There is an intriguing tug-and-pull that is involved in developing a thriving downtown.

All of those old brick buildings, and all of the history and community context contained within, capture a certain ambience that new steel and glass (and parking lots, for that matter) can't quite muster.

Meanwhile, a building, as charming as it may appear, has no relevance without, well, relevance. Historic districts must have a certain energy, a certain vibe -- and demanded products and services -- to appeal to a wide and diverse audience.

And so you have an essential area in town that both strives to be new and old all at the same time. You have an area that strives to be both residential and commercial, to be friendly to families and partying adults, to connect with accountants and artists.

With everything that Old Town Cape has to balance and with its limited resources, the organization has done a fantastic job at helping frame and execute an optimistic vision for downtown Cape.

By working through so many issues, downtown Cape -- including the Broadway corridor -- appears to be on the rise.

This year is a big transition year for Old Town Cape. The buzz around the casino, the Broadway improvements and the handful of building projects going on in the downtown district is a continuation of progress. So much behind-the-scenes work has been done by so many people to put downtown Cape in such a ready-to-grow-more position. The work continues.

On Feb. 24, Old Town Cape held its annual dinner celebration.

Jim Riley received Old Town Cape's Charles L. Hutson Visionary Award. Riley is one of those individuals moving the region forward, trying to keep downtown fresh. The high-energy entrepreneur is "vibe" personified. It was Riley's vision to buy land in downtown in order to bring something exciting to downtown Cape. Now a casino is being built there. He has been involved and has supported numerous downtown initiatives. The honor was well-deserved.

Several other awards were given to individuals and businesses at the banquet: the Lysell family's State Beauty Supply business earned the business in excellence award; Broadway Prescription Shop and Shivelbine's Music were given preservation awards for their commercial signage projects.

There are so many good people and good businesses that are making a difference in Cape's downtown. Thanks to everyone who continues to make the downtown old and new at the same time.