COMMUNITY AWARENESS TEAM
OBSERVATIONS
Ashville visits Pomeroy-Middleport
Community of Pomeroy:
- The closeness and convenience of the downtown
with all of the businesses and shops being close to each other is a plus,
and the murals painted on the buildings are attractive. The Team felt that the downtown needed
some physical improvements, particularly to the buildings and
signage. The downtown gives the
impression of being “tired.” The
newer chain restaurants and other newer businesses had effective signage
and displays while the older businesses were sometimes difficult to
identify as to the kind of business they were in or services they
provided.
Can
Pomeroy take a look at community wide signage, both directional and
informational, to make it easier for visitors to find their way to what you
have to offer? Could attractive signage,
in keeping with the town’s history, also help to improve the look of the
downtown?
The
river was seen as a real attribute, contributing to the peaceful, serene feel
to the community. Visitors wanted to
come back for the River Festival. Can
the river be capitalized on in bringing out Pomeroy’s unique flavor? The small park and statue were appreciated.
- The report praised the older, stately, larger homes
that are rich in history, however, the team felt that a pride of ownership
was not evident given the condition of the structures. Is there a story to tell in Pomeroy of
its past through its historic houses and other buildings? Are there possibilities of identifying
resources through the Community Development Block Grant Program or State
and Federal National Historic Preservation offices that can be used to
assist homeowners in improving these structures? Would a Historic District designation
highlight the uniqueness of this river town? Is there a role for planning and
visioning in the downtown neighborhoods to begin to move residents toward
pride in ownership of their properties?
- Local residents were friendly, knowledgeable and
helpful when it came to giving directions and/or answering questions. The brochures produced by the County and
Economic Development office were impressive. Visitors liked the location of the Chamber,
Visitors Center and Economic Development
office all together in one place – a “One Stop” Shop. We would suggest that the Chamber and
other organizations be given a note of appreciation and recognition for
the good job they are doing through their hospitality toward visitors to
the area.
- Negotiating Pomeroy streets was confusing and
difficult. Signage could help with
that (refer to #1), as well as looking at traffic patterns to see if they
can be improved. We suggest that
you consider working with a planner/engineer to deal with traffic flow
issues.
- Overall, Pomeroy’s attributes include its
historic structures, compact downtown, friendly people and the river. All of these can be used to Pomeroy’s
advantage with improved signage, residential and downtown rehabilitation
efforts, taking pride in the history of the area, and capitalizing on the
river to create a unique and appealing image for the community.
Community
of Middleport
1. The residential areas indicated that homeowners took
pride in their surroundings. There were
older, stately mansions next door to moderate homes – an interesting mix. Gardens and yards were well kept.
2. The town seemed clean, had a pretty and welcoming
appearance and there were fewer buildings in need of repair. Like Pomeroy, the downtown was not well
populated by shoppers. Is there a way
that Middleport (and Pomeroy) can make their downtown businesses more
attractive to potential local customers and tourists?
3. Middleport has a great community park with a
pool. The schools were neat and well
kept and easy to find. We wonder if
Middleport has chosen to be more of a residential community, while most of the
shopping is in Pomeroy?
4. Signage and street layout provided challenges for the
visitors, and may be something that Middleport would like to address in the
future.
(May 2007)