DIDA looks at summer projects

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ironwood — The Downtown Ironwood Development Authority discussed several projects in various stages along with some pandemic grant relief opportunities and summer planning during a Thursday meeting.

In his DIDA goals update, Tom Bergman, director of community development for the city of Ironwood, said the special committee on the downtown historical signage project has not met but should do so prior to the May DIDA meeting. He confirmed with the members that the committee would include Mayor Annette Burchell, Ivan Hellen, Nancy Korpela and himself.

The committee will work on issues of signage size and finding a balance between physical signage and smaller logo signage to indicate there is an electronic narrative on an app to learn the history of the location.

The concern is about the impact of signage on businesses, along with the costs, Bergman said. The committee will also explore ways to share costs if possible with business owners, the Ironwood Tourism Council or other sources. 

“There are some buildings where it doesn’t make sense to have a huge sign on the building,” Bergman said. “We can discuss that at the committee level and come back with some ideas.”

In the COVID-19 support plan update, Bergman said the U.S. Small Business Administration has not yet indicated when the Restaurant Revitalization Fund will be accepting applications. The grant is part of the American Rescue Plan and provides revenue reimbursement grants for restaurants and other food and beverage related establishments, based on the difference in revenue and expenses incurred during the pandemic months from the previous operating year. 

“This is an opportunity for restaurants to reclaim lost revenue,” Bergman said. 

The grant is likely to be highly competitive, he said. In addition to sending out emails with information as it arrives, Bergman said his office is calling around 27 Ironwood businesses that appear to be eligible to inform them of the opportunity and what information is needed to apply. 

“This is definitely a good opportunity for businesses to get a bunch of capital to help pay any outstanding bills they might have and to reinvest into the business in what hopefully will be a full recovery year,” Bergman said. 

As for downtown business projects, DIDA is currently brainstorming ideas to attract more people downtown than is currently being done to promote First Fridays and other regular events, Bergman said. The Ironwood Tourism Council is also involved in promoting downtown and DIDA’s role is perhaps finding other marketing opportunities.

“We have quite a few events lined up for downtown this summer,” Bergman said. 

In his update on the city’s adult-use marijuana retail and growing establishments licensing process, Bergman said the planning commission will review the remaining site plan and conditional use applications at meetings on May 6 and May 20. From that point the applicants with approved site plans and who have complied with conditional use recommendations will move on to the competitive portion of the process with the city commission to determine who is licensed.

“The planning commission has done an incredible job, it is not an easy task,” Bergman said. “They have been meeting twice a month in relatively long meetings.”

In his update on the downtown tax increment financing (TIF) district plan, Bergman said the zoning ordinance work is nearly completed and that this will clear the way to work on the TIF project. At that time the project will need to conform with new state rules that should not change the project or disrupt the schedule much, he said. 

At this time Bergman said he is consulting with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation about communicating the project concept and goals with area businesses and organizations about what a TIF district does to reinvest in the downtown and how that benefits the city overall. 

In his update on the Norrie Park renovation and Montreal River Water Trail project, Bergman said the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board gave its recommendation to fund the project and is now awaiting legislative approval and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature. With the approval the project agreements would be completed in May or June, making a 2021 project start impossible, and more likely for 2022 or 2023, he said.

“That’s exciting,” said Amy Nosal, DIDA chair.

The approval of the project to build around 10 miles of mountain bike trail in Miners Memorial Heritage Park will have a larger impact on the downtown with some of the trail coming within two blocks of the new downtown City Square, where the south end of the square is designed as a trailhead, Bergman said.

“This is an opportunity for people to park their mountain bikes downtown and ride them to the trail from downtown,” Bergman said. “It is a great thing to have and that is why we are trying to set it up that way.”

Nosal called the mixed use of non-motorized trail systems in the city for hiking, biking and cross country skiing “one of the most multifaceted ways to engage so many people to come out and enjoy.”

The DIDA members approved the flower basket donation letter. The annual letter is to request donations that help offset the costs of downtown flower baskets.

In the open comment portion of the meeting, Michael Meyer, director of the Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce, said that the consortium of Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield chambers of commerce have submitted final materials for advertising in a regional travel magazine. The work on the biannual Ironwood Destination Guide is also complete and should be ready for distribution in May.