The Corner Café, located off the main street of Loogootee, is quickly becoming a favorite restaurant among locals. Premium coffee drinks, homemade soups and fresh baked goods are attracting Hoosiers to the Corner Café. And that’s good news for not only the café, but entire city of Loogootee.
The Corner Café is a family-operated business that opened its doors after it found space in a newly renovated building located in the heart of Loogootee. Loogootee is one of eight communities in Indiana that is taking part in the state’s Real Estate Capital Access Program (RECAP). I recently met with local officials at the Corner Café to see their RECAP progress.
The new facades look wonderful, especially in conjunction with another project. When an old theater collapsed, Loogootee used CDBG funds to clear the site and replace it with a small park and parking lot.
Launched in 2007, RECAP offers the eight communities access to funding for façade renovation to encourage the redevelopment of downtown main streets in rural areas. We have seen how a relatively limited amount of renovation dollars encourages private investment. We have seen community pride swell after main street renovations. People want to spend more time on their main street.
Our public and private partners in Loogootee are excelling in RECAP. One of the best stories came from a local business owner who was skeptical about the program. But after she saw the positive impact it had on her city, she decided to join the program for the second phase. This is the type of community support that will lead to even greater community and economic development in Loogootee.
No comments:
Post a Comment