Bremen leaders are preparing for the downtown revitalization project. It is one of the projects outlined in Marshall County’s Regional Development Plan as a Stellar Communities Designation project.
Crews from the Indiana Department of Transportation will do an extensive street rehabilitation project on U.S. 6 in downtown Bremen this year. Along with that, the Town of Bremen is working to include a downtown streetscape improvement project within a three-block span at the time the roads are revamped. The downtown revitalization project will include a flex street on South Jackson Street that can be utilized for a host of events including a pavilion and parking along with a gathering space, building façade updates through the town’s façade grant renovation program, expanding sidewalks and curbs with more pedestrian space, outside dining areas, lighting, parking, the addition of a bike lane, and renovating alleys with lighting and art to make them a more friendly space.
Bremen Director of Operations Trend Weldy told the town council members on Monday morning that he had meetings last week with Priority Project Resources Grant Writer Shannon McLeod and The Troyer Group to look at the next steps in the process. Weldy said he’s going to work with Wastewater Superintendent Matt Cunningham in sending a video camera down some sewer lines to look at their condition to see if they need to be replaced or lined. Weldy commented that the town wants to work with business owners to replace sewer lines ahead of a road project set to start this summer at the cost of the town.
A water main will also be replaced as part of the project.
Weldy said he will discuss the project with the Bremen Redevelopment Commission to put TIF funds in place to help pay for the project.
He added that he will be working with Town Attorney Anthony Wagner as some permanent easement paperwork for federal funding needs to be done in February.
“To get federal funds, we have to do a fifty-year title search on all of the businesses downtown,” stated Weldy. We need to know who owned the buildings, who’s on the building properties and all of that stuff. JPR is doing a little thing for us to put together like how much square footage each business owns in front of their building, and then Tony [Wagner, Town Attorney] is working on the title company to help me figure out how we can get this done. The big problem is we have to get it done in February.”
Wagner commented that the workload is manageable even though time is of the essence.
Weldy said he will discuss the project with the council once he knows about the cost of the water main and sewer lines that need to be replaced.
