Heart of Jasper's Quarter 2 Recap
To Our Supporters:
We hope you had a great Fourth of July! The year is flying by and we want you to know what we have been up to. Here is an update on Quarter 2!
Economic Vitality Projects:
1. Façade Grant Program
Through a partnership with the City of Jasper, Heart of Jasper has administered four rounds of the Façade Grant Program which provides financial assistance for exterior building improvements in the Downtown and Riverfront Districts. The goal of the program is to stimulate retail growth and catalyze investments through enhanced aesthetics. Round 4 of the Façade Grant Program focused on new and additional signage for the downtown businesses. Twelve Sign Applications and 2 Façade Grant Applications were received. The projects are currently in progress.
2. New Business Incentive
The New Business Incentive stemmed from a program that began in 2021 called the Genesis 12 Project. Thanks to an anonymous donor, Heart of Jasper is able to offer a New Business Incentive to attract new businesses to the downtown. Since 2021, the Genesis 12 Donor donated $320,000 to small businesses located in the Heart of Jasper!
Congratulations to Card Guys Sports Cards for receiving $5,000 in 2024!
3. Heart of Jasper Courtyard
Heart of Jasper is excited to announce a new project that strengthens the ties between the Old Jasper Area, Main Street, and Courthouse Square. The Heart of Jasper Courtyard and Activity Trail is a multi-year effort. The vision is to create a trail lined with activity that will tie the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center to the Downtown Square. Sitting at the center of this trail at 4th and Main is a City of Jasper parking lot which is where we have identified the location of the Heart of Jasper Courtyard. Many formal approvals and funding still need to happen to make this vision a reality.
Design:
1. Astra Alley #2
The Design Committee has plans to complete the second Astra Alley in 2024. We will continue with the Art Deco theme from the first alley. This alley will have hanging string lights and colorful Holiballs hanging from the roof line. This is scheduled to be complete in August.
2. Piano Alley (located between Chocolate Bliss and Central Land Title)
Heart of Jasper has a partnership with a team of students from the Luddy School of Engineering at IU. These students are working on sensors that will be installed on the piano keys in the Piano Alley. As you walk through the Piano Alley and step on the sensors, they will play sounds of a piano.
3. Avenue of Flags
Heart of Jasper partnered with the Downtown Jasper Merchants to participate in the Jasper Optimist Club Avenue of Flags program. Twelve American Flags will be placed around the Courthouse Square during 6 holidays throughout the year.
4. Flower Pots and Flower Beds
Through a collaborative effort with Green Thumb Landscaping, Jasper Park and Rec and Heart of Jasper volunteers, the downtown flower beds and flower pots will be well maintained! These groups will take care of the maintenance of flowers, mulching as needed, and planting annuals in the Spring.
Promotion Committee:
1. Music on Main
Every Saturday in April-June from 11am-1pm the Downtown Square was filled with live music by local artists from the surrounding area. Visitors enjoyed live music while shopping and dining downtown.
2. Shop and Sip
On the third Wednesday of the month from May-December, the downtown merchants stay open until 7:00pm to allow shoppers extra time to get to their stores. The square is filled with live music from local artist and the Downtown Jasper Social District is open for those who want to sip and shop! Join us for the upcoming Shop and Sips on the 3rd Wednesdays of the month.
3. Downtown Chowdown
Ten food trucks fill the Riverwalk Plaza on the 1st Thursday of the month from April-October. You can get your fill of dinner foods, sweets, specialty drinks and much more! There is live music, kid activities from the Jasper Library, cornhole and ping pong. The Downtown Chowdown is from 4-8pm.
4. Family Fun Fest
The first annual Family Fun Fest was Saturday June 22nd. Fourteen local businesses participated in the event by popping up their business on the Square and providing friendly entertainment to families. Thank you to the participating businesses and the volunteers for making this event happen!
5. Community Calendars
Monthly community calendars with all downtown events to be found in one place. https://www.heartofjasper.org/calendar/
Organization Committee:
1. ROJAC and Heart of Jasper Merge
On March 21st, Mayor Vonderheide announced the merge between ROJAC and Heart of Jasper. We are excited about the merge with ROJAC to continue building upon the legacy they built over the last 20 years. We are grateful for this opportunity. ROJAC has set a precedent in the Old Jasper area that we want to continue throughout the downtown and Heart of Jasper district. Two ROJAC board members joined the Heart of Jasper board since the merge. ROJAC is continuing to fundraise to build the endowment which was created to maintain the ROJAC projects
Upcoming Events:
Shop and Sip-3rd Wednesday of the Month May-December from 5-7pm
July 17th, August 21st, September 18th, October 16th, November 20th, December 18th
Downtown Chowdown-1st Thursday of the Month April-October from 4-8pm
September 5th
October 3rd
Mingle on Main-annual fundraiser
Friday October 4th from 6-9pm
More details on the events can be found at https://www.heartofjasper.org/calendar/
We would love to hear your feedback, ideas, and/or questions. Please reach out at any time via email at [email protected] or via phone at 812-661-2881. Stay in touch by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and our website at www.heartofjasper.org.
Thank you for allowing the Heart of Jasper team to work with you!
Kate Schwenk
