Inside Indianola’s Journey to Revitalizing its Historic Downtown Square

The City of Indianola, in its continuing effort to support commercial revitalization and economic development in the Indianola Downtown Square, was recently awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) totaling $650,000, as shared Monday, June 3, during the Indianola City Council’s regular meeting.

With the grant award, along with matching 25% contributions from the city and participating property owners for eight building facades, roughly $1.3 million will be invested into the Square for improvements on one of the community’s most coveted assets.

Charlie Dissell, Deputy City Manager / Chief of Development & Operations, says that with $1.3 million being infused into the heart of the city to continue development of the Square, the City is continuing to pave the way for transformative improvements that will elevate our community and propel us towards achieving the goals of our comprehensive plan. The project is supported by federal CDBG funds, City funding and property owner contributions.

The City of Indianola’s application and efforts for this opportunity, led by Dissell, Associate Planner Emily Rizvic and the Community Development Department, was assisted by Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance and Curtis Architecture. At the Indianola City Council’s regular meeting June 3, 2024 when the news was shared publicly for the first time, Mayor Stephanie Erickson signed the official grant award letter and the complete grant contract agreement.

Mayor Erickson said during the meeting that the project is monumental, adding her thanks to Dissell, Community Development Department staff, project partners and Square property owners for their hard work and commitment to make these improvements possible.

About the CDBG Program & Indianola’s Application

According to the Iowa Economic Development Authority, which administers the grant process through its Downtown Revitalization Program, the CDBG program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides grants on an annual basis to states and some local communities to help develop viable communities.

All CDBG funding must meet one of the three eligible national objectives:

1. Benefit to low- and moderate-income persons.
2. Aid in the prevention and elimination of slum and blight.
3. Meet an urgent need.

The City of Indianola’s CDBG application focused on the elimination of slum and blight and to meet urgent needs, incorporating a direct connection with the City’s Downtown Facade and Interior Improvement Program. Indianola’s program, established in 2023, was developed to maintain, preserve and improve downtown aesthetics with the goal to build a destination where local businesses can thrive and people of all ages and backgrounds can connect, create and celebrate.

Along with the City’s Elevate Indianola Comprehensive Plan – a long-range policy guide that sets out broad directions for growth, development and redevelopment – Indianola city staff conducted extensive research and interviewed business owners to see what areas of concerns they had at the time with their buildings, like accessibility issues or parts falling from the structure itself.

Community input was taken through an interview and image preference survey to gauge property and business owners’ interest in interior and exterior improvements within the Downtown Square. Property owners were asked if they had financial assistance, what improvements would they make?

Rizvic said items noted were related to fixing things generally characterized by slum and blight, like replacing windows and doors, maintaining the structural integrity of the building or tuckpointing. This is when they recognized a bigger need and the CBDG opportunity came into play. In 10 years, Dissell is sure visitors to the Square will see a great transformation.

Learn more about Indianola’s Downtown Façade and Interior Improvement Program & Its CDBG Application by listening to the Indy Unplugged podcast below: 

Participating Properties and Preliminary Renderings

Preliminary renderings for participating Square properties that committed and will benefit from the CDBG award that Indianola recently received include:

Photo: 106 E. Salem Ave.

Photo: 107 E. Salem Ave.

Photo: 101 E. Salem Ave.

Photo: 102 S. Howard St.

Photo: 104 S. Howard St.

Photo: 105 S. Howard St.

Photo: 101 W. Salem Ave.

Photo: 126 N. Howard St.

Of those properties, the 126 N. Howard St. facade is one that is very exciting for both Dissell and Rizvic since the entire façade is covering an existing one that’s still intact, including original windows, maintained glass and old room that were inside on the upper level, which is remarkable considering it’s been 100 years or so.

An interactive map highlighting each of CBDG-awarded properties can be accessed here.

Indianola’s Next Steps

Next steps include a competitive bid process, with architects creating construction documents for the awarded contractor to follow set guidelines for the improvements to update the Square from its historic beginnings.

Construction is anticipated to begin either later this fall or winter and substantial completion by Winter 2025.  Dissell is excited about the vibrant future and investment in the Square and what it means for the progress of downtown Indianola. The short- and long-term economic benefits will come, too. When Indianola city staff reviewed their research from the other Iowa communities, they noticed a 40% increase on taxable value for downtown priorities that were invested. The buildings should last another 100 years and provides the city and property owners security when it comes to longevity and maintenance costs.

Ultimately, these revitalization efforts, and the journey the city, property owners and community members collectively have undergone, represents untapped potential to breathe new life in the heart of Indianola. For more information about the CDBG program, Indianola’s Downtown Facade and Interior Improvement Program or to follow the city’s journey with updates and other resources, please visit the City of Indianola’s website at indianolaiowa.gov.

Greater Des Moines (DSM) has one of the best business climates in the country. The region is nationally recognized for having a talented and educated workforce, a cost of doing business 13% below the national average, a low cost of living and an exceptional quality of life. In 2022, Site Selection Magazine named it a top metro for a number of economic development projects.