Investments Give Downtown Bloomington a Fresh New Look
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Visitors to Bloomington may be amazed when they see the downtown area‚ especially if they haven’t been there in a while.
The 15-square-block district has been experiencing a renaissance in recent years‚ as previously empty buildings suddenly come to life with new business tenants as well as permanent residents.
“I moved downtown when I purchased my own business there‚ and I just enjoy the energy of downtown life‚” says Jan Lancaster‚ owner of The Bistro lounge and Lancaster’s Fine Dining restaurant.
“Everything is going very well for me‚ and I have noticed a true resurgence in the area over the past few years‚” Lancaster says. “Honestly‚ I wouldn’t want to own a business if it wasn’t located downtown.”
As the county seat‚ Bloomington has always had its share of downtown restaurants as well as offices for lawyers‚ accountants and staffers at State Farm Insurance’s home headquarters. But in 2000‚ city officials‚ along with a new economic development organization called Uniquely Bloomington!‚ decided to pump more life and vitality into the downtown region.
“The city is spending $500‚000 over a 3 1/2 year period to initiate a Downtown Facade Program‚ which contributes up to $20‚000 in matching grants to any building owner who wants to renovate the outside of their building‚” says Mike McNeil‚ executive director of Uniquely Bloomington! “There has also been a successful ‘Keep the Bloom in Bloomington’ program initiated‚ with 16 huge flower pots adopted by organizations to help beautify the downtown area.”
McNeil says city officials are also working to modernize the Bloomington Cultural District‚ which encompasses three square blocks.
“Renovation of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts [formerly the Scottish Rite Temple] over the next few years is a huge project that will greatly increase foot traffic downtown‚” McNeil says. “It will certainly add to established local tourist attractions such as McLean County Museum of History and the McLean County Arts Center.”
In the past three years‚ more than 20 new stores‚ five lunch shops and three restaurants have opened downtown‚ and there are now more than 600 people who live in downtown apartments – with rents going for as much as $2‚000 per month.
“My husband‚ Harold‚ and I enjoy living downtown because there are friendly people here‚ and almost everything we need is within a short walking distance‚” says Marlene Gregor‚ who owns the Gregor Building‚ which dates back to the 1920s. Her husband owns his own art studio on Main Street.
“I’m absolutely thrilled with the revitalization effort and want to especially praise Mayor Judy Markowitz and city leaders for their Downtown Façade Program‚” Gregor says.
Other attractions include a farmers market‚ open Saturdays from June to October‚ and the newly restored Castle Theatre movie house. Visitors and locals alike enjoy annual festivals and events like Pub Crawl‚ Once Upon a Holiday‚ Festival of Trees‚ Christmas in the Courthouse and Corn on the Curb.
There is also talk of a sports arena eventually being built within the cultural district.
“It’s just great to see the downtown region thriving 24 hours a day‚” McNeil says. “It doesn’t become an abandoned part of Bloomington at 5 o’clock‚ as is the case with so many other downtowns in most American cities.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Stephen Cherry
