Discover Downtown Washington to focus on promotion, design, economic vitality
WASHINGTON – Business and community leaders in the city of Washington are excited to announce the establishment of a new organization, Discover Downtown Washington, Inc., to lead the city’s efforts to invigorate their historic downtown. Following the framework of the Main Street Approach, the new organization will be responsible for establishing and implementing a vision for downtown Washington through four key strategies, known as Community Transformation Strategies, popularized by the National Main Street Center and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) Indiana Main Street Program: Economic Vitality, Promotion, Design and Organization, also known as the Main Street Four Points.
“With all of the momentum we have in downtown Washington, I am thrilled to be a part of this new organization that will be a key player in shaping the character of downtown Washington,” said Dusty Davis, board president of Discover Downtown Washington. The goals of this group are simple: create a welcoming environment in downtown Washington and preserve the historic character of our city center.”
The non-profit organization was officially incorporated Aug. 8 and is led by a 13-member board of directors consisting of business and community leaders from across Washington and Daviess County.
“We have brought together a strong board, each of them bringing different perspectives and backgrounds to the table. Together, each of these unique viewpoints will be vital in expanding upon our efforts to support the central business district,” said Davis.
The city of Washington and Mayor Dave Rhoads were integral in initiating Discover Downtown Washington, starting with a community forum in December of 2021. Pursuant to the organization’s bylaws, the mayor serves as a key leader of the organization as a member of the board of directors.
“As the historic center of our community, downtown Washington is the lifeblood of our city. It is vital that we continue to invest along Main Street and encourage the continued formation of a vibrant district that attracts and retains talent and investment,” said Washington Mayor Dave Rhoads. “With public spaces like the Commons, continued investment from building owners, and initiatives from this new organization, there are plenty of exciting things to come in the near future.”
“Radius Indiana and myself are super excited to continue our positive Recast Cities momentum moving forward with Spark Downtown,” said Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business for Radius Indiana. “With Recast Cities, we were able to establish the importance of linking entrepreneurs with downtown spaces.
“Now, with Spark, we’re able to push that further with not only making those connections but helping revive the downtowns into spaces where these entrepreneurs want to be located. We’re seeing great things happening and that’s exciting! We’re helping to ignite a spark in these downtowns. We’re seeing first hand that spark with Washington establishing their Main Street Organization. Main Streets is a vital component to promoting downtown economic vitality.”
In addition to the organization’s board of directors, Discover Downtown Washington is led by four standing committees, each of which is based upon one of the Community Transformation Strategies. The business and community leaders currently serving on the Board of Directors and as Committee Chairs include:
Dusty Davis – President & Organization Committee Chair, Bryant Niehoff – Vice President & Economic Vitality Committee Chair, Cindy Barber – Secretary, Mary Smith – Treasurer, Beth Gabhart – Promotion Committee Chair, Tom Tucker – Design Committee Chair, Washington Mayor Dave Rhoads, Joe Morris, DeWayne Shake, Greg Deaves, Shelley Brinson, Jeremy Adams and Bruce Smith.
For more information on the new organization or the revitalization of downtown Washington, follow the Discover Downtown Washington Facebook page. To get involved with the organization, please contact Dusty Davis at (812) 486-7295.