SPRINGDALE (KFSM) -- The City of Springdale voted Wednesday (Dec. 16) to move forward with its downtown revitalization plan, which city leaders believe will make the area one of the best places to visit in Northwest Arkansas.
The City Council vote was unanimous.
"It is tremendously exciting," said John Hoal, who works for H3-Studio, a St Louis-based planning firm that was contracted by the city to prepare the revitalization master plan. "It really is fantastic to see that the policy-makers, and decision-makers in the city really back everything the community has been saying."
City Planning Director Patsy Christy said she waited for the approval for revitalization for a long time. Christy said she remembers growing up in Springdale when the downtown area was “the place to be.”
“I want to see it go back to the vital place that it can be and was in the past,” Christy said.
The city plans to remodel the downtown area, bring loft-like housing to Emma Avenue and make room for more small businesses.
"A downtown is an experience." Hoal said. "You can get products online, but you can’t get that experience."
The 100-page plan breaks down the downtown area into five districts with an objective and a list of improvements for each area. For the full report, click here.