MONROE - Tripp Muldow's meeting Thursday with the Monroe Main Street Board of Directors started with a "what now?"
In great part, the answer for the consultant working with the Monroe organization on its downtown revitalization master plan was one of the larger undertakings listed on a chart of ideas Muldow's company has suggested.
A culinary center, which could feature and promote the many food-based businesses in Green County, was what board members focused on most.
Muldow is with Arnett Muldrow and Associates, a Greenville, S.C., planning firm that is designing the Monroe downtown revitalization plan for Monroe Main Street. He was in town Thursday also to be the keynote speaker at the Green County Development Corporation's annual meeting.
Muldrow gave the board examples of other towns and Main Street organizations that have followed through on ideas similar to the culinary center proposal. One is Greenwood, S.C., which City Administrator Mark Vahlsing will visit next month to gather information and implementation ideas.
"The city is not involved at all, at this time," Vahlsing said of possible locations for the center.
The best-case scenario would be for "a private partner to have a presence" in the culinary project, Vahlsing said. "And (for) an educational component."
"An appliance company or a local food company" that would have a financial interest and a presence to attract other businesses would be ideal, he said.
"The site can work itself out," Vahlsing said. "I really don't think it matters at this time where we put it."
The board mulled over the many possibilities of national, state and local companies which might make good partners in the project, based on the model established in Greenwood by Viking Appliances.
Dr. David Riese, M.D., presiding over the board, said it's important to invest in local businesses.
"After they helped Monroe, this is the city giving something back in support of the businesses," Riese said about the proposed culinary center. "I'd like to see someone like Roth Kase or the (Swiss) Colony as a sponsor rather than, say, Pillsbury."
Riese said having the center located downtown and having the major sponsor being local are important.
The board recognized the enormity of a culinary center project. Its many facets would be more than Monroe Main Street can handle alone.
"You have a lot of irons in the fire; Monroe Main Street might be consumed" with the many details that will need coordinating, Muldrow told members.
One solution Muldrow suggested was to find "pivotal partners," other parties with a vested interest in the project who could become a separate organization. Another is to hire a manager to coordinate communications between the many partners who will be involved and other aspects of the project.
The board decided that one important step in the downtown revitalization plan is that it must initiate immediately making short presentations to organizations and groups, including the Monroe City Council and the Green County Board.
In great part, the answer for the consultant working with the Monroe organization on its downtown revitalization master plan was one of the larger undertakings listed on a chart of ideas Muldow's company has suggested.
A culinary center, which could feature and promote the many food-based businesses in Green County, was what board members focused on most.
Muldow is with Arnett Muldrow and Associates, a Greenville, S.C., planning firm that is designing the Monroe downtown revitalization plan for Monroe Main Street. He was in town Thursday also to be the keynote speaker at the Green County Development Corporation's annual meeting.
Muldrow gave the board examples of other towns and Main Street organizations that have followed through on ideas similar to the culinary center proposal. One is Greenwood, S.C., which City Administrator Mark Vahlsing will visit next month to gather information and implementation ideas.
"The city is not involved at all, at this time," Vahlsing said of possible locations for the center.
The best-case scenario would be for "a private partner to have a presence" in the culinary project, Vahlsing said. "And (for) an educational component."
"An appliance company or a local food company" that would have a financial interest and a presence to attract other businesses would be ideal, he said.
"The site can work itself out," Vahlsing said. "I really don't think it matters at this time where we put it."
The board mulled over the many possibilities of national, state and local companies which might make good partners in the project, based on the model established in Greenwood by Viking Appliances.
Dr. David Riese, M.D., presiding over the board, said it's important to invest in local businesses.
"After they helped Monroe, this is the city giving something back in support of the businesses," Riese said about the proposed culinary center. "I'd like to see someone like Roth Kase or the (Swiss) Colony as a sponsor rather than, say, Pillsbury."
Riese said having the center located downtown and having the major sponsor being local are important.
The board recognized the enormity of a culinary center project. Its many facets would be more than Monroe Main Street can handle alone.
"You have a lot of irons in the fire; Monroe Main Street might be consumed" with the many details that will need coordinating, Muldrow told members.
One solution Muldrow suggested was to find "pivotal partners," other parties with a vested interest in the project who could become a separate organization. Another is to hire a manager to coordinate communications between the many partners who will be involved and other aspects of the project.
The board decided that one important step in the downtown revitalization plan is that it must initiate immediately making short presentations to organizations and groups, including the Monroe City Council and the Green County Board.