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Ossian Downtown Revitalization Awaits Progress After Studies

By JUSTIN PEEPER
After spending $50,000 and planning, studying and consulting for two years, Ossian now has plans in hand to revitalize the downtown.
When or if the massive revitalization project will begin, however, remains unknown, but Joyce Moss, who headed the downtown revitalization committee, hopes something will develop in the next two to three years.
Seeing the project come to life comes down to dollars and cents because revitalizing the four-block area, or part of the four-block area (Mill Street to the north, Ogden Street, Metts Street and LaFever Street to the south), could cost as much as $544,000, money the town doesn’t have now.
To subsidize the cost, Moss would like to apply for a Department of Transportation T-1 grant, but council has not authorized her committee to do so yet.
Receiving the grant, however, does not mean the project will develop.
Ossian would have to cover the first 20 percent, or approximately $108,800, of the project, funds the town currently does not have.
The positive side is council would not have to pay $108,000 right away.
Obtaining a T-1 grant, however, is no easy task.
Many towns and cities do not receive the T-1 grants when they first apply, but they usually find more success on the second or third time around, Moss said.
“I think their chances of getting the grant are good,” said Garry Jones, executive director of Wells County’s Chamber of Commerce. “To get one the first time is not the norm, but I think their chances (of eventually) getting one are good.”
To lessen pressure on the town to come up with approximately $108,000 if it decides to revitalize the downtown, Moss would like to have some fund-raising campaigns.
She also hopes Ossian residents would chip in to contribute to the project.
The T-1 grant is not the only option the town has.
Other grants exist from the Department of Commerce, but the town would still have to cover the first 10 percent.
Whether the town will receive a grant remains unknown, but the town’s revitalization plan received “glowing approval” from the Department of Commerce, according to Joann Green and Aleea Perry Kassebaum, two employees at Claire Bennett Associates, the firm that prepared Ossian’s revitalization plan.
The revitalization plan seeks to enhance several features of Ossian’s downtown, which could only help Ossian, Jones said.
“I think (revitalization) will attract people to come to Ossian and to stop in Ossian instead of just driving right on through,” he said. “Secondly, any time you can develop pride in one’s own community, it sets a very positive stage.”
Moss agrees. She feels Ossian is in a “hot spot” with the Interstate 69 interchange, the Fort Wayne International Airport and all the development to the north and south, and she doesn’t want the town to be left out.
“I just feel like it’s real critical that we keep this project going here or else we’re going to be a little loophole that could die out,” she said. “I just think there’s too much here to let get away from us and we just need to keep building on it.”
In the meantime, some initial improvements are under way on Ossian’s downtown streets.
The Ossian Development Corporation, the town of Ossian and some Ossian businesses donated money to purchase new trash containers, flowers and park benches, Moss said.
Town employees put the new items around the downtown last week.
The idea to revitalize Ossian’s downtown started a little over two years ago after one of Moss’ friends asked why no one had looked into revamping the area.
Moss thought Ossian’s downtown lacked something, and she decided to look into the idea a little more.
“I just thought if it had a fresher, cleaner appearance and some updated things, it would become more attractive to new businesses,” she said.
Moss spoke with then-town council president Vic Musco, who told her to look into the idea and make a presentation to council.
Moss and several other Ossian residents formed a committee and came up with a mission for a better-looking Ossian.
“... We shall strive to make downtown Ossian safe, clean and thriving,” a portion of the mission statement reads. “It will not be vacant stores or dilapidated buildings, but a bustling area full of vitality which will improve the quality of our lives now and for generations to come.”
The committee deiced to focus on two downtown Ossian blocks, and in November 2001, the committee received a $50,000 grant to fund a study.
The following year, in March 2003, the town council voted to accept the grant money. At the same meeting, council members asked Moss to act as Ossian’s representative to receive all inquiries about downtown revitalization.
The council, however, retained all authority on distributing funds.
In April 2002, after interviewing several firms for Ossian’s downtown study, the committee selected Claire Bennett Associates, an Indianapolis architectural and landscaping firm.
The firm held an open house in July 2002 to receive public input, and many Ossian residents made suggestions about how to aesthetically improve the downtown.
After employees from Claire Bennett Associates collected all the data, they prepared a detailed plan to present to the Ossian Town Council.
One of the primary recommendations focused on sidewalk and street light improvements.
Then, in February 2003, everything came together when Green, landscape architect for Claire Bennett Associates, and Craig Gossman of Kinselman Cline Gossman laid out plans for a better-looking downtown Ossian.
Green and Gossman presented a plan called Option 1, which would focus on the Jefferson Street (Ind. 1) corridor between Mill and LaFever streets.
Option 1 could cost as much as $543,080.
The cost would include construction, traffic maintenance, new drainage features, concrete drive replacement, sidewalk replacement, specialty paving markers, interpretive markers, columns and walks, new curbing, new tree plantings, new style lighting, new traffic signals, planters, signs, new benches, new trash receptacles, new bicycle racks, remodeling and upgrading existing parking areas, a general clean-up of the area, and, as an option, surface milling and replacement of the pavement.
Also included in the $543,080 figure are start up and wrap up costs, unforeseen costs, engineering and inspection.
Council and revitalization committee members favored Option 1, but nothing has been decided and council has not acted on any of the suggestions yet, Moss said.
Green and Gossman also discussed Options II, III, IV and V. Option II would revitalize Craig Street from Jefferson Street to Ogden Street. Option III would revitalize Mill Street from Jefferson Street to Ogden Street. Option IV would revitalize LaFever Street from Jefferson Street to Ogden Street, and Option V would revitalize the alleys west of Jefferson Street between Mill and Ogden streets.
The costs of these projects range from 4421,850 to $326,900.
At the same July meeting, Gene Donaghy, an Ossian Development Corp. representative, cautioned the town council not to short change itself by “going cheap.”
Tom Woodward, town council president, pointed out the town’s financial situation was getting worse not better, but Donaghy cited the potential use of County Economic Development Income Tax for the project, a News-Banner account reported.
Claire Bennett Associates made the final presentation to the Ossian Town Council this month, and the next step rests in the town’s hands because council must decide if it wants to implement the streetscape suggestions.
“It’s a real long process,” Moss said. “We’re just going to be hiding and waiting here until we get approval for more money to carry out the recommendations of the plan.”
The cost would include construction, traffic maintenance, new drainage features, concrete drive replacement, sidewalk replacement, specialty paving markers, interpretive markers, columns and walks, new curbing, new tree plantings, new style lighting, new traffic signals, planters, signs, new benches, new trash receptacles, new bicycle racks, remodeling and upgrading existing parking areas, a general clean-up of the area, and, as an option, surface milling and replacement of the pavement.
Also included in the $543,080 figure are start up and wrap up costs, unforeseen costs, engineering and inspection.
Council and revitalization committee members favored Option 1, but nothing has been decided and council has not acted on any of the suggestions yet, Moss said.
Green and Gossman also discussed Options II, III, IV and V. Option II would revitalize Craig Street from Jefferson Street to Ogden Street. Option III would revitalize Mill Street from Jefferson Street to Ogden Street. Option IV would revitalize LaFever Street from Jefferson Street to Ogden Street, and Option V would revitalize the alleys west of Jefferson Street between Mill and Ogden streets.
The costs of these projects range from 4421,850 to $326,900.
At the same July meeting, Gene Donaghy, an Ossian Development Corp. representative, cautioned the town council not to short change itself by “going cheap.”
Tom Woodward, town council president, pointed out the town’s financial situation was getting worse not better, but Donaghy cited the potential use of County Economic Development Income Tax for the project, a News-Banner account reported.
Claire Bennett Associates made the final presentation to the Ossian Town Council this month, and the next step rests in the town’s hands because council must decide if it wants to implement the streetscape suggestions.
“It’s a real long process,” Moss said. “We’re just going to be hiding and waiting here until we get approval for more money to carry out the recommendations of the plan.”