Goal 6: Become a Cultural Center
ACTION 6C : Develop districts for arts and cultural events
LEAD And TEAM: DA, MDC

STARTUP: Year Two
ACTION TYPE: On Going
RESOURCE CATEGORY: 1, 3, 5, 7

Cultural facilities will be more attracted to Downtown Meridian if a cultural development strategy is clearly defined in the Downtown Master Plan. By designating specific subdistricts as cultural focal points, the City will greatly enhance its capacity to attract this sector. Public sector tools like zoning, parking, and streetscapes can be refined to complement cultural district needs. Development incentives like Tax Increment Financing can be used to recruit specific candidates.

The proposed Transit Village and Historic Downtown subdistricts are ideally suited to host cultural venues. The regulatory environment should be refined to ensure that these areas remain attractive for the clustering of this land use.

City Council should be asked to endorse MDC's vision for culture and entertainment in the future city center. This endorsement, combined with appropriate zoning refinements, will greatly support the recruitment and development effort.

Development of properties like the Creamery or the Nazarine Church (should it be made available for sale) could go far in creating momentum toward attaining this goal.

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