Everyone talks about the empty storefronts on Main Street.
Evan Chevrier documented them.
The other day the 9-year Westport resident — a New York-based TV producer — went up and down the fabled artery, with a camera.
This is what he found:
“Most are quick to blame greedy landlords and their unsustainable rents,” he says. “And they may be right.
“But our only chance at saving Main Street is to take our fight to the people who can do something about it.
“Most building owners have no vested interest in the preservation of our downtown area. They only care about their bottom line. And for them an empty lot in Westport is barely a blip on the radar.
“It’s up to our town leadership to step up, and stop waiting around for things to get better on their own. And they need to do it before it’s too late, and Main Street becomes a ghost town.”
Thoughts? Is this a local government issue? Can town officials affect or impact landlords? Is there a citizen-oriented, out-of-the-box solution? Click “Comments” below.