ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Escanaba Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is looking to enhance the city’s downtown, and administrators are asking the public for input.
The DDA will host a meeting at City Hall on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. to discuss its plans with the community.
Director Craig Woerpel says the DDA will apply for a state placemaking grant later this month.
“We don’t want to surprise anybody,” he said about the meeting. “We want to be able to talk about the things that we’re thinking about and see what the reaction might be before we start the grant process.”
The DDA wants to transform the area at 11th and Ludington Streets into a town square.
“You could put up tents for craft shows or art displays,” said Woerpel. “It would be a plaza area where people could gather. Over there [on 11th Street], you could put a pavilion and have a dedicated food truck section.”
Parking would be expanded to accommodate other events, such as small concerts and pop-up markets.
The DDA would also like to construct medians from 12th Street to the Municipal Dock to provide more greenery and slow traffic.
“Escanaba has the longest smalltown downtown in Michigan, so how do we make it not look like a super highway?” said Woerpel. “The medians…could make it look not so industrial in the downtown.”
If granted, the state funding would be awarded in the fall. Woerpel says starting the proposed projects in 2024 would work out well, as the City of Escanaba has utility replacements already planned.
“Escanaba is in the process of replacing all of its water systems,” said Woerpel. “They’re going to be digging up a lot of the street here, so we need to take advantage of that. It would be a real shame to dig up Ludington Street and put it back the way it looks right now.”
The DDA hopes to both bring out the beauty of the downtown and create more opportunities for community fellowship and entertainment.
“Placemaking has become very popular,” Woerpel said. “It provides vibrancy into the downtown; it provides community. It’s just one way of getting people interested in what’s going on among the businesses within a downtown area.”
Tuesday’s meeting will also address the Downtown Development Authority’s plan to add a private entrance to the public restroom inside the DDA building.
Woerpel says the DDA also plans to turn the court outside its building into an art garden through a Michigan Economic Development Corporation grant. The garden will feature work by three artists recognized at this year’s Bonifas Arts Center Membership Show, a mural, and sitting areas.
