Officials with the City of Jasper and Rundell Ernstberger Associates (R.E.A.) held an open house Tuesday evening in the Pfaffenweiler Room of Jasper City Hall to have dialogue over the potential improvements for the courthouse square in downtown Jasper.
Over 50 people were in attendance throughout the open house that had the flexibility to enter and view the displayed design concepts. Simultaneously, people had access to exchange conversation with the landscape architecture and urban design firm, Rundell Ernstberger Associates who is the leading design firm for these improvements.
A team of consultants also joined Rundell Ernstberger Associates at the open house which included HAFER Associates an architecture firm out of Evansville and VS Engineering the civil engineering consultants out of Indianapolis.
The Principal of Rundell Ernstberger Associates, Kevin Osburn, reflects on the response they received from the community residents.
Osburn noted that issues were raised in regards to concerns about parking in the area of the square. Osburn says that some of those concerns are related to downtown merchant’s who are worried about parking spots that will be taken away from their customers that will in turn affect their businesses.
Osburn explains that after the firmed studied the parking layout on downtown square they learned that about 12 current parking spaces are not in compliance with state code out of approximately 51 spaces. In the conceptual design they have proposed a total of 48 parking spaces.
While members of the community reviewed the conceptual designs some expressed different concerns by questioning the need of the improvement in general.
Jasper resident, Linda Burke, says it’s a matter of what the community is considering a priority, she says the ideas are aesthetically pleasing but wonders if they are a necessity.
Jasper officials including Redevelopment Commission Board President and councilman, John Bell, and fellow council member, Earl Schmitt, elaborated on the significance these improvement will hold as they highlight historical downtown trademarks such as the Astra Theatre and the potential to bring in more people to contribute to Jasper’s growth.
For more information, please visit: JasperCourthouseSquare.com
