Shreveport’s Downtown Comeback Starts with a Mindset Shift

Shreveport’s story is changing, but the most important change may be how we see ourselves. The data is nudging in the right direction, and the energy downtown is real.  

If residents do not feel it yet, the task ahead is to match perception with progress. As former Mayor Cedric Glover recently told KEEL News, “We’re making blips on those levels right now. I’m not sure if the fundamentals have changed… but we are making progress.” 

Fundamentals Before Flash 

Glover used a football image that fits our moment: “You got to get back to your fundamentals. How’s your technique? How’s your footwork? How’s your leverage?” He also reminded us that Louisiana once led the South, then slipped as neighbors passed us, which should push a sober look at what we do next.

“It’s something that should cause us to pause and re-examine the things that we have fundamentally done over the last century,” he said. The wins will come from steady work on basics like safety, livability, and a clear business climate. 

Downtowns Evolve or They Fade 

Downtowns never stay still. “Downtowns evolve or they go extinct,” Glover said, noting they begin as a city’s core, grow into a center of business and culture, then face pressure from sprawl and changing habits.

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Hybrid work and mobile tech have shifted routines, so the question is not whether downtown can be what it was in 1985. The question is how to make it useful, vibrant, and safe in 2025 with smarter streets, better lighting, recurring events, and a plan for buildings that used to hold whole floors of oil and gas jobs. 

New Life for Old Towers 

Repurposing matters. Some high-rises are a century old, others only 50 or 60 years. Empty space is a cost; conversions to residential, boutique hotels, studios, and co-working can restore foot traffic for lunch spots and new restaurants like the Glass Hat along Texas Avenue.

“There’s more residential development happening downtown. There are more restaurants opening up… along Texas Avenue,” Glover said. Every renovated floor adds lights on at night and neighbors who advocate for cleaner blocks and visible policing. 

Tell the Story, Then Prove It Daily 

Perception follows proof. Residents need to hear about progress, then see it on Saturday morning and Tuesday night: more residential units, more visible officers, cleaner sidewalks, and weekly reasons to come downtown.

Interest from outside investors, like Curtis Jackson, signals confidence, but the daily momentum comes from locals choosing to live, eat, play, and worship in the city’s center. The message is simple: show up, then show results.