residents that frequent downtown for their dining, shopping and PARTIES AND EVENTS entertainment needs. This guide is designed to attract the attention and Downtown Magazine 2016_Fall/Winter2.indd 1 8/17/16 2:31 PM interests of those who like to engage in Utah’s capital city. Downtown the Magazine will feature profiles on the people who live, Why They Choose Downtown work and play in Downtown SLC. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 CULTURAL CORE • OPERATION RIO GRANDE • DOWNTOWN LIVING ALSO INSIDE: 4/30/18 2:52 PM PATIO DINING • BOURBON GROUP • CITY CREEK • CAFFÉ MOLISE • STAYCATION Downtown Magazine 2018_Spring Cover.indd 1 EXPANDED PREVIOUSLY FEATURED EDITORIAL TOPICS DISTRIBUTION STORY BY RYAN MACK PHOTOS BY DAVID NEWKIRK “It was to a point where some of our employees even had knives pulled on them,” said Matthew Melville, who serves as the homeless services director for Catholic Community Services. “It can be a depressing place down here; people will reach for whatever they can get to cut the pain. The dealers were always here to prey upon our clients and those who were down on their PERSONALITIES luck.” 150,000 The services that Melville and his team provide are key for individuals who want to take the first step towards leaving homelessness. With a drive-thru drug trade and violence at their actual doorstep, most “Young Professionals”, Community, Connection & individuals and employees were hesitant to enter the neighborhood. “We had families down here that wouldn’t even dare walk 75,000 Spring / Summer across the street to go to the Road Home. People would say, ‘Hey, do you work here? Can you walk me over?’... because it was just Coordination that bad.” But, that was then, and this is now. Thanks to a “safe space” road closure created by the operation, visitors of the Road Home and 75,000 Fall / Winter Nearly a year into Operation Rio Grande, we check in with which was always readily available. Operation Rio Grande when it started. “I Weigand Center are using the shelters at a hated it and I was outraged, but I think that higher rate. “We’re averaging about 100 extra the neighborhood. A father of two children, Wendell was a came from me being resistant to the help people a day that we wouldn’t have seen “Downtown Ambassadors”, Helping get people downtown graduate of the Odyssey House, where he I needed.” In the months that Wendell has before the operation.” Melville credits this ou have two options: either hundreds of individuals in the Rio Grande situation on 500 West. What transpired had already worked on his addiction. After a become clean, his perspective has changed. to the Operation Rio Grande efforts. “What you can go to jail, or we can Neighborhood last August after crime, was an unprecedented three-step, multi- string of bad luck, Wendell fell into to using “I know there’s a lot of good people down we have now is a culture of compliance. check you into a treatment violence and general lawlessness hit a agency effort that would help transform the once again. “I had sold everything. I lost there suffering and I hope they get the help The neighborhood has been completely facility. tipping point. Open air drug dealing, neighborhood. our house, our car and before I was about they need, so I’m all for it. I know the people transformed. I’m not offered drugs anymore, Y criminal mischief, violence against homeless to become completely homeless, I found a behind the curtains are rooting for us.” and violence has been cut down a lot.” • Deseret News Law enforcement officers found individuals and other nefarious activities Nearly 10 months into Operation Rio place for my kids to live. Starting that night “Revitalizing Rio Grande”, Getting help for those on the themselves laying out these options to were all too common sights for anyone Grande, we caught up with four individuals and over the course of the next two years, I Now, well over 100 days sober and working While there have been visible and who happened to be in the area. Largely who have been directly affected and involved indulged heavily in my criminal behaviors. I as an Onboarding Coordinator for the quantifiable improvements in the stemming from a combination of mental in the operation to understand the changes was shoplifting and robbing so that I could Odyssey House, Wendell looks to keep neighborhood, there is still plenty of work health problems, an affordable housing that have happened in the neighborhood. use.” moving forward. He hopes to eventually and healing that remains. “We need more shortage and a nationwide opioid crisis, the return to school, continue his work and see funding for treatment beds, and we need to state of 500 West was comparable to the Wendell Ribera - Odyssey House Going in and out of jail was just part of his kids. continue the dignity of work phase. We’ve fictional setting of Baltimore’s Hamsterdam the routine for many including Wendell, been hyper focused on jobs and housing • The Salt Lake Tribune in HBO’s crime series “The Wire”. Also known as “the block” by its residents, but the threat of arrest didn’t stop them Matthew Melville - Catholic down here.” Phase three of Operation Rio streets Community Services the Rio Grande neighborhood served from scoring drugs on a daily basis. “I was Grande focuses on exactly that. The Dignity To add fuel to the fire, jail beds were sparse as a haven for those suffering from drug probably on my 20th arrest down there; and of Work phase prepares individuals for the and arrests were reserved only for the addictions as well as those who were simply I knew if I wanted to ever have a chance at Situated in the heart of the Rio Grande workplace through workshops, education most violent offenders. Law enforcement’s down on their luck. Among those suffering being a father again, I had to get sober.” After neighborhood, the Weigand Center and St. and ultimately job placement. In addition to hands were cuffed as members of a drug from addiction was Wendell Ribera. encouragement from his Odyssey House Vincent de Paul Dining Hall serve about 450 continuing the efforts that have taken place cartel continued to prey upon a vulnerable peers and one final arrest in which Wendell people experiencing homelessness every day. already, Melville stressed the importance of population. The boiling point came in the “During my time on the block, we did was offered treatment or serious jail time, Providing shelter from the elements, holding public support by underscoring that this is • Utah Business summer of 2017 as a string of homicides what we wanted, when we wanted, how we he chose to return to the Odyssey House. job training and dishing out lunch and dinner a community-wide issue, not downtown’s and shootings rocked the Rio Grande wanted to. Nobody could say or do anything, “I knew if I didn’t take it (the treatment), I are just a few of the services they offer to alone. “There are many different ways neighborhood. Leaders from the state, not even the cops.” Wendell had been living could die out there and never see my kids help individuals get back on their feet. When the community can give. You can give city and county teamed up with local in the neighborhood for two years before again.” problems were at their worst, employees and time, money or simply by going to your service providers and the police to come Operation Rio Grande started. Like many of people seeking services often feared for their community council meetings and staying up with a plan to remedy the unsustainable its residents, Wendell was addicted to heroin, While he chose treatment as his way out, safety. informed.” Wendell says he wasn’t too sure about • Affluent and targeted SPRING / SUMMER 2018 DOWNTOWN THE MAGAZINE 27 28 DOWNTOWN THE MAGAZINE SPRING / SUMMER 2018 downtown patrons • Direct mail to targeted Cultural Core STORY BY TYLER BLOOMQUIST zip codes PHOTOS BY 3 IRONS PLACES “3 Irons”, Street art project downtown he art tingle. That spark you feel promoted their “50 Irons” project primarily was no way this was going to happen. In PUBLISHES after taking part in one of Salt through social media. These projects this case, we really lucked out,” Joy and Lake City’s many local creative included collaborations with a wide variety Steven say. “Andy is someone who loves art, outlets: the resonance of music of artists and institutions including the Utah architecture and renovating old buildings. Twashing over you, goosebumps Symphony and UMOCA.