Published Monday February 13, 2006
Ozark spiffs up the rest of its square
Work begins on second half of project started in 2003 to revitalize downtown.Didi Tang
News-LeaderOZARK HEAVY MACHINES HAVE COME TO DOWNTOWN OZARK, WHERE OLD SIDEWALKS HAVE BEEN TORN APART.
BUT BY THE END OF APRIL, THE CRACKLING CONCRETE WILL BE GONE.
VISITORS TO THE SQUARE CAN EXPECT TO SEE BRAND-NEW BRICK SIDEWALKS WITH TREES, FLOWERS AND RETRO-LOOKING LAMPS.
THE $500,000 PROJECT WILL FINISH THE WORK THE CITY STARTED IN 2003 RENOVATING THE ONCE SAD-LOOKING DOWNTOWN.
"IT'S NICE TO SEE IT FINALLY COME TO FRUITION," SAID BOBBI WIXSON, OWNER OF HAZEL'S FLOWERS & GIFT SHOP ON THE SQUARE.
"IT WILL ATTRACT MORE RETAIL BUSINESSES AND MAKE (DOWNTOWN OZARK) MORE OF A DESTINATION AND A SHOPPING DISTRICT."
WIXSON WAS ONE OF THE DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS WHO FORMED A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP IN THE 1990S IN AN ATTEMPT TO REJUVENATE THE OLD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
THE GROUP SOUGHT HELP FROM THE CITY, WHICH COULD GO AFTER GRANTS.
AFTER PRIVATE INVESTORS PLEDGED TO RENOVATE DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS, THE CITY WON A $300,000 COMMUNITY BLOCK DEVELOPMENT GRANT FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS ON THE SQUARE.
WORK STARTED IN FEBRUARY 2003, BUT THERE WERE ONLY ENOUGH DOLLARS TO SPRUCE UP THE LOOK ON THE SQUARE'S WEST SIDE.
TO FINISH THE OTHER HALF, THE CITY APPLIED LAST YEAR FOR ANOTHER CDBG GRANT AND RECEIVED $100,000, THE MAXIMUM IT COULD GET.
IN THE 2006 BUDGET, THE CITY PLANS TO BORROW A THREE-YEAR NOTE OF $300,000 TOWARD THE PROJECT.
COUNTING IN-KIND WORK, THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED AT $500,000, CITY ADMINISTRATOR COLLIN QUIGLEY SAID.
WORK ON THE SQUARE'S EAST SIDE STARTED JAN. 2 AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE DONE BY APRIL'S END, QUIGLEY SAID.
BUT, WITH FAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE WORK COULD BE COMPLETED A MONTH EARLIER, QUIGLEY SAID.
The efforts have won the city recognition from the Missouri Department of Transportation.
MoDOT has recently put up five brown highway signs alerting motorists to historic downtown Ozark, making the city the fourth in the 12-county Springfield region to have such signs.
The other three cities are Branson, Hollister and Reeds Spring, said Bob Edwards, a regional MoDOT spokesman.
"It's not all that common," he said. "... If the community is making an effort to promote their downtown and redevelop it, we do that."
Robert Snook, director of the Ozark Main Street program, is thrilled with the new signs and hopes they will bait highway travelers to "take a peek" at downtown Ozark.
"There are 40,000 cars up and down (Missouri 65)," he said, "and each of them will see those signs."
Wixson said she was happy to see the highway signs, too.
"It can't hurt," she said. "Every little bit helps."
NOT THE END
The completion of work on the square's east side will not mean the end of revitalization efforts for downtown Ozark.
"You can't rest on the laurels," said Wixson. "You need to continue with maintenance, upkeep, improvement and promotion."
Snook said he hoped the effort would one day spill into neighboring blocks to include some historic homes.
And city officials are hoping the redevelopment of the blighted Finley River neighborhood on the west side of Third Street will complement the downtown square.
All the improvements have excited Bill Macier, who owns a three-level, century-old building on the square.
A business that runs specialty shops and serves food and beverage has leased the building's second floor, and several people are interested in opening an eatery possibly an Italian restaurant on the third floor, Macier said.
"It's coming along," he said, "... and we're very optimistic."
