Revitalization Efforts Transform Downtown Evansville into Dynamic District
Published Apr 16, 2007
The Korean War Memorial in Sunset Park overlooks the Ohio River.
Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel believes a city’s downtown is its heart and soul – its identity to the rest of the world.
“If a downtown is not successful, if it’s not dynamic, it reflects poorly on the entire community,” he says. “In the late 1990s, local leaders finally said it was time to breathe life into a failing downtown Evansville, and the transformation has been obvious.”
Weinzapfel says efforts to revitalize the district have been four-fold: Improve transportation, increase employment downtown, add residential opportunities and increase the entertainment options.
“Regarding improved transportation, we just completed a survey asking the public what we should do with the many one-way streets downtown, and the public wants them turned into two-ways,” he says. “We will do that, and we are also working with the state on constructing a new interchange at the corner of Fulton Avenue and the Lloyd Expressway. That will result in a gateway to downtown Evansville, making it much more convenient to get there.”
As for increased employment downtown, American General Finance has announced an expansion that will add 150 jobs in the next few years, and Evansville Commerce Bank has just started up.
“Bowen Engineering has established an office, and Hilliard Lyons has acquired a downtown building,” Weinzapfel says. “Meanwhile, Vectron Corp. and Old National Bancorp decided to build new headquarters, so we are starting to see a wonderful skyline taking shape.”
The mayor says it is also vital that people are living downtown, because “24/7 residents” will spur additional retail and restaurant growth. The city recently initiated a loft program where downtown building owners receive $20,000 in matching funds for the construction of loft apartments.
“One project called The Renaissance on Main has seen 22 apartment condos open above an old JC Penney store that was abandoned for 25 years, and all but two of the condos were sold as of late 2006,” Weinzapfel says. “We have several other such major projects in the works.”
As for entertainment options, perhaps the biggest piece of recent news is that Casino Aztar is completing a $40 million Waterfront Entertainment District adjacent to its casino along the Ohio River. The district now includes a Jillian’s Billiard Club and a Rí~Rá Irish Pub & Restaurant that both opened in September 2006, and a 100-room boutique hotel that opened in January 2007.
Casino Aztar officials estimate that the expanded entertainment district will create more than 300 full-time jobs with average annual earnings of $32,500.
“We wanted this $40 million project to create an exciting, energetic, multi-venue entertainment destination that is unique to Southwest Indiana,” says Tricia Lavore, vice president of marketing for Casino Aztar. “There are a lot of reasons now for people to visit downtown Evansville.”
Also added to the downtown entertainment landscape is an LST-325 Floating Museum, a huge ship used during World War II for transporting munitions and troops to Europe. The retired ship – the only operational World War II tank-landing ship in the country – is docked permanently in Evansville and is open for tours.
“Downtown is also home to the $6 million Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville, which is a world-class facility,” Weinzapfel says. “We have a lot going for us these days. There has been plenty of good news lately for downtown Evansville.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Brian McCord
Current Weather Conditions In Evansville, IN (47708)
Cloudy, and 57 ° F. For more details?
Click here...
