Update Uptown
Creston Caboose Heritage Park
Creston has a potentially excellent iconic attraction to invite travelers into its Uptown from West Adams/Sumner Avenue, the most traveled way into Uptown Creston. Approximately 3,000 vehicles each day travel through this area. During the comprehensive planning process in 2018 and 2019, one of the most commented thoughts among members of the public was the desire to improve the attractiveness of the area of West Adams Street from Uptown to Sumner Avenue as well as the Uptown as a whole. For many people, the caboose is not very noticeable. This could change and this already-in-place amenity could pop to residents and visitors alike, becoming a small community plaza and open space, with the right investment.
In 2018 local Discover UC member and architect David Marroquin of design firm Common Ground drafted the above conceptual drawing for the caboose area as part of this Adams Street streetscape concept. While the streetscape project has yet not started, committee members believe that work can start now on the area of caboose outside of street ROW line, which is shown on the image below as the area below the sidewalk with the images of pedestrians and bicycles. In the future, it is hoped that ornamental shade trees will be installed along with sidewalks and crossings as shown. That work would be part of a larger capital streetscape investment.
Uptown Task Force
The report below summarizes the observations and recommendations resulting from an Iowa Downtown Resource Center Assessment conducted in Creston. In preparation of this report, the Team learned about Creston’s development history and plans for future development. The Assessment Team’s familiarization process began with a review of materials supplied prior to the visit, a pre-visit survey with a sample of 124 returned surveys, a driving tour of the city and a walking tour of the downtown commercial district. The intensive three-day visit also included interviews with approximately 100 community leaders, individuals and groups representing the public and private sectors and a community meeting. Based upon these activities and the Assessment Team’s extensive working knowledge in downtown economic development, this report summarizes their findings and recommendations for Creston. Click on the pdf button below to read the full report.