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Mission: Spruce up Central Point Photo from Southern Oregon Historical Society This view of downtown Central Point, looking west down Pine Street, was taken about 1915. The large, two-story building at left is the Cowley Building, built in 1910. It is one of several historic buildings that could become centerpieces in the revitalization of downtown. Getting a blast from the past Historic makeover set for downtown By SUSAN JAY CENTRAL POINT -- A look back could also mean a look forward for this fast-growing city in search of a new identity. City planners and interested citizens will launch a downtown revitalization project in the next month that could include a historical theme for future building renovations. The downtown project is one of the goals of the city's citizen task force. The aim is to make downtown more attractive to shoppers and new businesses, slow down traffic and create a city center. Some of the problems with downtown now include a main street that acts like a highway, a hodgepodge mix of buildings and a shortage of parking. Photo by Jim Craven Central Point Florist and Gifts has a new look after owners Rick and Judy Samuelson hired a designer to remake the storefront to evoke the town's look shortly after the turn of the century. Traffic on Pine Street has jumped from 12,559 average vehicle trips per day in 1994 to 16,600 in 1998, or by 4,041 trips in four years. That's a 32 percent increase in traffic flow. Lloyd Smith, office manager at Central Point Florist, calls Pine Street a "vehicular sewer." "There's no beauty downtown," Smith said. "People are just looking to get from Highway 99 to the freeway or from the freeway to Highway 99." Some ideas to be considered during the renovation project will be methods to slow traffic down on Pine Street, including reverse diagonal parking on one side of the street, more pedestrian-friendly sidewalks ending in larger circles at street intersections, and turning lanes. The city will sign a contract soon with Design, Community and Environment, a Berkeley, Calif., consulting firm. DCE has worked with several communities to breathe new life into their city centers. It also won a national planning award for its work in Lomare, a rural city of 13,000 people in central California. "They've got a lot of imagination," Central Point city planner Tom Humphrey said, noting that the company can inspire ideas and transform them into a practical plan. Humphrey said the city is paying the consultants an estimated $70,000 for the planning phase of the project. The city already has received a $50,000 grant from the state's Regional Strategies program, which is funded by the Oregon Lottery. Humphrey also expects a grant from the Land Conservation and Development Commission this year. DCE's responsibilities include coordinating public meetings and events for local citizens, analyzing the area's zoning and designing street and sidewalk improvements. David Early, principal owner of DCE, said a successful downtown revitalization plan can increase jobs, sales and economic opportunity. Strong involvement from residents, business and property owners and people living in surrounding communities is the key to creating a successful plan, Early said. His firm will offer walking tours, and hands-on activities where people can create their own ideas for downtown. Early said the city has a lot of fine historic buildings that could be the foundation for renovation and new development. But, he said, "all the planning we do, we want to make sure it's supported by the community." They have also subcontracted with a Portland firm, Hobson Johnson and Associates, for a marketing analysis to identify the types of business the city should be pursuing. One business already experiencing a boost in sales after recently completing a major renovation is Central Point Florist and Gifts. Owners Rick and Judy Samuelson used a historical theme to design the store's new facade and awning. "I believe that our community is going to grow, and I just don't want to look like the ugly guy on the street," Samuelson said. Whatever the city does to make the downtown more attractive will attract more businesses, he said. He hopes his renovation "will create a chain reaction" for the revitalization project, and he said he knows of other business and building owners interested in renovating. "So there is a start," Samuelson said, "but we need that push and I think the city could help us by creating those low interest loans." Humphrey said the city plans to take out loans from local banks, and in turn make low-interest loans to businesses wishing to renovate their buildings. To qualify, a business would have to meet certain financial requirements and agree to renovate along design themes established through the revitalization process, Humphrey said. Historic Central Point buildings Meet some of Central Point's downtown historic buildings, and learn some of their past according to the Southern Oregon Historical Society: The former Central Point YMCA building, now the IOOF Hall, at Pine and South Sixth streets, was built in 1910. Central Point citizens raised $7,000 to build the youth recreation center, which had a swimming pool in the basement, according to the Aug. 20, 1910, Herald. After the two-story, poured concrete structure was built, however, there was not enough money left to run the facility and it was eventually bought by the Masons. The Kurth and Miller (Rostel) Building, at the corner of Pine and North Third streets. The original two-story, 26-foot-high brick building was built in 1889 by J.W. Miller and John Kurth. When their businesses proved unsuccessful, they moved on and C.B. Rostel bought the building in 1899 for $2,000. He doubled the size of the building in 1909. Tenants in the expanded building included a seed and fertilizer store, a meat market and several cafes. It's now home to Brown's Ace Hardware. The Cowley Building, at Pine and South Second streets, was built in 1910 by William A. Cowley to house stores, offices and apartments. It has been home to a Rexall drug store, a small hospital upstairs, cafes and, for a brief time, a Safeway store. Walking tour on the way Exact dates for public workshops and events in the downtown Central Point revitalization project have not been set, but one of the first opportunities will be a walking tour directed by the consulting firm Design, Community and Environment. People will walk downtown with the consultants and talk about the things that are important to them and to downtown. Next the consultants will provide hands-on work books, probably by May. These books usually offer different ideas and alternatives and ask participants for their opinions. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA