By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,707)

The public is invited to attend a workshop on the India Street corridor on Wednesday, February 12th from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Merrill Rehearsal Hall, Portland.  The purpose is to get your input on the area for a consultant who will be visiting Portland and making  her recommendations at a follow-up public meeting the next evening at a different Portland location.

Michele Reeves, of Civilis Consultants, Portland, OR., will be here to help us take a look at India Street to give us some ideas of what we can do to improve commerce right now, as well as think about our authentic identity and how that should inform growth for the future.  The public is invited so Reeves can learn more from you about the story India Street is telling now, the story it used to tell and the story it would like to tell in the future.

Reeves looks at revitalization through the lens of story because every place tells a story 24 hours a day, whether it wants to or not.  She is going to hep us understand our story and evaluate where it is helping and where it is hindering India Street.  Through her work we are going to get a stronger idea of how to position the district for improvement and Reeves will leave us with practical ideas that can be implemented as soon as tomorrow.

Her final recommendations will be drawn directly from your feedback so we hope you will come on Thursday, February 13 for her follow-up presentation.  It will be held at SMRT, l44 Fore Street, from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm in the large conference room according to a  press release issued by Caitlin Cameron, Urban Designer, for the City of Portland.  Please contact her at 874-8910 or at ccameron@portlandmaine.gov for more details.