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How to revitalize Avilla businesses and downtown?
BSU study may provide vision and plans
by Julie Scher
Walk through Avilla’s downtown, and you’ll see six empty buildings.
Walk farther around town, and you’ll see seven more. As the buildings continue to empty, and the businesses close, something needs to stop the spiral, or else the town could see even more businesses close.
So, Avilla Chamber of Commerce, in April, hosted Scott Truex, of Ball State University’s Community Based Projects Program, a graduate study program. Truex’s group could study the desires and needs of the community and help business people and residents to create a vision that would lay the groundwork for action later, and maybe grants.
“We need to focus on how to generate public buy-in, how to communicate with each other,” said Truex. “We listen so that we understand the issues here, then look at different options, then we go back to the community and the community decides what options to pursue.”
Among the goals of the group is the “green” theme of sustainability, or how to save energy and money.
Another goal is to stop urban sprawl so that prime farm land is not needlessly wasted. “We believe that Indiana can be energy independent, especially with ethanol and cellulose fuels,” said Truex. “The cost of expanding your infrastructure is high, so local government saves money if you don’t do it.”
He also stressed quality of life issues that attract and keep people in the community: things like good schools, cultural amenities, keeping the downtown vibrant to reduce driving costs, by increasing ways to walk and bike in town. He favors reusing historic buildings downtown.
One issue in Avilla has been sidewalks. When Noble County Public Library built its new building, sidewalks were laid on E. Albion St., prompting the town to add sidewalks to Miner Rd. Many people are seen daily using the sidewalks to shop at the Marketplace of Avilla in the Avilla Hardware and Avilla Pizza.
Truex said it’s critical for local leaders to take ownership and lead this effort to revitalize the town and its businesses. “We will stretch your imaginations, but base our recommendations in the practical,” Truex said. “People are the most important part of planning. We focus on using land more efficiently.”
One way that BSU accomplishes such a strategic study for the town is for a three-day study, sometimes longer, by graduate students. They will assess the town and its amenities. Meet with citizens, post information on progress in the local newspaper and on websites.
“Even if you have land to develop, if your downtown is dead, there’s no housing, businesses will not locate here,” he added.
Ashley-Hudson and Orland are also considering hiring the BSU program and its students to do similar studies. Cost is from $5,000-10,000, depending on how many costs can be deferred in creative ways, like local people opening their homes to students, or restaurants offering meals.
Truex outlined some of the different strategies that could be used:
• Main Street organizations;
• historic designations;
• low-interest loans from local banks;
• Main Street program from the state that funds sidewalks, new lightingand new building fronts;
• micro-business and business startups district.
“There’s a lot of different strategies, depending on needs of the community. Which plan will work for us? The community decides,” he concluded.
Don Monesmith of Community State Bank, asked what kind of businesses move downtown with limited parking, like we have in Avilla.
Charlie Casavant, of AvillaHardware, said the parking problem is aggravated by renters who park on the street.
Truex said lack of coordinated parking can be a problem. The market for products in town is just so big, so if the market expands too much in one area, another may suffer: downtown shopping vs. stripmalls. Strip malls have the advantage of convenient parking. The town of Bremen limited outside development and encouraged downtown businesses.
Julie Farver, from CSB, chamber treasurer, asked how to get people involved in the effort.
Truex said, “Get them involved in something that makes a difference is key. Projects that get implemented right away so they see progress. Projects that create ownership. Projects that can get funded, starts mall if necessary. He also described strategies for getting people involved in the process.
Funding for the study should comefrom the community so the community has ownership of the study and its findings.
Dave Koenig, Region 3A, said the BSU group gets the public involved like no other. Avilla is one of thefastest growing communities in the state, so it should be able to support businesses.
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