Downtown Gateways Project moves forward with three new “light hubs”

Anyone driving downtown may have noticed that there are three new light installations stretching across three downtown roads.

These three so-called light hubs can be seen outside the bus station on Tenth Street, at Flat Branch Park and outside the post office in the Sharp End neighborhood.

Lighting up for the first time Wednesday night, the three are the first phase of the Downtown Community Improvement District’s Gateway Project.

The project could eventually see a dozen of the light hubs around the city, and CID Executive Director Katie Essing said each tells the individual story of the section of downtown.

The north village arts district celebrates the artists who make a living there.

“North village is filled with artists, makers and creators,” said Essing. “if you look at it, its different instruments to create art: a paintbrush, an easel, a hammer.”

The second hub can be seen outside Flat Branch Park. A closer look at the round hub shows that its made up of birds in fight.

“This reflects the nature that we love of our trail system,” said Essing. “But you’re also in motion or flight when you’re walking or running or riding your bike on the trail.”

The third hub features prominently in the downtown’s west end neighborhood near the post office. It’s commonly known as Sharp End, a historic district that blossomed in the early 1900s as a prominent black business district. It was demolished in the 1960s.

“It was designed in the art deco fashion to reflect that time,” said Essing. “The artist worked with the neighbors, community members to find out how to tell the story artistically.”

The three of these hubs make up that first part of the project, which will eventually filter out to the corner of Providence and Broadway, a corner most consider to be the entrance to the downtown area. There will be a few art installations to dedicate the beginning of downtown.

Essing said the project is at heart a tourism and safety tool. One of the installations will spring up between Shiloh Bar and Grill and Second Baptist Church.

“Currently it’s multiple lanes and there’s not a safe way to cross,” said Essing. “This is where we propose another Gateway installation which would add columns and crosswalks.”

CID administrators also hope the project will be an added tourism boost to the city as well. The Convention and Visitors Bureau has a representative on the planning committee.

“If it makes us more attractive to a visitor that they’re going to come spend more time downtown supporting local businesses, that’s something we’re definitely in favor of,” said Megan McConachie, the Convention and Visitors Bureau Communications Manager.

The full Gateway plan will have multiple locations and neighborhoods, and will draw people throughout to explore our downtown,” said Essing. “Hopefully they’ll be shopping and dining along the way, which is great for our local economy.”

The project, conceived in 2014, will cost around $4 million to complete. In 2011, about 40 voters approved a half cent sales tax which funds the CID. The CID has a janitorial staff that cleans up around downtown. It also does marketing and events as well.

They are also funded by a property assessment.

But Essing said since the project will cost much more than its budget of $800 thousand, it is relying on donations and private grants.

“We’re looking to get community partners that would like to help be part of the project,” she said. “We have a capital campaign and we have a 501 (c)(3) that has been established just for the Gateways campaign through the Community Foundation [of Central Missouri].”

Here is a link to the project as well as a look at the artistic renderings of the final installations.