MAIN STREET BATESVILLE ADVANCES IN 2015
The Main Street Batesville organization has made a number of advances in its quest to revitalize the downtown business district. Below are listed the more significant ones.
Newly designed streetscape: The first block of the newly designed streetscape with a narrowed driving lane, diagonal parking and numerous green areas for plants and trees was completed. A dedication ceremony was held in April to herald the first block’s completion. This is the first of five to be completed; the last block will be paid for with donations from citizens and that block will be called The Peoples Block (Melba theater block). Public acceptance has been positive with the 50% increase in parking and the green areas that has transformed a bland street to one of color and appeal. Pedestrian traffic was also enhanced because the speed of car travel has lowered considerably. This is the most visible evidence that the downtown business district is coming alive.
New businesses opening: A very heartening outcome of the revitalization efforts was the establishment of many new businesses opening on Main. Among those is a high-end ladies clothing boutique, hair salon, frozen yogurt shop, and a store featuring holiday decorations.
Several more businesses are preparing to open. These include 2 more restaurants and a pottery making business. When Main Street reorganized in Sept of 2013, there were 20 empty storefronts out of a possible 56 on Main and by this July that number should be reduced to three (3).
Melba Theater renovation: A pair of young married couples bought the Melba Theater and began renovation of that historic structure. They removed all of the seats and have completely refurbished them; old curtains were removed and replaced, bathrooms updated, a new digital projector installed, new wiring and a new heating and air conditioning system was installed. A grand opening is planned for March 2016. It will be a very valuable addition to the western section of Main Street.
Incubator Program: A small business incubator program was begun that will assist existing and new businesses in the county to become successful. A committee composed of representatives from the two college campuses, local banks, the city of Batesville, the county, the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Batesville was formed. Initial planning meetings were held with major decisions about the direction of the program to be made early in 2016. This committee will work closely with the Independence County Impact committee to ensure that any business will have a much better chance of survival.
Barnett building: Main Street Batesville and the city of Batesville formed a partnership to obtain the Barnett building from the Zila Corp. Very quickly the Main Street Batesville organization equipped the upper level of the building to host weddings, political rallys, birthdays and other varied events. The upper level banquet room was designated The Main Street Loft and hosted 30 events beginning in June. Future uses for the third floor are concentrated in locating the Incubator program in a number of office spaces. Ongoing effort is being made to convince the library board to move the library to the first two floors of the building.
Loft apartments: An initiative to have building owners construct apartments in the upper floors of their buildings was begun. At least five potential buildings have been identified and measures being taken to assist these owners in carrying out the construction. This initiative was started several times in the past, but never actually planted roots. The effort this past year will continue into 2016 and it anticipated that at least two (2) loft apartments will be underway by the end of 2016. It is believed that this new element added to Main Street will continue the task of revitalizing the business district.
Maxfield Park: A one half acre lot between the business district and the Polk Bayou was obtained by the city with the provision that it be used for the benefit of the Main Street Batesville organization. Preliminary sketches of the entire park were developed and contacts made to potential contractors for construction as soon as funds have been made available. It is envisioned that the park will have a performing stage, a picnic section, a sculpture, parking and a fountain among other features. Cost is estimated to be above three hundred thousand dollars when completed. Funds are already accruing in the Batesville Downtown Foundation.
Pocket Park: The Pocket Park has proven to be a very popular location for events such as weddings, receptions and concerts. A very large mural was painted on one of the walls depicting the White River and a portion of Batesville. New lighting was established that enhanced an already picturesque place where it is frequented by folks stopping to rest in a cool and inviting environment. Plans are underway to make major changes to this very important public area in 2016.
Main Street activities: Numerous activities were held during the year to bring the citizenry for enjoyment to the downtown district. Among those were: Motorcycles of Main featuring riding contests and two stunt riders riding Harley Davidson’s in a daylight and a nighttime show, two musical concerts, a dedication ceremony for the new streetscape, a Farm to Table event featuring locally produced food prepared by a local chef , a haunted house that drew over 2,100 persons to the Barnett building to have the “thrill” of a lifetime, the annual Fun and Safe Halloween where an estimated 5,000 persons, most of them in costume, were parading down Main, a very successful Winter Gala, an 8K freeze run”, and a equally very successful Old Fashioned Christmas featuring many craft vendors and Santa. These events were proof to all that Main Street is very much alive and will continue to thrive in the coming years.
Farmers Market: The Farmers Market within the Pocket Park has proven once again to be a major attraction on Saturday mornings downtown. Not only great produce is available, but numerous crafts, cooking demonstrations and entertainment prevail. If one didn’t get there early, some of the produce was sold out and left one disappointed. Improvements to the pocket park will enhance this activity greatly in 2016.
Batesville Downtown Foundation: The non-profit Batesville Downtown Foundation was approved by the IRS and has proven to be a very valuable tool for carrying out the work of revitalization of the downtown. Fund for the various ventures such as the Maxfield Park, the Melba refurbishment, the Incubator Program, furbishing the Main Street Loft in the Barnett and others are obtained and maintained within the Foundation. It also is being offered to Main Street businesses that wish to use its non-profit status to further their efforts in bringing more activity to the district. Strong activity within it is anticipated for 2016 when a number of new initiatives are brought forward. The first endowment was created that will provide a concert on Main every year for perpetuity.
