By BRADEN LAMMERS
Braden.Lammers@newsandtribune.com
CHARLESTOWN —
The city of Charlestown is looking to improve its aesthetic by adding a fresh coat of paint, new awnings and landscaping, starting with the city’s square.
A plan was presented at Charlestown’s third-annual business summit at the Arts and Enrichment Center on Thursday night to take a step in creating an image of the city as a bedroom community.
The Charlestown Beautification Committee has been working on the plan for about a year to create a more warm, inviting and quaint image of the city.
“Our city square definitely needs a makeover and that’s going to be our main project we are going to do this year,” said Clerk-Treasurer Donna Coomer, who also is chairwoman of the Beautification Committee.
Beautification committee members Dixie Busby and Deb Wyman worked on a preliminary design for revitalizing the square by using a consistent color palate, signage for businesses, planters, landscaping and even LED rope lighting.
The concept is not to completely redevelop the city, but to add a fresh coat of paint to Charlestown’s vintage buildings. “We are going to start immediately with City Hall,” said Mayor Bob Hall.
Discussions with local businesses are ongoing to define their role in the plan and to determine what the makeover will cost.
Funding to pay for the work is expected to come out of the city’s redevelopment funds, as well as money being paid by the Beautification Committee.
“I’m not exactly sure how the funding is going to be ... the beautification [committee], we have a little money that we will be spending,” Coomer said.
Hall would not offer a definitive estimate until labor costs are known, but said the work likely will cost less than $50,000.
Hall said that he expects a large component of the work will be finished by fall.
The effort to revitalize the city’s square fits the plan for Charlestown’s future, according to officials.
“I think we’re going to become a bedroom community and we want to become a bedroom community,” Hall said. “I don’t want the hustle and bustle of the city life.”
A bedroom community often refers to a smaller city outside of a major metropolitan area and its suburbs that has its own services and does not base its economy off of major industry.
By labeling itself as a bedroom community, Charlestown is defining its role in the region, in part, because the other roles have been filled.
“As you look regionally, it’s probably not a good idea for Charlestown to try and go out and create a bunch of industrial parks to compete across the road with what we have,” Hall said, referring to nearby River Ridge Commerce Center. “So we’ve tried to position Charlestown to see what we’re going to become and what is in the region.”
Hall said Clarksville has filled the role as the region’s retail center and Jeffersonville has solidified its role as Clark County’s metropolitan center.
The belief for Charlestown becoming a bedroom community is consistent with it having the most room for growth — a majority of the unincorporated area in the county is directly adjacent to Charlestown.
“I think Charlestown, over time, will become the largest city in Clark County,” Hall said. “Its all about looking at where you’re headed and where we fit into the region.”
