Greening Downtown

VINCENNES, IND. (WTHi) -      A Wabash Valley community's downtown is turning a lot greener.

     During this year Vincennes has added 3 green spaces to its downtown.

     The projects are in various stages of development and at least one of them may not last.

     In the past 12 months the old Gimbel Corner has gone from the orange glow of a late night firey disaster to a brown pile of rubble, to a new green space brimming with fall color.

     The change cost $128,000 and took 3 different groups to get it done.

     "Between the university and the hospital and the redevelopment commission the clean up happily is done," said R.D.C. member Marc McNeece.

     Gimbel Corner isn't the only greening going on downtown.

     German American has built a small green space near its offices.

     The Urban Enterprise Association's pocket park along Main Street though is getting off to a slow start.

     "There used to be a printing company in there and we have to do another soil test and because of that we've been delayed about 6 to 8 weeks," said Shirley Rose with the U.E.A.

     While the brown, pocket park is crawling forward, the green finished work at Gimbel Corner may not be the last color seen there.

     Compared to what was there just a month ago Gimbel Corner looks beautiful, but officials here say this green space may not last.

     "We have 17 acres of green space at the National Park over there," said McNeece.  "Those visitors that go to the National Park, I want them to spend some money here and that's an available lot to develop and that's a perfect place for it."

     So, even though this downtown may be getting greener, the color of money will ultimately shape what happens there.
 
     The former Gimbel lot is still involved in litigation and it could be some time before it hits the market.