Editor's Note: During the past few decades, cities across the nation have experienced an exodus of commercial businesses from their downtown areas. The Kokomo Tribune is looking at how four Indiana cities are attempting to revitalize their downtown to attract retail businesses and increase pedestrian traffic. This week the series looks at Noblesville with future stories focusing on Anderson and Kokomo. Last week the series visited downtown Marion.
NOBLESVILLE — During the past two decades, the city of Noblesville has embraced the historical aspects of its courthouse square to make it a destination for visitors.
There are no vacant store fronts on the square and the commercial district has grown to surrounding blocks. It includes numerous restaurants, antique and craft stores.
Every weekend from April through October a variety of events in the downtown area, including a weekly cruise-in, concerts, art exhibits and street dances, bring people to the heart of the city.
The original courthouse was restored in the 1990s; at the same time Hamilton County constructed a building to house the court system. The former jail is now being used by the historical society.
Flowers, trees and shrubs decorate the downtown area, softening the front of almost every business. Most restaurants have outdoor seating.
Kirkwood Hardware has been on the square in Noblesville since 1889.
Bill Prater purchased the business nine years ago after retiring from Delco Remy and has found the stores' niche .
“The business varies, most of the time we’re staying busy,” he said. “Right now it's screen and window repair.“
The Home Depot and Lowe’s is a concern, but they don’t do repairs,” Prater said. “They will sell you a kit or a new door. We sell some specialty items, little things. Repairs are our niche.”
Prater said downtown is successful because it has stayed small. He said aside from Smith Jewelry, the other older businesses have gone.“Everything else has changed over to antiques and restaurants,” he said. “That doesn’t help us; this is not a shopping business. People come here to get something repaired or to fix something and leave.”
The growth on the courthouse square came during a time when retail stores boomed along Ind. 37.
Debbie Bourgerie opened Rosie’s Place on the courthouse square three years ago.
“We raised our girls in the Boston area, where there are squares and everyone promotes ‘pop and mom’ places to buy,” she said. “We lived in the town of Franklin, which was just like that. When we drove into Noblesville, we wanted to have our restaurant in a place like this.”
Bourgerie said there are four associations working together to promote downtown: the Chamber of Commerce, city, Main Street Noblesville and a merchant’s association. “Everybody supports each other and it’s a community effort in the downtown area,” she said. “The city puts flowers in front of every business. The streets are clean and the flowers are watered every morning. There is a lot of attention given to the square.”
Bourgerie said business has been better than expected. She attributes much of her success to the foot traffic between the courthouse, other businesses located on the square and the city building
.“Downtown Noblesville is a destination,” she said. “When people come into Noblesville, they come here as a destination. They’re coming to Noblesville to come to the square.”
Shari Malon, a 23-year resident of the community, described the downtown as quaint, quiet and homey.
“I finally have a day off from work and always wanted to come down and spend the morning,” she said. “There have been a lot of changes in the downtown. We actually have businesses downtown; I feel like I can shop and not have to go to the big box stores all the time.”
Malon said 20 years ago the courthouse square looked like every other in Indiana cities.
“People wanted to get back to the homey feel,” she said. “You can come downtown and meet your neighbors and give your business to your neighbors ..."
"Noblesville is a big small town. People enjoy the homeyness.”
Judi Johnson, director of the Noblesville Economic Development Department, said revitalizing the downtown took cooperation between the city administration and local residents.
“It was a combined effort, there was a rallying call in a comprehensive plan in 2002, which called on us to be focused on what we did,” she said. “The city hired a person to focus only on the downtown. That implemented a plan which decided what was important to the community and why.”
Johnson said restaurants and businesses are attracted to the downtown area.
“It has become competitive, if you don’t meet the expectations, you won’t survive,” she said. “The expectation is the restaurant will be local, unique, and homemade and you’re going to have an experience.”
Johnson said that expectation has grown to the point that people come to Noblesville for the combination of restaurants, antique and craft shops and to experience the arts.
“There is a sense of place in downtown Noblesville,” Johnson said. “Local corporations bring people to the downtown because our downtown is their vision of what America is.”
Though growth along Ind. 37 has been a concern, Johnson said focusing on local and hometown businesses in the downtown core ensures the courthouse square stays vibrant.
“We look at Ind. 37 as a value corridor," Cara Culp, public affairs manager for Noblesville, said. “We’re trying to meet everyone’s needs. Now we have Exit 210 (Hamilton Town Center) which is a higher-end shopping district. We don’t want competition between the three."
The city's facade program matches up to $25,000 for exterior building improvements. A committee that doles out the money considers historical features and materials being used to keep the old-time feel, Johnson said.
The city and community work to keep the courthouse square vibrant, Culp said.
“There are events scheduled every weekend throughout the spring and summer,” she said. “Those events bring a lot of people to the square; they shop and eat at the restaurants. Businesses are coming to Noblesville to locate on the downtown square. By supporting the events that bring people to the city, we are supporting the businesses."