Main Street Reps. Visit Warsaw, Give Economic Update
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Community Development Corp. board members, downtown Warsaw business owners and government leaders learned what initiatives are being taken to foster economic growth in Indiana towns.
Approximately 30 people met Tuesday night at the WCDC office with representatives from Indiana Main Street and Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Indianapolis, to discuss initiatives that are being taken to encourage economic growth in Indiana's communities.David Terrell, executive director for the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, and Jo Grandel, program manager for Indiana Main Street, spoke about their organizations.
Warsaw is one of four stops they will make this month to discuss economic initiatives for Indiana communities. Other towns they will visit include Wabash, Thursday; Madison, Monday; and Jasper, Tuesday.
The purpose of Indiana Main Street through the Indiana office of community and rural affairs is to encourage economic development, redevelopment and improvement of the downtown areas of Indiana cities and towns. The organization was developed in 1985.
"Our focus is to assist communities to achieve their own economic vision," Terrell said.
He said a major economic strategy rural towns focus on is downtown development, and Indiana Main Street and OCRA are working to foster development in Indiana's communities.
Terrell said the organizations are looking into partnering with Duke Energy this summer to launch a program called Sustainable Communities.
The program would be Web-based, and allow community leaders and citizens to provide feedback on economic development in their communities through an online evaluation.
"The purpose of the program is to get communities starting conversations about their communities that they may never have had before," Terrell said.
Grandel spoke about other initiatives Indiana Main Streets is planning to foster economic growth in Indiana communities.
A project called Backroads Trail Project is being discussed that will be a comprehensive trail that will connect Main Street communities.
"My dream is to see a map that Main Street enthusiasts, historic preservationists and shoppers can pick up and know where Main Street communities are, and their focus for economic development in each town," Grandel said.
Another project being looked into is an Indiana Main Street Building Locator Site project. It would be a Web site to show vacant buildings in towns.
Terrell said the database would include pictures of the front and interior of the building and square footage. It could eventually provide virtual tours of communities. The Web site would be accessible to business owners around the country to visit and know what is available if they were looking into starting a business.
Indiana Main Street is looking into partnering with Duke Energy, Indiana University Business Resource Center and OCRA to develop the Web site.
For more information about OCRA, visit www.ocra.IN.gov
