AMMAN - Merchants in downtown Amman have mixed feelings about the area's rehabilitation project, with some describing it as a positive step and others voicing concern over the slow progress.
Nabeel Shocair, who owns a barbershop on Faisal Street (formerly Faisal Square), welcomed the second phase of the project which started this week and entails rehabilitating streets and beautifying the city centre to transform it into a tourist destination.
"Downtown Amman is the gem of the capital and the most important part of the city; therefore this area needs such projects," he said.
Shocair expects the project to revive the area and attract more tourists and Jordanians to the city centre.
"The area has been ignored by local residents as new malls across Amman attract everyone. The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is keen to revive downtown Amman and they have started renovating some of the old buildings that represent the culture and heritage of the country," he explained.
Hassan Abu Ali agreed, expressing hope that the project will bring back the unique aura of downtown Amman.
"The project entails rehabilitating pavements, installing fountains and a clock similar to the old one. This will encourage tourism and draw Jordanians from different walks of life to the new downtown Amman," the bookshop owner pointed out.
Mazen Sharbji, who runs a downtown coffee roastery, described the project as "promising" since it will revive the area's heyday.
"During the mid-20th century, downtown Amman was the main attraction. It provided people with all their needs. These renovations will encourage people to come to the area as the new project will provide more space for pedestrians and shoppers," he said.
Another merchant, Ayman Ghnaim, believes that tourism in the area will "boom" if the developments go according to plan.
"This project will beautify the area as it entails installing new lights, planting trees and paving the area's streets," he noted.
However, some merchants complained about the slow progress in implementing the project.
Mohammad Saeed, who owns a sugarcane juice shop, said the implementation process is quite slow.
"We hope they will finish the project in time," he told The Jordan Times.
Ala Khaled, proprietor of Palestine Exchange Corp., pointed out that there are some important issues the project did not address.
"Downtown Amman needs parking spaces. Many clients have asked me to open another branch in a different area where they can park their cars," he said.
Meanwhile, Shocair noted that the area lacks public utilities.
"Many tourists can't find a bathroom," he said.
Khaled Haddadin, director of the municipality's road engineering department, said GAM is planning to implement a parking meter project in some areas in the capital, including downtown Amman.
He added that GAM is currently examining ways to provide more public restrooms in the area.
The second phase of the downtown Amman rehabilitation project, which is part of Amman Master Plan, entails rehabilitating pavements, introducing zebra crossings on roads, repaving streets and extending new sewerage lines in the area
During the construction period, which began this week and will last for two months, several streets have been fully or partially closed, with traffic diverted to alternate routes.
GAM will start implementing the third phase of the project, which seeks to make downtown Amman a culturally and commercially attractive area and a tourist destination, as soon as the current phase is completed.
© Jordan Times 2011
