Pardon the pun, but it appears interest in Emporia’s downtown upper-story development option is reaching new levels.
Main Street Director Casey Woods says interest is “tremendous.”
Woods says Main Street has already been involved in numerous developments at varying levels of activity:
*Main Street and the city of Emporia have partnered on a Hope 6 grant application for 502 Commercial
*Gazette Collective, 517 Merchant
*Designs by Sharon, 703 Commercial
*Baldwin Plaza and Lofts, 714-718 Commercial
*417 Commercial
*502 Commercial
Main Street has also worked with ESB Financial and the Turnbull Foundation, which offers zero-interest matching loans of up to $25,000 to qualified developments looking to transform vacant or underused upper-story space.
Woods says the upper-story process is leading to new businesses and expanding business options downtown. It’s also not solely for housing, although that has been a big part of the interest — and there is increasing interest in short-term lodging like Airbnb space as opposed to apartments.
Developers can call Main Street at 620-340-6430 for more information.
