Edinburgh officials are planning to turn this space at 201 W. Main Cross St. into a downtown plaza. Elissa Maudlin | Daily Journal
Edinburgh officials are planning to turn this space at 201 W. Main Cross St. into a downtown plaza. Elissa Maudlin | Daily Journal
EDINBURGH — Edinburgh residents are one step closer to spending time at a downtown plaza.

The Edinburgh Town Council recently voted to purchase land that is expected to be used as a future downtown plaza at 201 W. Main Cross St. from Johnson Memorial Health for $66,500, according to town officials. The agreement was approved in a 3-2 vote with council president Ryan Piercefield and council member Miriam Rooks voting against.

Current ideas for the space include a permanent stage to give “an amphitheater feel” with live music and food trucks for events, said SaraBeth Drybread, Edinburgh’s economic development director. The plaza could host pop-up markets and the library could host events.

Another idea for the space is to also use some of the stone from the Thompson Mill Dam that was demolished late last year. The stone could be used to create a retaining wall with seating, Drybread said.

“My wish list would include a stage that we have. It would include some kind of shelter or shade that’s provided for our different events that we have. It would have seating and it would have beautiful landscaping that would be such a nice entryway into our downtown but also into the community … ” she said. “I almost see it as looking like a small park place with beautiful trees and landscaping and then to have this gorgeous retaining wall that would provide seating but also provide a piece of our history.

By purchasing the land, the council also agreed to tear down the building on the property, which Piercefield and Rooks opposed. Although JMH gave a $2,500 allowance to remove the building, Piercefield said he doesn’t think the town should have to take JMH’s burden of tearing down the building, and Rooks said she agrees.

“I think I’m pretty adamant myself in requesting that they do take care of handling that building and since they’re apparently not going to do that full-fledged. In my opinion, we don’t have a deal then,” Rooks said.

Council member Debbie Buck, however, still wanted to move forward in purchasing the property. Buck said the council should put their personal feelings aside because purchasing the land later could cost the town more money, although Piercefield said he wasn’t sure if it would.

The location became available a year and a half ago, and the town approached JMH about hosting the farmers market there. Drybread said JMH has been “a great partner this entire time” and she said the area is a great location as the entrance of downtown near the library and the schools.

Drybread also pointed out that the location is ideal because it is a mixed residential and commercial district. When the town hosted the farmers market there, a lot of people walked to the market and other events held at the site. The walkability could solve one of the town’s current challenges for events — the lack of a dedicated space. Right now, the town has to block off streets and take up existing street parking to create space for its festivals, she said.

“To be able to have this plaza space that is easily walkable or easy to get to, that opens up all that downtown parking which then also opens up a lot of foot traffic,” Drybread said.

With the plaza being in a central downtown location, Drybread said the goal is also to see an economic boost and draw more people to downtown businesses. The importance of downtown plaza spaces was highlighted at a conference she went to last year.

“One of the things that they have talked about that is really working for communities, really of any size, is downtown plaza space,” she said. “So we started to look at that, we thought this would be a great opportunity for us to be able to host programming 12 months out of the year.”

She also said residents have expressed a desire for a central downtown gathering place and revitalization during the town’s feedback sessions for its new comprehensive plan.

The plaza has not been designed or funded yet, but the land purchase is the first tangible step to opening the plaza. Town officials have applied for the Rural Placemaking Studio grant through Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement and Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design which — although wouldn’t give financial support — would help town officials design the space, Drybread said.

If Edinburgh is awarded the IU grant, the design process could begin in the spring.

For funding, town officials are looking at different local grants through community foundations and Main Street organizations. Another possibility is using money from the state’s READI program, if the project is selected for funding, Drybread said.
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