By Amy Moshier
Is parking an issue in downtown Zionsville? Answering this question (among others) is the goal of the parking and marketing study currently underway. The first deliverable results are in from a survey which was open to the public from Sept 5 through Oct. 15. There were 901 respondents, 49 percent have been Zionsville residents for more than 10 years. Two companies, TADI and Business Districts, Inc., have been hired as consultants to conduct a study that will help determine how to further enhance retail, shopping and business experiences.
“The goal is to develop a strategy to position downtown Zionsville so that its strengths are enhanced, in terms of what it can offer residents and visitors,” TADI senior engineer Peter Lemmon said. “Among other things, the marketing study will help determine the characteristics of visitors’ shopping experiences.”
Parking issues are a focus of the study as many residents and visitors often complain about the lack of parking downtown.
“Our area of expertise is the parking side,” Lemmon said. “Basically, we want to understand what the current number of spaces are and how they are being utilized throughout the course of the day. Where do we have enough parking and where don’t we have enough parking? And, looking forward, as we develop over time, what will our future needs be?”
Diane Williams, owner of BDI, agrees.
“Essentially, I think what we are looking for is some guidance about the kinds of things that they buy and the kinds of places they dine,” she said.
The town has set up a project steering committee, which met on Oct. 22 to review the preliminary findings from the survey. The 20-member steering committee consists of residents, business owners, members of various town committees and interested individuals. It is led by Zionsville resident and Economic Development Commission President Charlie Edwards.
“Our goal is to develop a plan that will retain both the character and viability of downtown Zionsville as surrounding areas continue to grow and compete,” Edwards said.
“This community meeting is an opportunity for residents to hear what we have learned and to provide additional input as we work toward that goal.”
The community meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 13. Williams and Lemmon will be on hand to present an overview of the data that has been collected. Full details of the preliminary presentation can be found on the project website at www.zionsvilledowntownstudy.com.
Public meeting on downtown Zionsville marketing and parking study for Zionsville residents, business community, and interested parties.
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 13
Town Hall, 1100 W. Oak St.