The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
On Thursday, April 14, the Maumee Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the city of Maumee, hosted an Ultimate Uptown launch event at the Maumee Indoor Theater to help usher in the beginning of a new era in uptown Maumee.
The event was held for the benefit of uptown Maumee business owners, area residents and local government officials so that they may better understand what to expect once construction begins on the Uptown Streetscape Improvement Project. The project officially kicked off on Monday, April 18.
Attendees gathered at the theater to view colorful renderings of the project displayed on easels before assembling in the smaller theater for a presentation from Maumee city officials and members of the consulting and contractor teams for the project.
The Ultimate Uptown project is intended to revitalize and transform uptown Maumee into a regional destination, complete with city park areas and new businesses. Enhanced green space, new pedestrian walkways, new lighting and other amenities are intended to make Maumee’s uptown area a great place to work, shop, dine and visit.
In the city of Maumee’s press release, officials emphasized that the direct impact of downtown revitalization projects on state and local economies is well-documented. The release states that investment in the uptown revitalization project “creates jobs, increases property values and attracts tourists.”
“Uptown Maumee already enjoys many assets, including historic buildings, commercial and civic land uses, and our beautiful established neighborhoods,” said Maumee Mayor Richard Carr.
“The streetscape project will ensure that uptown Maumee is inviting and accessible to all users by enhancing pedestrian comfort and safety, providing additional on- and off-street parking, improving our street lighting and upgrading traffic signals,” the mayor said.
“We will also add trees, shrubs and flowers, benches, litter receptacles and bicycle parking. These improvements will rejuvenate our uptown Maumee and encourage visitors to seek Maumee as a destination,” the mayor added.
In addition to the amenities listed above, the city of Maumee plans to plant more than 1,200 trees during the uptown and Anthony Wayne Trail construction projects.
“Our goals is to work with the community and business owners to keep them informed about the process and timeline involved in this project,” said Patrick Burtch, city administrator of Maumee.
“It’s a huge undertaking, and the results will transform our uptown environment to attract more people to our city,” he concluded.
Questions may be addressed to Burtch at pburtch@maumee.org.
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Editor’s Note: Please follow The Mirror each week for regular updates on the uptown Maumee and Anthony Wayne Trail projects throughout the next several months.
