AMES, Iowa — The Ames Mainstreet organization has presented a vision for downtown Ames to improve the area as one of the city’s neighborhoods.

Ames Mainstreet hired the firm Bolton & Menk to conduct a study. Meetings were held along with surveys to find out more about the Ames downtown area. The survey covered the community from north of the railroad tracks to seventh street, and from Grand to Duff.

Last week the group presented their study to the Ames City Council.

“The Vision Plan for downtown Ames is really a reimagining of what this area looks like for the next 10 or 15 years,” said Travis Toliver, The Ames Main Street Director. “We’re taking a look at different ideas regarding the public space opportunities, for new development opportunities, for development with existing buildings which are already in place.”

Toliver said they hope to connect Ames with different parts of the city. Also there are some new amenities coming online soon, the Schainker Plaza, by City Hall, and the new Fitch Family Aquatic Center just west of downtown along Lincoln Way.

“This is really visioning of the future of downtown, aesthetically, urban-living wise, connecting the downtown with other areas of the community, connecting with ISU more,” said Toliver. “I’m just trying to find ways that we can better enhance the downtown area so that it’s a true destination for visitors and citizens alike.”

Ames is known for its historic downtown, and unique shops. The study showed that more housing is needed, and possibly a new hotel. One hotel is on the drawing boards for just south of downtown on Lincoln Way.

“Statistically on a national average is about 5% of your full-time population should be living downtown and we certainly don’t have that in Ames,” said Toliver. “This plan represents opportunities where developers could come in and provide more housing to support all the infrastructure of the businesses that we have already existing in downtown.” 

Efforts to support Main Street could include businesses which want to locate here.

Brittni Reifschneider, of Main Street Family Wellness chose to locate her business from Des Moines to downtown Ames. She and her group do mental health counseling and medication management for children.

“We wanted to come to Ames to help serve the Ames community just because they’re lacking some mental health opportunities for care,” said Reifschneider. “We just love how personable the downtown feel is. It’s just like being in a small town.”

The idea of the new downtown study is to see projects being developed in and around Ames downtown.

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