Ortonville? The village is getting a makeover and officials want the community’s help.
On April 26 and 27, a needs assessment team from the Main Street program will meet with members of the Main Street/Downtown Development Authority board, as well as residents, merchants, property owners, and community institutions interested in improving and preserving downtown Ortonville.
Ortonville was named a Main Street community last September and is one of only 10 communities in Oakland County with the designation. The Main Street program, begun in 1980 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is an economic development program with a historic preservation-based philosophy.
During the needs assessment visit, Nicholas Kalogeresis, from the National Trust’s Main Street Center in Chicago and Bob Donohue, Main Street Oakland County coordinator and principal planner, will assess Ortonville’s technical service needs; discuss a timeline for delivery of those services; determine strengths and weaknesses of the downtown community; identify possible impediments to the Main Street program; and provide other guidance.
‘During the needs assessment we will learn the details of what the needs are by talking to a broad-range of people,? said Donohue. ‘We will choose people from around the country that best fit Ortonville’s needs.?
As a Main Street community, Ortonville will receive assistance from experts such as architects, planners, retailers, former downtown managers, county staff, national trust staff and more. They will assist the village in a variety of ways including helping the community receive grant money.
Donohue reports that seven of the 10 Oakland County Main Street communities received over 93 million dollars in investment just last year, a combination of new projects and advertising all spent in the downtowns with new jobs and businesses.
The needs assessment is the first step in identifying what technical services are needed, says Donohue. Determination of needs is achieved, Donohue says, using the Main Street four-point approach based on four key areas: organization? building consensus and cooperation, which the DDA leads; promotion? marketing the downtown’s assets to local citizens, new businesses, customers and new private investors; design’improving the physical appearance of the downtown by rehabilitating historic buildings and encouraging new compatible construction and long-term design management; and economic restructuring? strengthening the downtown’s existing economic base and finding ways to expand it with new opportunities.
Organization will also create community involvement opportunities and will establish four committees, one for each of the points.
‘We’re trying to get citizens, churches, and businesses to help with the four points and the whole revitalization of the downtown,? said Paul Zelenak, village manager. ‘Improvement in sales will help benefit businesses. Citizens benefit by having a better downtown with more businesses and better variety.?
Zelenak says a ‘huge? evaluation will be done of storefront facades, parks, streets, sidewalks, benches and parking in the downtown. Infrastructure problems such as water and sewer will be looked at and if it is not possible to get new infrastructure, how the village can plan around it. More community events could be added, too.
The needs assessment is the first step in making proposed improvements a reality.
‘It’s a proven program,? said DDA president Robert Renchik, who, with other members of the DDA is working on getting an entrance to the park located next to the township offices.. ‘They’ll give us feedback and make suggestions and we’ll operate based on that.?
Judy Sproat, executive director for the Holly Main Street program, says the county’s assistance has been invaluable.
‘Now that Ortonville has a Main Street designation, you’ll be hooked into a network like you’ve never seen before,? she said. ‘In work planning you lay out in the course of a year all the projects you’d like to tackle. It’s a good discipline to get into.?
Holly has been a Main Street community for two years. They are currently working on a streetscape project to get new sidewalks and street lights.
Sproat says the four-point approach can make any community successful, no matter the size.
The program has four phases: start-up and transition for years one to three; catalyst and growth for years four to seven; growth and maintenance for years eight to 15; and maintenance/recommitment for years 16 and beyond.
The needs assessment visit sets the framework for improvements.
‘The heart of the community needs to be in this,? said Renchik. ‘It’s for everyone who lives in the area, not just downtown. We can make it a better place for people to come and enjoy anytime. We’re looking at making downtown Ortonville a user-friendly place that people want to come and congregate and enjoy.?
For more information on the Main Street program and how to participate, contact the village at (248) 627-4976.