With the close of the concert season in late August, Main Street Promotion events for this summer have come to an end. The work of Main Street revitalization is far from over for Main Street volunteers.
This month, the members of the Promotion Committee reviewed and carefully evaluated the events conducted in 2008 in planning for 2009 activities. The Economic Restructuring Committee worked through revisions of a Business Recruitment brochure, while a downtown inventory was being logged into a database which will serve current building owners as well as provide prospective businesses with information not formerly available.
Design Committee members continued to work to make our Square more aesthetically pleasing and specifically have been looking at how to make the downtown more friendly to bicycle users. The Organization Committee members have put their attention to how to best communicate these activities and to find the funding needed to support the continuing work of Main Street. And, not to be forgotten, the Board of Directors has been engaged crunching numbers, as many businesses are this time of year, preparing the 2009 budget.
The work of Main Street overall is perhaps overshadowed at this particular point in time by the proposed Phase I Streetscape project, which could begin as early as next year. The goal is to produce a kinder and friendlier environment for residents and visitors by enhancing the treasure we have in our downtown business district. The challenge will be for downtown partners to adapt to uncertain conditions at times and for the rest of us to adapt to some inconvenience and not abandon doing business in the downtown during the process.
Downtown construction is going to be messy, without a doubt, but is long overdue.
Phase I of the Downtown and Beyond overall plan will enhance the outer circle of the Square only, and traffic still will be able to flow during the work via our inner lanes. Thankfully, this work will include replacing the sidewalk-of-terror that currently exists. Street lighting that doesn't shine into second-floor residences, as well as benches and trees are elements of the planned enhancement. The process of crafting this redo began last August, with Tom McGilloway and Ryan Johnson interviewing many downtown partners to gain a picture of what was desired and what was needed to ensure traditional activity on the Square would not be adversely affected. Their preliminary plan was presented Thursday for review and feedback. The feedback by city officials, community partners and downtown business owners was helpful. This Mahan Riekle team will tweak the plan to meet these needs and be back at the end of October for a final presentation.
There will be no intrusion on trucked goods delivering to the Square, emergency vehicle access or floats traveling the Cheese Days parade route. And while some parking spaces will be eliminated, the area available for tents and events will not be decreased, but actually more flexible for event use.
If you did not have the opportunity to view the preliminary plan last Thursday, you can experience the Main Street presentation of Downtown and Beyond at 5:30 p.m. today at the Monroe Arts Center. We also are ready to bring the presentation to you via your service group, church or business. Please contact the Main Street office on the second floor of Wisconsin Community Bank to arrange for a Downtown and Beyond presentation.
I can be reached at 328-4023 or by e-mail, monroemainstreet@tds.net.
- Barb Nelson is director of Monroe Main Street. She writes a monthly update on the organization for the Monroe Times. She can be reached at 328-4023.
This month, the members of the Promotion Committee reviewed and carefully evaluated the events conducted in 2008 in planning for 2009 activities. The Economic Restructuring Committee worked through revisions of a Business Recruitment brochure, while a downtown inventory was being logged into a database which will serve current building owners as well as provide prospective businesses with information not formerly available.
Design Committee members continued to work to make our Square more aesthetically pleasing and specifically have been looking at how to make the downtown more friendly to bicycle users. The Organization Committee members have put their attention to how to best communicate these activities and to find the funding needed to support the continuing work of Main Street. And, not to be forgotten, the Board of Directors has been engaged crunching numbers, as many businesses are this time of year, preparing the 2009 budget.
The work of Main Street overall is perhaps overshadowed at this particular point in time by the proposed Phase I Streetscape project, which could begin as early as next year. The goal is to produce a kinder and friendlier environment for residents and visitors by enhancing the treasure we have in our downtown business district. The challenge will be for downtown partners to adapt to uncertain conditions at times and for the rest of us to adapt to some inconvenience and not abandon doing business in the downtown during the process.
Downtown construction is going to be messy, without a doubt, but is long overdue.
Phase I of the Downtown and Beyond overall plan will enhance the outer circle of the Square only, and traffic still will be able to flow during the work via our inner lanes. Thankfully, this work will include replacing the sidewalk-of-terror that currently exists. Street lighting that doesn't shine into second-floor residences, as well as benches and trees are elements of the planned enhancement. The process of crafting this redo began last August, with Tom McGilloway and Ryan Johnson interviewing many downtown partners to gain a picture of what was desired and what was needed to ensure traditional activity on the Square would not be adversely affected. Their preliminary plan was presented Thursday for review and feedback. The feedback by city officials, community partners and downtown business owners was helpful. This Mahan Riekle team will tweak the plan to meet these needs and be back at the end of October for a final presentation.
There will be no intrusion on trucked goods delivering to the Square, emergency vehicle access or floats traveling the Cheese Days parade route. And while some parking spaces will be eliminated, the area available for tents and events will not be decreased, but actually more flexible for event use.
If you did not have the opportunity to view the preliminary plan last Thursday, you can experience the Main Street presentation of Downtown and Beyond at 5:30 p.m. today at the Monroe Arts Center. We also are ready to bring the presentation to you via your service group, church or business. Please contact the Main Street office on the second floor of Wisconsin Community Bank to arrange for a Downtown and Beyond presentation.
I can be reached at 328-4023 or by e-mail, monroemainstreet@tds.net.
- Barb Nelson is director of Monroe Main Street. She writes a monthly update on the organization for the Monroe Times. She can be reached at 328-4023.
