EXPERIENCING THE VISION: IEDA, Main Street Iowa tour downtown district and Legacy Plaza

Representatives from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and Main Street Iowa were given a tour July 27 of downtown Newton and the neighboring Legacy Plaza, both of which were included in the city’s now-accepted application to create a reinvestment district and funnel millions of dollars into new projects.

Debi Durham, director of both IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority (IFA); Deanna Triplett, legislative liaison of IEDA; Maia Fail Jessen, design coordinator for Main Street Iowa; and Michael Wagler, state coordinator of Main Street Iowa were shown various new businesses and expansions, such as Farmhouse Creations, Glasshouse and Fine Things Reclaimed.

Afterwards, Newton’s guests were introduced to Legacy Plaza and the nearly four years of work that has already gone into the campus consisting of old Maytag headquarters buildings. Kim Didier, executive director of DMACC Business Resources, also showed off the repairs to Building 2, which used to house The Cellar Peanut Pub and will eventually become a hotel and bar.

Several of the tour guides are stakeholders in Newton’s proposed reinvestment district. The IEDA Board on June 25 unanimously voted in favor of allowing the city to receive a provisional award of $14 million from the Iowa Reinvestment District Program, about 90 percent of what was initially requested — about $15.4 million — in the application.

To show off these particular areas to IEDA and Main Street Iowa was important for the city and for those to be affected by the reinvestment district, Newton Development Corporation Associate Director Tanya Michener suggested. Both entities could see the work that’s being done already and how state funding would benefit future projects.

“We were able to describe the whole district over there (at Legacy Plaza) and how it connects to downtown,” Michener said. “And because Debi had never walked that she didn’t even realize they were close, which we all know that’s a problem. People (visiting) Legacy Plaza don’t realize the downtown, and downtown doesn’t realize there’s Legacy Plaza.”

Michener said it’s always good to make sure Newton is on the forethought of organizations like IEDA and Main Street, or that they’re at least made aware of their triumphs and the struggles they face. Visits to local retail stores helped both organizations understand the personal stories those business owners faced to open their shops or expand.

Erin Yeager, executive director of Newton Main Street, said even during the past 18 months of the pandemic businesses have found ways to adapt and survive. In fact, downtown Newton welcomed nine new businesses — like Varieties, Crazy Redhead Quilting and Viet-Thai Taste — and three expansions during that time.

“To me that’s a success story right there,” Yeager said. “(During the tour) we also talked about how our businesses rallied and partnered together, too … We talked about placemaking with the flower pots and how the vibrancy that comes from the small pieces we add actually brings a lot.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com