MASON CITY – Main Street Mason City’s Marty Walsh painted a rosy picture for the city council Tuesday night on development in downtown Mason City.
Since May, Walsh listed several new businesses coming to the downtown area as well as some building renovations that have taken place, most notably Market 124, located at 124 North Delaware.
Walsh said that there are more businesses on the way, including a brewing company that will make its own beer, said to be the first of its kind in Mason City in over 100 years. It will be located on East State Street.
Walsh laid out some “fascinating” stats for the council from an annual review of his program from Main Street Iowa: He says in the downtown business district since 2004, there have been 53 net business starts, expansions, and/or relocations; 155 full-time equivalent jobs created; 63 building renovations and rehabs; and 19 buildings sold.
Walsh said that private investment in the downtown business district has totaled $25,359,324 since 2004.
Walsh also said the a facade program that will help rehab other downtown buildings/businesses, like the Suzie Q, for example, has no “solid timeline” but the details are “minor” that are being dealt with at this time. “We do expect 2-3 weeks for plans to be approved,” he said, and then construction may be able to begin.
The mission of Main Street Mason City is to “preserve, enhance, and promote downtown Mason City as a business, cultural and residential destination for the benefit of the entire community.”
Watch video presentation:
httpv://youtu.be/Wh-Y3fN9ihM
So the new brewery is Marty’s right? Why not say that in the item?
No Lucy, Marty is not an owner of the new brewery. He is drinking buddies with all of them, though.
I don’t believe this fellows statistics at all.
$25,359,324 since 2004 is impossible. I can’t see see where that kind of money was invested. You are going to have to show me in writing where 25 million dollars have been spent on new property.
That would also mean an additional $800,000 of tax revenue coming in. I don’t see that increase in additional tax revenue either.
If he is including someone buying a building in downtown that is not an investment in the downtown.
A dollar invested in a property does not necessarily mean an increase in the taxable value of a property or resale value of a property. Also, some of that private investment was to do deferred maintenance and that type of work definitely doesn’t raise the taxable value but is money invested.
He is probably counting the Vision Iowa money spent on the Park in and Street Scape. All paid for with state taxes not private investment. Even Moreman’s remodel was party paid for with our taxes. Just another line of B.S.
I meant Park Inn-you know, the old whore house we spent millions on so the elite would have a place to go without having to deal with us commoners.
Oh so true. Perfect description.
I think Kim alluded to a good point. Offer up those stats to show exactly who moved in, their sales, and document the 155 jobs established, as well as what their pay rates are?
Mind you, he is talking about an eight year period. That is a rate of 19 jobs per year.
Now let us examine the job stats in Mason City. Adding 19 jobs equals less than one percent of the work force. There is 6.2% currently unemployed. We don’t know what their wages are, but I would assume they are less than $45,000 per year.
So his rosey outlook really does not have much substance, much less impact.
Just with the booming local business climate and all the wannabe downtown businesses in waiting it’s obvious there is more than enough tax revenue for more statues and other fine artwork downtown. Robin could have easily scored $40 million for her funky looking art-junk.
hahahahahahah Mr. Walsh talk to some of the new businesses about your ‘rosy’ picture.
Your a immature kid, who owns nothing.
I second that.
You’re a name caller who cant spell.
Kim, spitting venom.
Please expand on your very mature response. I’d like to hear the other side of the story. What did you own and how fast did it fail?