downtown redevelopment
Plans and community input for rebuilding downtown and the waterfront
Whether the visioning work expands to downtown and the waterfront, and whether that changes the timeline or deliverables for the Hamilton site concepts.
Typically discussed at Hamilton Property Community Visioning Process Phase 4. Check back when the next agenda is published.
The former Hamilton property is now zoned for business uses after an 8-0 City Council vote with no public hearing comments. The next phase is getting more concrete: the community visioning meetings are reviewing site design concepts—layouts, access points, buffers, and how the place would function day to day. There’s also a live idea to widen the visioning scope beyond Hamilton to include downtown and the waterfront.
-
Main Street’s director reviewed 2025 activities (including downtown events and façade grants) and presented a draft 2026 budget to the BID board.
Business Improvement District Board -
Main Street expected to end 2025 about $10,254 positive, but projected a $7,466 deficit in 2026, attributed in part to Room Tax support dropping from $12,000 to $6,000 and difficulty obtaining sponsorships.
Business Improvement District Board -
Board members questioned discrepancies in 2024 historical numbers; the explanation given was that a reconciliation occurred that year.
Business Improvement District Board -
The BID board discussed that BID boundaries have not changed since 1997 and noted mismatches where some businesses that benefit from Main Street activity (or want to contribute) are outside the district.
Business Improvement District Board -
The BID board directed Community Development staff and Main Street to develop BID boundary alternatives, with a joint meeting with the Main Street board planned for next May and City Council expected to take up the issue in 2026.
Business Improvement District Board -
The BID board voted 7-0 to keep the 2026 BID assessment rate unchanged at $1.77 per $1,000 of assessed value, estimated to raise about $55,000 to support Main Street.
Business Improvement District Board -
City staff noted that rising property values matter because a flat BID rate can still increase individual owners’ bills as assessments climb.
Business Improvement District Board -
The topic appeared on a City Council Work Session agenda.
City Council Work Session -
Staff told commissioners to expect architectural and site plan reviews in April for Flavor Hut and Renee’s Popcorn; no plans were reviewed at this meeting.
Plan Commission -
Commissioners were updated that Main Street is drafting a historic preservation ordinance expected to come to the Plan Commission in April or May.
Plan Commission -
City Council approved a zoning change for the former Hamilton property (Parcel No. 053-000-052-030.05), currently owned by Fischer Scientific International LLC, from industrial to business zoning in an 8-0 vote.
City Council -
A required public hearing was held on the Hamilton property zoning change; three calls were made and no one spoke.
City Council -
City Council approved a variance from the façade improvement program guidelines and authorized a partial payout of $23,556 to The Hook Lanes & Games at 1916 Washington Street.
City Council -
The vote on the façade program variance and partial payout was 9-0.
City Council -
The group reviewed site design concepts for the Hamilton property site, focusing on layouts and tradeoffs such as traffic flow, buffers, and access points.
Hamilton Property Community Visioning Process Phase 4 -
The agenda proposed expanding the visioning scope beyond the Hamilton property to include downtown and waterfront development.
Hamilton Property Community Visioning Process Phase 4 -
The group reviewed design concepts for the Hamilton property site, focusing on layouts and tradeoffs such as traffic flow, buffers, and access points.
Hamilton Property Community Visioning Process Phase 4 -
The agenda proposed widening the visioning work beyond the Hamilton property to include downtown and waterfront development.
Hamilton Property Community Visioning Process Phase 4