If you’ve dined at The Townhouse in Seymour recently, you might have noticed a new street sign at Fourth and Mill streets.
Just down the way near Voss Funeral Home, city workers are digging holes in preparation of installing more of the old-fashioned, black, cast iron signposts.
In all, 31 new street signs are going up in and around downtown Seymour, thanks to a project planned, designed and funded by Seymour Main Street.
The signs cost just more than $31,000 and are a visible way to help designate the downtown shopping district and to give the area a unified appearance, said Julie Huff, executive director of Seymour Main Street.
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“It’s something that has an immediate impact on the downtown,” she said. “It helps beautify the area and draws attention.”
A big portion of the cost was paid for by last year’s Dancing with the Seymour Stars fundraiser, which supports Seymour Main Street and Boys and Girls Club of Seymour. That event raised nearly $100,000.
This year’s Dancing with the Seymour Stars is at 7 p.m. today at Celebrations and is sold out. A matinee performance will be at 2 p.m. today. Tickets are $25 at the door.
“We appreciate the partnership with the Boys and Girls Club and the support of the dancers and those who donate to help fund our projects,” Huff said.
Additional funding for the street signs came from the Community Foundation of Jackson County, the Greater Seymour Trust Fund, Schneck Medical Center and private donations, Huff said.
“The city also has donated the labor to put them up,” she said. “I want to thank Mayor (Craig) Luedeman and Doug Gregory at the Department of Public Works for helping us. There are so many partners involved.”
Seymour Main Street member Jim Noelker, owner of Westwind Signs, designed the “period” signs, which match ones that designate city parking lots. Those also were funded by Seymour Main Street.
“Our committee went through the design process, and Jim designed the signs to make sure we got what we wanted to match with our historic design plans,” Huff said. “If you look at the parking lot signs, it ties everything together.”
Some areas along U.S. 50 (Tipton Street) and State Road 11 (South Walnut Street) will not get the new signs because of Indiana Department of Transportation guidelines and restrictions.
Besides the street signs, Seymour Main Street also is working on redevelopment plans to attract new businesses downtown and green space development, Huff said.
The street sign project could be expanded to include more neighborhoods, she said.
“We’ve been getting great feedback on what we’re doing,” Huff said. “But we’re always looking for new opportunities to enhance the downtown and for feedback and ideas from the community.”
