If the Campustown Action Association is successful in its goals, Campustown will soon be a part of a statewide support initiative for urban neighborhoods through the Main Street Iowa program.

The returning association was an active force in Campustown for many years, but it disbanded about four years ago. Now students, business owners and the Campustown Students Association are working hard to bring it back to life.

The Action Association held its first meeting of the year Wednesday in the Campanile room of the Memorial Union, where it outlined its goals, including the effort to have Campustown designated an official Urban Neighborhood District.

Chandra Peterson, junior in political science and president of the Campustown Students Association, said the effort seeks to replicate some of the success of Ames’ Main Street Cultural District, which has been a member of Main Street Iowa since May 2009.

Clint Sloss, graduate student in community and regional planning, has been working on the Main Street Iowa application and emphasized that Campustown needs more than just a designation.

“This is not going to be a quick fix — a silver bullet,” Sloss said.

But the resources offered to member districts could help transform Campustown. Benefits of membership include consulting services, collaboration with other similar districts throughout Iowa and training from experts.

“The caliber of training you get is top — you can’t beat it,” said Jayne McGuire, director of the Main Street Cultural District.

The application for the district is due in May, but in order for it to be submitted, three years of funding for the district needs to be in place — either raised or pledged.

Since each district is required to have a full-time neighborhood director, the group must raise about $150,000 by May.

Peterson said some of these funds could possibly come from contributions from the city or university; however, the Campustown Action Association needs to be strong, stable and in a position to apply.

“[Campustown Action Association] needs to be a stable group that can ask for that money,” Peterson said.

Other Action Association projects

The Campustown Action Association was re-formed about a year ago with the hope of applying for the Main Street Iowa designation.

“That was actually probably our only purpose when we started,” said Chandra Peterson, Campustown Students Association president.

But along the way, the group has picked up other projects too. Some of the ideas being explored include:

• A mural being planned for the north side of the T-Galaxy building at 206 Welch Ave.
• Opportunities to clean up Campustown
• The possibility of live outdoor music in the fall and spring
• Changing metered parking in Campustown from a maximum of one hour to a maximum of two hours to allow patrons more time to shop or eat