ZIONSVILLE — Zionsville residents shouldn’t expect it’s heart and soul to change.
“I think everyone agrees in Zionsville that the brick Main Street is the heart and soul of town,” explained Zionsville Mayor John Stehr.
Stehr announced the South Village’s Planned Urban Development project aimed to jump start development south of the town’s historic brick Main Street and its’ various shops.
“This land has never been at its best and highest use,” explained Stehr while showing WRTV the development area. “This gives us an opportunity to put some new neighborhood in here, some office space, some restaurants, shops, those sorts of things. (We) are going to extend our Main Street and support the bricks that we already have.”
According to Zionsville Village Residents’ Association President, Bret Brewer, numerous development projects have struggled in Zionsville as neighbors have worried about the project fitting in with the town’s historic downtown.
“We've definitely had some squabbles with other developers and developments coming in trying to change the downtown designs,” explained Brewer. “Very high dense structures for residents, which just doesn't fit in downtown Zionsville.”
Brewer says so far, he has enjoyed seeing Mayor Stehr’s direction.
“People come to downtown Zionsville for the small town feel and that's what we're going for. I believe the mayor is on board with that history.”
Mayor Stehr is hopeful that the new development will mirror the town’s current Main Street style.
“It's not going to be a modern structure. It's going to be a structure that is historically and culturally appropriate for Zionsville,” Stehr said.
Stehr hopes the development can create an expansion of the town’s rich history.
“The storefronts that we have, many of them are 150 years old, or more than 100 years old,” explained Stehr.
“We have to do everything we can to protect it and make sure that it's here for generations to come.”
