Downtown St. Joseph may offer as much potential as any city center in Missouri and the Midwest.

Through a unique combination of history and location, the region appears poised for dramatic growth. To give this potential a push, backers of downtown St. Joseph are tackling a comprehensive re-development strategy that seeks to build on the area's considerable past and ensure a dynamic future.

Downtown St. Joseph is part of an interconnected series of developments that are under way from the St. Joe Frontier Casino south to the former stockyard area, a distance of more than two miles. Usually called the Western Edge, this area's development ranges from a riverfront park in the north to industrial locations in the south. Downtown St. Joseph forms the center of these diverse efforts.

Downtown St. Joseph offers many amenities often associated with larger communities. The Civic Arena was the subject of major remodeling in 1999 to enhance the wide range of regional and even national events hosted there. These range from area music shows to sports activities, including several teams that draw fans from Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

Nearby, the Missouri Theater annually draws more than 500,000 people to St. Joseph's surprising range of fine arts programs. The Theater also hosts events such as the Miss Missouri and Miss Missouri Teen pageants.

Like many St. Joseph efforts, the downtown program involves teamwork. The St. Joseph Downtown Partnership serves as the umbrella organization with representatives from the Downtown Merchants, city of St. Joseph and others. The group in 2001 completed a comprehensive examination of the area's resources and potential. One finding called for more clearly defined "gateways" into downtown. Funds are being assembled to construct the first of these gateways.

The Downtown Partnership has also tackled a fund-raising project to rebuild the historic facade of a local building damaged by fire. Overall, the group is working to improve the pedestrian friendliness of the area along with the overall look and feel. More recently, plans have been unveiled for a program similar to Kansas City's Exchange City, a hands-on learning center for young people.

The downtown effort received a boost in November with passage of a capital improvement tax, proof that St. Joseph citizens are willing to support improvements. One of the first targets for this effort will be a stretch of Felix Street, which will receive landscaping improvements and changes designed to make the area more pedestrian friendly.

Because of its location, downtown St. Joseph has long served as a focus for a range of special events and activities, drawing an audience not only from Missouri, but Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. These events range from Trails West! sponsored by the Allied Arts Council to the Fourth of July celebration.

The downtown area has found another outlet in recent years through the growing interest in history and arts. Antique and craft sales have made a visible impact in the area. The result is a unique concentration of boutiques, specialty shops, restaurants, antique stores and nightclubs. A final plus for downtown St. Joseph is the easy access. The connecting link of I-229 offers a direct, four-lane connection to and from I-29.

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graphic content without permission is prohibited. | Destination Saint Joseph is a supplement to Ingram's Magazine