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Central Point�s downtown prepares facelift Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming Central Point officials are pushing ahead with plans to revitalize downtown. Planning Director Tom Humphrey said planned changes will make the downtown area more pedestrian-friendly and stimulate business in the core business area. Businesses join in plan to revitalize By Jill Briskey CENTRAL POINT � From a little spit and polish to overhauling Pine Street, officials are putting finishing touches on a downtown revitalization plan that would spruce up the city. According to Central Point Planning Director Tom Humphrey, the idea of revitalizing the core downtown area has been going on for two years. "We�ve got a lot of unique uses here in Central Point," Humphrey said of local businesses, such as the Rogue Valley Creamery and Hot Bikes. "We�ve also got a lot of historic inventory to really capitalize on." The downtown area is defined as both sides of Pine Street � roughly bounded by Highway 99, or Front Street, and the Interstate 5 on-ramp. Humphrey hopes to present a finished draft of the plan to the City Council for adoption in July. Artwork, restorations, gardens Central Point�s downtown revitalization plan includes dozens of proposals. A final draft will be presented to the city council in July. If it is adopted, residents could see the following changes: A sponsor could be commissioned to reproduce a century-old mural of a Central Point baseball team on the side of the Masonic Lodge. One proposal includes improving and developing West Pine and Haskell streets, west of Highway 99, and expanding the downtown area. Officials would like to see the restoration of several historic structures, including the Merritt, Cowley and Rostel buildings and Grange Hall. Creating an entry garden in the existing traffic median island at the intersection of 10th and Pine streets near McDonald�s is another goal. The city is negotiating with the Oregon Department of Transportation for jurisdiction of portions of Highway 99 in order to make improvements to the landscaping. "A lot of this stuff is coming together," he said. "We�ve been working on this for a very long time." The city contracted last year with a California design firm to help create a revitalization plan. Lottery funds paid for the plan. Some proposals are relatively simple, Humphrey said. Adding amenities such as trees, ornate benches and garbage cans and creating a gateway "welcome" sign for motorists entering the city are just a few suggestions. "We feel that Central Point needs to become more pedestrian-friendly," he said. More complicated proposals include widening the sidewalks, creating bulb-outs (rounded extensions) at the end of each street corner, acquiring plots to build parking lots and stream-lining the traffic flow along Pine Street. Throughout the year, Humphrey held meetings to gather input from downtown merchants � ideas that already have been integrated into the plan. The plan, however, does not explain how the city will pay for such improvements or what the cost would be. Humphrey is looking for grants or other means to turn ideas into reality. Friday, the city was awarded a grant from Oregon Economic Community Development Department. The Downtown Facade Improvement Program project provides the city with $40,000 � Central Point must match the grant with $10,000. The city will be able to offer business owners low-interest loans to pay for facade improvements. "Some of the effort falls to the city, and some of it�s on the property owners," Humphrey said of the revitalization plan. "We�ve got property owners who don�t want to invest or unmotivated managers. We�re hoping to offer incentives for making those improvements." Several businesses � such as Cash Connection (formerly Gordon�s Pawn), Central Point Florist and State Farm Insurance � have already demonstrated their commitment to the city by substantially remodeling or upgrading their establishments. Old Center Cafe owner Larry Thornton, whose business has been for sale for about a year, doesn�t believe the city has the downtown merchants� best interests at heart. He said Central Point�s new anti-smoking law, which prohibits smoking in most public places, including restaurants, has hurt business. He has no plans to pay for any more of the city�s ideas. "People from out of town, they don�t come here anymore," Thornton said. "The city has not done one positive thing for the downtown." Others feel differently. Medford resident Alma Adamson took over ownership of the Koffee Klatsch six months ago and is all in favor of the improvements. She has plans in mind, such as adding outdoor seating if the sidewalks are widened. "I think it�s great. The city really needs a facelift," Adamson said. "Central Point is growing and it does need to upgrade to encourage residents to stay and spend money here." Keith Brostad, who purchased The Horse Blanket last month, has plans to improve both the inside and outside of the structure. However, Brostad has reservations about creating a completely pedestrian-oriented downtown area. Most of his customers drive to visit the store, which features saddles and other horse equipment. "We�re not the kind of place that would do good with that," he said. "We�re really not a boutique-y type of store." His wife, Lisa Brostad, is happy to hear about proposed traffic improvements the city is researching. "The traffic, they�re not doing 25 (mph)," Lisa Brostad said, looking out the window as cars whiz back and forth. "It�s so hard to cross the street." Humphrey agrees that Pine Street needs improvements. One suggestion includes rerouting truck traffic away from downtown. Another would replace and change the placement of antiquated traffic signals. Hoping to eliminate the bottleneck effect created by motorists turning against traffic, Humphrey said the plan includes turning the four-lane street into a two-lane road with a center turn lane. Those changes would provide space to widen sidewalks and add bike paths, he added. "The whole street is oriented to the automobiles, not to pedestrians. We want to change that," he said. "That�s the idea here, creating an environment where people want to get out and walk." A meeting of downtown merchants is slated for March to gather last-minute suggestions, Humphrey said. "We�re making a go of this," he said. "I have a lot of hope." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.