Foundation spearheads downtown project

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert County Foundation is beginning the planning stages for an ambitious multiphase, multi-million-dollar project aimed at nothing less than a total transformation of the downtown business district.

The Foundation has acquired approximately 30 buildings in the downtown area, with the ultimate goal of redeveloping buildings to provide new residential space and “quality of life” enhancements in the downtown area. The project’s aim is to create “multi-use” downtown buildings that would attract people to the downtown area with new restaurants, trendy gathering places, unique retail businesses, and upper floor residential space overlooking the downtown area.

Executive Secretary Seth Baker said Tuesday the project would be in addition to the scholarships and grants provided annually by the community foundation. 

While the Foundation has historically taken a more passive role with its philanthropy, providing financial grants, but not getting actively involved in community projects, Baker has said previously its role in developing the former Franklin Elementary School site into Franklin Park made Foundation trustees and staff more aware of the impact the organization could have by providing more direct leadership in community development projects.

If the community is to retain more young people, and reverse the population decreases seen over the past few decades, Baker said it’s imperative that quality of life issues be addressed. He and local development leaders have noted that young people are much more likely to stay in, or relocate to, a community that has the amenities they seek.

Baker noted the downtown project began more than a year ago with a conversation he had with former Main Street Van Wert director Adam Ries. The two began looking at downtown buildings that needed renovating and began working on a plan to develop the downtown area. 

Enter Eric Doden, a partner in Pago USA, a development group that has been involved in a number of community development projects, including The Landing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Over the Rhine historic district in Cincinnati. Doden, who was discussing projects with the Foundation, urged the organization to look at doing more than just renovating buildings, but to consider spearheading a much more ambitious project to completely redevelop the downtown district.

The Foundation has been acquiring buildings over the past months, and is collaborating with other community development organizations on the project, including the Business Development Corporation (BDC), Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation, Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce, and Main Street Van Wert, as well as city and county government officials.

In addition to community stakeholders, Pago USA partners, including The Model Group of Cincinnati — a major developer of the Over the Rhine district — would provide their community development expertise and help find investors and developers to create new downtown businesses.

“We don’t have definitions of a project yet; we don’t have plans in place yet,” Baker noted. “We do know that the intent is to redevelop the downtown area for future economic investment.”

Baker and Amanda Miller, the Foundation’s marketing and resource person, acknowledge the multi-million-dollar project is one that will likely take several years — and several phases – before it is completed.

Now that buildings have been acquired, the next step will be to stabilize buildings with structural issues, while also completing initial planning for the project, Baker said. He said the hope is to complete the planning process in the next 15 months.

In addition to providing money for acquiring the buildings, which have been placed in a “downtown trust,” and hiring Pago USA to provide development expertise and advice, the Foundation and its community partners will begin seeking historic renovation tax credits and grants, and other development and building tax credits — as well as seek out community investors and other developers — to provide capital needed to renovate and repurpose downtown buildings.

Baker said the Foundation and its partners will also be gathering input from community residents and stakeholders on what they would like to see happen downtown.

Baker said project stakeholders’ goal is to totally transform the downtown area, while also making existing downtown businesses more successful as well.

“We’re investing in the quality of life for our community,” he said.

Baker also noted that the Foundation would be moving forward on a renovation project at Hiestand Woods Park on Hospital Drive. A master plan has been developed for work planned for the multi-use park.