"We have an opportunity now perhaps like none we've ever had with the economy as strong as it's ever been to reinvent the downtown area," Glauser told the Provo Kiwanis Club during its weekly meeting Tuesday.

That reinvention includes more company offices like Nu Skin to bring workers downtown during the day and more residents to fill the business district at night.

"The idea is to get some people living in the downtown community so they can get out of their cars and onto their shoes, walking to businesses and restaurants."

The city isn't idly sitting by, waiting for developers to be convinced by the Wells Fargo Center and Astle's condominiums. The City Council will meet Tuesday night to consider purchasing several properties on 100 North and another on 300 West.

The other property is 303-333 W. 100 North, where the city anticipates mixed-use development.

Meanwhile, Provo's Economic Development Department is preparing to test a new "cityscape" for downtown. A block on 100 South between 100 and 200 West will soon have new planters and other landscaping and new lighting. If city leaders like the look, it will be used up and down the Center Street business district.

E-mail: twalch@desnews.com