BOWLING GREEN/SOUTHCENTRAL KENTUCKY THRIVE A proile of a growing, vibrant community Foundations Area communities – and the opportunities they ofer – are growing and changing with the times •Downtowns across southcentral Kentucky are enjoying renaissances. PAGE 2 •In recent decades, WKU’s campus has undergone a transformation. PAGE 7 •Bowling Green’s religious diversity fosters a range of perspectives. PAGE 9 The irst in a four-part series Coming April 16: A look at working in the region. 2 Sunday, April 9, 2017 Thrive Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky A great American comeback story By DEBORAH HIGHLAND • [email protected] nce the heart of small- town America, many downtowns fell out of “I’m sold on the redevelopment of our popularity and into disre- pair in the 1970s and 80s downtown area. It’s important to our O but after years of pres- community. It’s where we grew from. We ervation efforts through Main Street programs and other revi- never really left it. But it lost its glitter.” talization initiatives, downtowns are the comeback kids. Ron Murphy Historic theaters, downtown liv- ing, shopping, dining and entertain- Bowling Green Downtown Redevelopment Authority director ment venues have all played a part in breathing new life into southcentral Kentucky’s historic downtowns. businesses, and all are wrapped around town Russellville celebrates its histo- “I’m sold on the redevelopment of a large parking structure. ry every year with the Logan County our downtown area,” Bowling Green Across the street is the SOKY Tobacco and Heritage Festival high- Downtown Redevelopment Authority Farmer’s Market and the Southern lighted by the Jesse James bank rob- director Ron Murphy said. “It’s import- Kentucky Performing Arts Center. bery re-enactment on the square. ant to our community. It’s where we Additional apartments are under con- “It’s a very historical town,” said grew from. We never really left it. But struction downtown. Tammy Tinsley, executive director of it lost its glitter.” “That will stimulate more private Logan County Chamber of Commerce. With the revitalization of the Capitol development,” Murphy said of having It has been the subject of debate over Arts Center in 1981, downtown downtown residents. “It’s very import- the years if James was actually pres- Bowling Green began its push to bring ant to have living facilities in this ent during the Nimrod Long Banking back the magic, he said. downtown area.” Company robbery nearly 150 years “It’s an icon,” he said of the old The DRA along with the city helped ago. History is more certain that gang Vaudeville house. “It’s a jewel of plan and develop Circus Square Park members Cole Younger, Frank James, downtown.” and the adjacent property, a former car George Shepherd and Jim Young were Another jewel is the fountain in the dealership that is now home to a florist, participants. middle of Fountain Square Park. La Gala, Peace Presbyterian Church Whatever the case, the bank robbery While the downtown area lost many and Gallery 916. is remembered every year during the large merchants such as Woolworth’s, “We happen to be in a path of tre- festival that draws hundreds into down- Sears and Pushins in the 1970s and mendous growth and I don’t see any town Russellville. 80s, several new boutique stores pop- end to that,” Murphy said. “With our square the way it is, it’s in ulate the storefronts along with restau- Part of that growth is attributed to the walking distance of a lot of different rants, bars and coffee shops. Many of tremendous number of events offered areas,” Tinsley said. the historic buildings offer downtown downtown and throughout Bowling Through the city’s Main Street pro- living spaces above the retail areas. Green that attract tourists. gram, Russellville just completed the In addition to the old and revitalized, Murphy is hopeful that as the U.S. second phase of sidewalk reconstruc- a great deal of new development is also Postal Service works toward moving tion around the square and new light- expanding the offerings in Bowling its downtown post office, it will pick ing. Green. The Bowling Green Ballpark another site to remain downtown. He “The park is just beautiful,” Tinsley just off of the square is home to the believes a downtown postal facility is said of the downtown square park with Hot Rods baseball team, the Class vital to the continued growth trajectory. its fountain. “We have a lot of nice A Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Murphy would also like to see an office lighting downtown as well. It’s a home- Surrounding the ballpark is Stadium supply store and drugstore downtown town feel. It’s place where everybody Park Plaza, home to Mariah’s restau- to serve the people who are both living knows they can go to and it’s safe. We rant, 643 sports bar and Starbucks. The and working there. upper levels are leased to a variety of In neighboring Logan County, down- See DOWNTOWNS, 3 ON THE COVER DOWNTOWNS Top photo: Horsemen Top: Southern Kentucky re-enact the 1868 robbery Performing Arts Center of Nimrod Long Banking employee Gerald White Co. during the Logan changes marquee letters County Tobacco and at the Capitol Arts Cen- Heritage Festival in Rus- ter on Fountain Square sellville. Bottom photo: in Bowling Green. Left: Hundreds of people ill Antique cars and trucks downtown Bowling Green line the streets during the for Downtown Lights Up Southern Ky Region An- at Fountain Square Park tique Car Show & Festival on Dec. 2. on the Square in Franklin. DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTOS DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTOS Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky Thrive Sunday, April 9, 2017 3 DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTOS Above: People enter the Plaza Theatre in downtown Glasgow. Below: A more than decade-long effort helped renovate Scottsville’s Square with the addition of landscaping, pavers, lighting, sidewalks and handrails. From Page 2 DOWNTOWNS have a lot of shops around the square. Shops include a drugstore, home decor store, Lost River Creamery and boutiques. A new ice cream parlor is slated to open in June. The old Fourth Street theater is also partially renovated and used for events like wedding receptions, she said. Downtown Glasgow has also seen significant revitalization particularly with the renovation of the historic Plaza Theatre. Opened in 1934, the atmo- spheric theater with the indoor appear- ance of a European garden was in use until the 1970s and then infrequently until it fell into disrepair in 1990s. The city bought the theater, restored it and reopened it in 2006. City Commissioner Larry Dixon said. city meetings in its downtown City The Plaza has drawn popular acts, Dixon is also the president of Franklin- Hall because the building is not ADA including Charlie Daniels, Jamie Simpson Renaissance. complaint. Phelps believes bringing Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Wynona “We’re excited about using (the the city’s business meetings back into Judd and Travis Tritt. music) around the holidays,” he said. downtown will be a boost to the area. In addition to the Plaza, downtown “It could also be used as a PA system Morgantown is also in the process of Glasgow offers a variety of shopping for a tornado. Renaissance did that. marketing and branding itself to attract and eating establishments. The Bounty That was in January. If you get out and new businesses and visitors. of the Barrens Farmers Market is held listen, you can here soft music paying. “We want people to want to come on the west side of the square from 8 It will recycle about every two hours. here and visit the quality of life in a a.m until noon on Saturdays from April It’s got a lot of different types of music. small area that is still moving forward,” through October. It’s turned on at 8 a.m. and turned off at Phelps said. Not far from the square is the 4:30 p.m. That’s a real nice addition to “We created a downtown develop- Museum of the Barrens South Central downtown.” ment committee just to look at what we Kentucky Cultural Center that offers Renaissance also sponsors con- can do to bring business back to Main changing exhibits and preserves arti- certs on the square between June and Street,” he said. facts from the area. August, he said. The group is considering concerts, About a 30-minute drive away sits Like many other downtowns, special events, markets and festivals. Scottsville, the county seat of Allen Franklin has a historic theater, the Phelps liked the idea of Franklin- County and a place where it seems time Roxy, an art deco period theater that Simpson Renaissance installing speak- has almost stood still. has been reconfigured into a special ers to play soft music downtown. Downtown storefronts are occupied events venue. “We’re going to be ordering new with everything from florists and home “That’s been a real asset to Franklin,” banners for our poles. We’d like to try furnishing businesses to churches, a Dixon said. discount retailer, a funeral parlor and “We work real hard at taking care of to do a trifold handout” to market the new restaurant dubbed The Farmacy. our downtown, making sure it looks city, he said. The city square has been set up to be nice and appealing and pleasing,” Dixon Morgantown recently took over a a walkable area and a pocket park was said. “The cherry blossoms around the three-story downtown building on built just off the square on South Court square will bloom soon.