Independence at a Glance

Existing Conditions

The Existing Conditions Section is a summary of current conditions and recent trends in downtown Independence and the community as a whole, based on the best available data. The purpose of this section is to enable informed choices about the future of the City.

Independence’s downtown reflects ebbs and flows of economic times and the boom-and-bust cycles so common in Iowa towns and urban centers. And while the downtown’s buildings certainly show the wear and tear of over 140 years in some cases, they also reflect the important local history of the community. There are integrity issues, but standing on the sidewalk and looking up and down the streets one can still feel a sense of history. A sense of being in a particular time and place.

Independence at a Glance