TERRE HAUTE —
Downtown Terre Haute Inc. is working to restructure the volunteer, not-for-profit organization in hopes of restoring a full-time staff member in 2012.
Chris Pfaff, president of Downtown Terre Haute and director of the Center for Business Support and Economic Innovation at Indiana State University, told members of the Terre Haute Rotary Club Tuesday that the downtown organization is refocusing its goals in hopes of “regaining stakeholder buy-in” this year.
Those membership efforts include launching a merchant-focused website, initially with 24 downtown businesses. That site would enable those businesses to pop up at the top of search engines such as Google and Bing. That effort is expected to launch in July, Pfaff said.That site will likely replace a current weekly email from the organization, he said.
Last week, Downtown Terre Haute Inc. requested bids from landscapers to maintain flower boxes in the downtown. “Within the next six months, I think you will see a huge improvement to that,” Pfaff said of the planter boxes.
“One way to pay for that is through an adoption process,” he said. “We’ve already had one company that paid $250 to adopt one of the larger planter boxes along Wabash Avenue. There will be a tiered system in which a company or individual can adopt a planter box for $250, $100 or $50, depending on the size. We think that will help us pay for that annual maintenance,” Pfaff said after the meeting.
Changes are also being made to some downtown events. A 2011 Block Party, formerly called The Street Fair, will be held Aug. 27 from 1 p.m. to midnight or later. Wabash Avenue from Fourth Street to Ninth Street will be closed for the one-day event.
“This [Aug. 27] is the first weekend that ISU is in session. We would like for this to be the introduction of downtown to our students,” Pfaff said.
Downtown Terre Haute Inc. also has relinquished some projects, such as the Farmers Market, which will start its first season June 4 under its own management as a non-profit group.
Returning Indiana State and other large downtown companies as members will be a key effort from Downtown Terre Haute Inc., Pfaff said.
“ISU, I think, is certainly supportive. I don’t know a specific [financial] amount until we negotiate that and then also, we would really like to approach some of our large downtown stakeholders to support us for operational needs at a more significant amount,” Pfaff said.
“That is all premature right now, but before the end of the year we hope to get to that point, and show that value that they would be willing to do that,” he said.
Downtown Terre Haute Inc., established in 2005, hit budget challenges in 2010, losing its full-time director.
In 2010, Indiana State University cut about $30,000 from its support of Downtown Terre Haute Inc. The university had helped fund a director, plus provided an office, clerical support and office equipment.
A three-year commitment from the city of Terre Haute also ended in 2008. From 2005 through 2007, the city provided $20,000 annually. The amount was cut to $5,000 in 2008; $4,000 in 2009; and $3,000 last year.
Pfaff said Downtown Terre Haute’s restructuring also includes developing a mapping system that will show visitors locations of what is downtown — stores, bars, restaurants, the arts, hotels.
“I think we are really on the cusp of going from a downtown that has had some great successes in recent years to one that, I truly believe within the next five years, you will see a downtown that is vibrant. There will be a return of retail and an expansion of restaurants, bars and entertainment and we hope to play some part in that,” Pfaff said.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger @tribstar.com.
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Downtown boosters seek to regain support
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