Main Street Iowa Design Team Visits Jefferson

Jefferson’s historical downtown buildings took center stage on Tuesday, Nov. 27. Members of the Jefferson Matters: Main Street Design Committee joined Main Street Iowa’s design consultant, Tim Reinders, and design assistant, Katelyn Rutledge, as they met with three downtown building owners to review requests for Main Street Iowa design assistance.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be able to start providing professional design services to our district’s building and business owners,” said Reagan Osborne, Design Committee chair.

Equipped with a ladder and flashlights, the Design Committee joined Reinders and Rutledge as they assessed the requests and removed a suspended ceiling panel to investigate the cause of a downdraft, poked around a neon sign and metal storefront, and toured a rehab in progress. Reinders and Rutledge will follow up with professional sketches to help the owners visualize their projects.

Mike Palmer, city administrator, and Mike Wright, building inspector, reviewed the recent stabilization of 111 East Lincoln Way and suggested that the city, Main Street Iowa and Jefferson Matters: Main Street host a series of workshops to assist building owners facing difficult situations. Technical assistance of this kind is one of the benefits of being designated a Main Street Community.