Since 1985, when our local organization was formed,
Downtown Frankfort
has seen many changes. Our first floor vacancy rate has decreased. New businesses have come to our Central
Business District, creating new jobs. The amount of public and private
investment into our Downtown over the last decade has continued. Hundreds of building
rehabilitation projects of varying degrees have taken
place. Revitalization does not happen
overnight; however, efforts are worth the persistence, toil, and temporary
setbacks sometimes experienced!
In the early eighties, parking meters were removed from Frankfort’s downtown
streets and lots. Customers and clients are now allowed free parking. Overall
public response to this arrangement has been positive. There are currently 1466
parking spaces available within the 21 square blocks that were recently
surveyed. Included in this survey are five separate parking lots within these
boundaries that provide a combination of customer
parking and reserved parking.
Sidewalks that surround our downtown square are soon to
be replaced and then accented with a decorative brick treatment. This project,
in combination with new trees, refuse containers, and new curbs, will help the
pedestrian shopping environment throughout the downtown. Additional streetscape
ideas continue to be implemented or considered. A street banner program is now in place
for both the summer months and the Christmas holidays. The Main Street program is also considering
benches, planters, and historic street lights.
Downtown Frankfort,
like most older downtowns, possesses a wonderful
collection of architecturally significant historic commercial buildings. Under
the guidance of Frankfort Main
Street, many of these buildings have undergone
facade improvements using a design approach which stresses preservation. Given
the uniqueness of our downtown buildings, these rehabilitations can play a
major role in reestablishing a positive identity for the whole central business
district. Some of the facade improvements are highlighted here:
Low-interest Loan Fund:
Frankfort
Main Street worked cooperatively with the
three downtown financial institutions in developing a way to have monies
available to rehabilitate downtown buildings. The banks agreed to approve a
total of $250,000 to fund interior and exterior renovations of downtown
buildings if the application was accompanied by an approval from the Design
Committee of Frankfort Main Street.
The Design Committee adheres to the Secretary of Interior’s Guidelines.
Facade Improvement Grant Program:
Frankfort
Main Street set aside $10,000 in their
treasury for the purpose of granting sums to property owners investing in
improvements made to the facade of their building. Grant awards do not exceed
25% of the total project cost, and individual grants may not exceed $1000. A
minimum grant award is set at $250. Work must begin within 45 days of grant
approval, and be completed within 90 days from the initial day of work. One of
the success stories of this program revolves around one property owner who
decided to double the investment he planned for his building after learning of
our program. Instead of a $7000 project to improve the first floor of his
building, he invested $15,000 and created four apartments on the second floor
as well. He still only received a $1000 grant, but now has two retail units and
four residential units providing income for him and life for our Downtown.
Recruitment Package:
We have compiled information on available space within
our downtown area, complete with photographs, to distribute to interested
parties.
PROMOTIONS:
HOT
DOG FESTIVAL... Target Audience: Hot dog lovers, dog dog
lovers, athletes of all ages/types, kids, families, singles, couples,
grandparents, shoppers, music appreciators, stage Moms, regional
festival-goers, the media AND Clinton Countians and Frankforters.
Attendance: 15,000 (2 weeks after the Clinton County
Fair and the SAME day as Indy’s Circle Fest and Black Expo)
Sponsorships: local + in-kind donations AND virtually TOTAL donated food
items from national companies
Volunteer participation: 600 representing at least 16 local
organizations.
Activity Schedule:
4-mile Bun Run and Walk, Wiener Classic 3-on-3 basketball
tournament, Mixed Mutts tennis tournament, Fido
Foursomes golf tournament (the Thursday before the event) Puppy Park kids’
activities, a 200-foot-long food tent with 6 kinds of dogs (including a Puppy
Dog--pb&j on a bun) and dozens of
make-it-yourself toppings, roasted corn on the cob, "red hot" ice
cream, chips, drinks, and a truckful of FREE water;
the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and a 4-hour national
talent search for jingle-singing kids (in its ONLY visit to a non-Top-50 market
city during the entire summer, since, as the Wienermobile
adviser put it, "we see this festival as our best visibility opportunity
after our Chicago grand kick-off"); 50 arfs and
crafts booths, a Parade of Pooches (they led the Wienermobile
around the square to its place) and dog care demonstrations, A Dog Days of
Summer merchant sale, complete with matching window decor and guessing
contests, a poster contest for young arfists (posted
in merchants’ windows) a VID (Very Important Dog) Suite for sponsors, media and
special guests -- something for everyone and anyone.
Event History:
A total-community festival about which
residents could become excited and PROUD. The Board also felt the
community would support the commitment necessary to stage a first-class event
that would reflect the strength of a graduate Main Street community which had three of
the four Main Street
parts in place. In March of 1994, Linda Lazier made a marketing presentation to
the City and out of this came the idea of Frankfort
capitalizing on its name and high school mascot (The Fighting Hot Dogs) with a
Hot Dog Festival as the city’s signature event. After the fifth declining
Chautauqua, the Board decided the time was right to scrap the flailing event
and commit to start anew. Thus was born the Hot Dog Festival in Frankfort, Indiana!