Downtown alley gets a facelift
May 3—GREENSBURG — Workers from Schutte Excavation began excavation of the pavement between the buildings at 115 and 117 E. Main Street Monday morning as part of a new trend in city planning and design called "alley activation."
Designed with the same scheme of trees and planter boxes added along Main Street in 2019, the alley will be outfitted with a new name ("Alley 1822"), new lighting, new seating, and design features that city leaders hope will turn it into a destination instead of just an alley.
"It's a trend right now to take these alleys that are dark and dank and make them pleasant places to be," Visit Greensburg (Tourism) Director Philip Deiwert said.
Using leftover funds from donations made to the city during the 2022 Greensburg Bicentennial celebration, along with support from Visit Greensburg (Tourism) and Main Street Greensburg, the alley will get an updated, inviting look.
The Main Street Greensburg organization also received a $2,500 grant from the MIBOR Economic and Community Development Council to be used for this project.
"We know people are using the alley, so we'll make it an inviting space as something like the gateway to the downtown," Deiwert said.
Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com
