The Monmouth City Council on Monday formally adopted a plan to revitalize the downtown business district.
The plan, drafted by 353 Court, LLC., presented on September 16th to the city council outlined a phased approach and work plan that incorporated many areas of improvement over a short time.
353 Court’s recommendations would be funded through an annual dedication of funding of $500,000 through several private and public sources.
65 percent of the funds would go towards building renovations with around 20 percent being set aside for business grants and the final 15 percent going towards signage and promoting the downtown.
Monmouth’s City Administrator, Lew Steinbrecher, says that the first part of the plan would be to rejuvenate the aging buildings, which he says the city has been doing already, “Making sure that the buildings — their structural integrity — is intact so that they can be reused and renovated and occupied by new businesses when the time comes,” he tells WGIL.
Steinbrecher says that the next part of the plan would be grants and programs for promoting entrepreneurship, “Looking at helping people that have an idea of a product or service that may not necessarily understand how to actually own and operate a business.”
The third part would be marketing, creating a brand for Monmouth’s downtown and making it a destination for consumers.
“Creating special events, trying to attract shoppers into the downtown to shop at the businesses. So, trying to create a brand or identity for downtown Monmouth.”
353 Court, LLC’s, detailed report can be found here.
