A TIME TO FOCUS ON DOWNTOWN Groups focus efforts on bringing activities, attractions, improvements to Litchfield’s downtown
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owntown Litchfield has seen its ups and downs through the years as businesses open and close, the economy rises and falls, and commerce trends fluctuate. But one of the constants of “Main Street” Litchfield is its historic buildings. For many, those buildings and the businesses they house today are the key to making Sibley Avenue North a bustling hub of activities retail and community activity. Many groups are pushing for that “revival,” if you will, from the city’s Heritage Preservation Commission — which seeks to guard the historic integrity of buildings within the downtown historic district — to the Litchfield Downtown Council — a nonprofit association of businesses, building owners and individuals interested in bringing vibrance to the downtown. Min n e s ot a D e p a r t m e nt of Transportation’s reconstruction of U.S. Highway 12/Sibley Avenue in the downtown last summer brought much-needed infrastructure improvement through upgrades to the driving surface as well as city sewer and water service. And this year, several initiatives have been introduced aimed at bringing even more improvements — and fun — downtown. Among them: • Litchfield City Council a p p rove d a f a ç a d e g ra nt program in April for downtown properties. While specifics of the program were still being developed when Discover went to press, the grant program
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would provide up to $8,000 in matching funds for façade improvements on buildings in the downtown historic district. The Downtown Council is teaming up with First District Association on a project, known as “Downtown Cow Town,” that will see FDA provide 18 fiberglass cows to be decorated by nonprofit organizations and placed throughout the downtown this summer. The cows will help draw attention to First District Association’s 100th anniversary, but also help the nonprofits. The cows will be auctioned off at the end of the summer with proceeds going to the nonprofits involved in decorating the cows . D owntown Council secretary Darlene Kotelnicki said maps of cow locations will be created and used to e n co ura ge re sid e nt s a n d visitors to explore Litchfield, similar to Peanuts character statutes that dotted St. Paul several years ago and the decorated buffalo that can be found throughout Buffalo, Minnesota. The Heritage Preservation C o m mis sio n is s e e kin g a grant to fund benches to be placed along Sibley Avenue in downtown, with the Downtown Council already providing some matching funds. The benches would be constructed locally and would include historic information and photos on the backs. Litchfield Downtown Council and City Council cooperated on the purchase of bike racks for the downtown area. Included in the purchase will be two that resemble old-style bicycles with large front tires, which will be positioned in Central Park. All of the racks will be locally made. Litchfield Downtown Council also has requested the addition of decorative lighting in downtown. Location and display of the “Edison-style”
Longtime Litchfield barber Larry Ackerman, a member of the Litchfield Downtown Council, stands in front of the new street clock installed near his businesses in the 200 block of North Sibley Avenue. filament lights is still to be determined, but the plan is to have them lit in the evening, tentatively from May to midOctober. • The Litchfield Planning Commission and Heritage Preser vation Commission have begun meetings aimed at reviving downtown buildings. They have enlisted the help of Mid-Minnesota Development Commission and director Eric Day, a Litchfield resident, to assist in coordinating the effort and to provide other assistance. • Litchfield Downtown Council plans “Thriving Thursdays” throughout the summer, with outdoor concerts in Central Park and pop-up shops featuring small businesses and crafters from throughout the area. • Two holiday-related events are destined to keep downtown heated with activity as the weather turns cold. Downtown Council is coordinating Harvest Madness on Oct. 14, and a Victorian Christmas event is being planned for early December. It’s all about bringing more attention to the downtown, which
for many is still the heart of a small town like Litchfield. One of the attention-grabbing ef forts made by the Litchfield Downtown Council was actually i n s t a ll e d i n 2 0 2 0 , w h e n t h e reconstruc tion of main street seemed to some like just the right time to add a touch of history to downtown. A city crew installed a 10-foot clock and pedestal in the 200 block of North Sibley Avenue that’s intended to add some panache to the Litchfield’s downtown streetscape. “Honestly, I think it really gives the downtown some character, especially now that I’m watching them wrap up the street project,” said Corrina McQuiston-Kurowski, owner of #Goals Nutrition and a Litchfield Downtown Council board member. “Without trees, it’s just kind of a big concrete slab. The acorn lights are nice, but there’s nothing really to dress up the downtown. The clock gives you a focal point to look at.” The clock’s location between 213 a n d 21 5 N . S i b l e y Av e . was decided by the Minnesota H is to ric Pre s e r vatio n O f f ice and Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Cultural Resource
Downtown to 53 2021 | independentreview.net
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