A downtown’s $100M rebirth

If you visit downtowns across the region you will find some that are thriving, some that are almost completely dead, and everything in between. For decades, central business districts in Midwestern small towns have been gutted by suburban sprawl, shoppers fleeing to chain stores, population loss and a variety of other challenges. The downtowns that figure out how to reinvent themselves often do it through the hard work of individual small business owners and volunteers, one fixed up storefront or grand opening at a time.

Momentum can build and investment might increase, but it can be a frustratingly slow progress. There are rarely miracles or shortcuts that leap the process forward.

Richmond might now be experiencing one of those rare accelerations. If its downtown was one of those plodding its way through an incremental renaissance, millions of dollars in funding arriving here for the specific purpose of revitalizing the community’s downtown and key corridors was going to speed things up.

Community leaders say that’s exactly what started happening when in December 2023, Earlham College received $25 million through the Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration Initiative, triggering a flood of new activity and additional investment.

Revitalize Richmond, which runs through Dec. 31, 2028, will, in total, invest about $108 million to give downtown Richmond new life. “It’s a rebirth for downtown Richmond,” Richmond Mayor Ron Oler said. “An investment greater than we’ve seen since the ’68 explosion.”

Dakota Collins, who is facilitating Revitalize Richmond through his role as Earlham’s director of community relations, said the college approached the project with a key question: “How do we take what organizations are already doing or could be doing and just make it happen faster, bigger, better, and then push things forward? Because sometimes it’s just about that missing piece of something that keeps a big project from happening. That’s what Revitalize Richmond is for, is to make those connections and get projects going.”

Lilly’s decision to grant the money was based in part on the groundwork laid by all of the community visioning, investment, planning, building and cooperation that came before. In its grant application, Earlham highlighted the energy and passion that non-profits, entrepreneurs and area residents had been pouring in to the downtown area already, and the collaborative way they were doing it. Lilly took note.

Earlham as community steward

The project’s benefits to downtown are obvious — renovated buildings with 275 apartments and retail areas, downtown beautification, small business growth and increased connectivity. But Earlham’s benefits, beyond a multi-modal path extended to campus and a bus route connecting campus to downtown and the Depot District, are not as obvious.

Prospective students rank Richmond relatively low on what they like about the college, Collins said. In addition to being a good community partner and top employer, the college can impact the city to impress prospective students and their families when deciding where to spend four years.

“If there’s fun and exciting things to do, they’re going to be more likely to choose that college, and so that’s one of the things that we’re bringing,” Collins said.

Students becoming more connected and involved with the city impacts their post-graduation decisions, as well. Right now, 11% of Earlham graduates report they still live in Richmond six months after graduation, and one of Revitalize Richmond’s goals is increasing that number to 13% by helping students develop relationships with the city and a network of friends and colleagues, making it attractive to build a life here.

“By doing that, we stop the brain drain, increase the population, increase the tax base, increase the economic activity, so these are all really long-term goals that we have for Revitalize Richmond, and they take a big effort and a long time to realize,” Collins said.

Collins notes that while he understands there are many other priorities for the community beyond what Revitalize Richmond is tackling, the Lilly dollars were designated for these specific projects.

Projects in progress

Revitalize Richmond’s efforts started well before receiving the funding, then the program officially began Jan. 1, 2024. Since then, there’s been more behind-the-scenes work than tangible results. Processes for tracking grant and the necessary additional funding were established, key positions were hired and project deals were negotiated.

The recently renovated Readmore building stands tall in downtown Richmond, a shining example of what Revitalize Richmond plans to accomplish. A neglected building was transformed to attract residents to its apartments and an exciting business to its ground-floor retail space. It’s the first completed project since the Lilly dollars arrived.

“It’s something that we can point at as a piece that has been done with exceptional care and quality, and it’s a model that we’re hoping to continue through the rest of the projects,” Collins said.

Progress is also evident at Flaherty & Collins Properties’ $37 million 6Main apartment complex at 601 E. Main St. That’s a downtown anchor at the former Elder-Beerman site, and the former site of Marting Arms sporting goods, the detonation point for the 1968 explosion.

Two other projects are included in Revitalize Richmond’s “build” category. AP Development of Brownsburg plans a $30 million project to renovate five large buildings to create 100 apartments — added to 6Main’s 150 — and 20,000 square feet of retail space. 

Richmond Neighborhood Restoration will also renovate four or five buildings, including their Readmore work, to create apartments and retail spaces. Collins said it has not been decided which other buildings will become RNR projects as budget and apartment numbers are balanced.

Revitalize Richmond’s “activate” category of projects has progressed with the hiring of John Przybysz as the director of small business success. His role is to support and grow small businesses downtown by advising entrepreneurs, coordinating programming, and foster partnerships. Collins said Przybysz already has received a lot of interest from entrepreneurs interested in filling downtown spaces.

Along the same lines, Retail Strategies of Birmingham, Alabama, was contracted to recruit restaurants and retail establishments downtown, focusing on independently owned businesses that would open an additional location in Richmond. Retail Strategies is completing its research phase, Collins said, looking at how to attract people within a 15-minute drive time downtown. About 55,000 people live within that area, and the daytime population, including commuters, is about 66,000. 

“We need those diverse businesses that are keeping our downtown neighborhood active and vibrant all throughout the day,” Collins said.

The ideal mix of business square footage for a downtown Richmond’s size includes 30% to 40% food and beverage, 20% to 30% retail, 10% to 15% services and 10% to 15% entertainment or culture, according to Collins. Adding residents to downtown will attract entrepreneurs who see needs. Collins noted a gas station recently opened at South Ninth and South A streets.

Earlham graduates Eric and Becky Dimick Eastman plan to open The Hive Richmond, a makerspace, at 930 E. Main St. They’ve contracted with a consultant that’s previously been involved with developing a makerspace, which provides space with tools and resources to enable creativity. The consultant will help guide the Eastmans through space design, developing a sustainable model and actually opening.

What can you do in a makerspace? The Hive hasn’t shared specific plans yet, but another makerspace south of Wayne County, in Jeffersonville, offers equipment for laser cutting, quilting and embroidery, vinyl work, a full woodshop, 3D printing, metal work, electronics assembly and testing, and much more.

“If there are people out there who think they could use some sort of makerspace, whether it’s for skill-building or building a prototype for a business or just hobbies and crafting, whatever it is, if they think they would use a space like that or equipment therein, we’d really like to hear from them,” Collins said.

Beautification bump

With new residents and businesses downtown, Revitalize Richmond also is funding a beautification component that involves public art, flowers, seasonal decor and wayfinding signage. It also could include music or facade enhancements or even how many trash cans are necessary, anything to impact downtown’s ambiance.

Signage would help downtown visitors realize that it’s really not that far from Main Street to the Depot District. A quick walk brings more opportunities to visit restaurants and other businesses.

The art component will be community-driven with a separate group focusing on how to include high-quality art and to support local artists.

“We want everybody to see themselves in this public art, engage in some way,” Collins said.

Gorge activation arrives

Revitalize Richmond also is contributing $2.5 million to Richmond’s Whitewater Gorge activation project. The focus is the project’s third phase, with plans for zip-lining, canoeing and kayaking at Weir Dam and removal of vegetation and invasive species.

The gorge is among the activities that could attract Earlham students to Richmond and the downtown area. Revitalize Richmond will also become involved in downtown programming by supporting events and initiating programs that will attract Earlham students.

Helping students and others safely access and navigate downtown and the Depot District is Revitalize Richmond’s “connect” component. It includes working with Rose View Transit to rebrand the city bus service and to include a route that connects Earlham, downtown and the Depot District. The original plan was to retrofit a bus to resemble a trolley, but a needed $1 million federal transportation grant no longer exists.

The other project extends the city’s pedestrian and biking path from the Starr-Gennett plaza area along West Main Street to Clear Creek Park. An extension along South West Eighth Street will lead to a traffic light where students would cross U.S. 40. Utilizing Main Street makes the trip safer than trying to navigate U.S. 40.

“It’ll be great for west-side residents, too,” Collins said. “They’re going to have way better opportunities to bike and walk, take their kids to the park, the pool, McBride for a game, or right into downtown. This is one of our opportunities to connect our campus, but it’s not just for students. It’s for west-side residents, as well.”

Earlham calls Revitalize Richmond a new chapter for the heart of the city. And as projects progress and landscapes change, business owners and residents will have even more opportunities to figure out how they can be a part of the story.

More information about Revitalize Richmond is available at earlham.edu/revitalize-richmond/.

Chris Hardie contributed to this article.