Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement has partnered with the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation to help revitalize downtown Washington, Indiana. Instead of hiring costly consultants, local leaders have relied on research and recommendations from IU faculty and students to inform their economic development plans.
Bob Grewe, executive director of the Daviess County Economic Development Corp. and an IU Bloomington alumnus, highlighted the impact of a $3.1 million community venue called The Commons in drawing people downtown for events such as farmers markets and concerts. He noted that a lively main street is needed to encourage visitors to spend more time in the area.
The collaboration between IU and Daviess County is part of the Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative, which has involved 27 revitalization projects led by IU faculty and students alongside local organizations and Purdue Extension Community Development.
“There are over 25 engagements on these boards, and we wouldn’t have been able to explore those topic areas without Indiana University,” said Grewe while marking one year of partnership with IU.
Cindy Barber, community development educator for Purdue Extension, added: “The community truly appreciates how our universities collaborate to connect and mobilize resources for rural areas such as Washington and Daviess counties.”
A key project matched students from the Kelley School of Business’s Center for Real Estate Studies with local officials to address vacant storefronts in Washington. The group was led by Keith Dayton, a senior lecturer who grew up in the town. Reflecting on its past vibrancy, Dayton said: “It had all the amenities you could want — right on Main Street, where you could shop for anything and everything, a place that was alive with the community.”
Daviess County maintains a strong industrial base but has seen smaller retailers leave over time. The county’s Discover Downtown Washington initiative aims to foster entrepreneurship while highlighting historic assets.
IU student Ethan Daniel Neal explained that their team wanted “to provide something that hadn’t been thought of before” after learning about previous efforts by local officials. To better understand community needs, Dayton brought students directly into town for hands-on research.
“They take a topic that’s floundering and no one seems to know which end to grab it, and then you have the students weigh in,” said Grewe. “Their recommendations were embraced, and I heard people say, ‘We’ve got the IU students working down here,’ and you could hear the energy in their voices and anticipation. I’ve never seen things go from class project to implementation that quickly.”
Students identified several competitive advantages for downtown: historical character, affordable rents, loyal residents supporting local businesses—especially restaurants—and opportunities created by new laws favorable to breweries.
The student report recommended innovative lease structures designed to reduce risk for landlords renting space to new entrepreneurs while maintaining revenue streams. It also emphasized educating both landlords and tenants about grants or tax credits available through state agencies as well as marketing strategies like boosting digital presence or hosting special events such as Downtown Discovery Day.
Neal summarized his experience: “The biggest takeaway for me was just how important real estate is in building communities. People want to be proud of where they are from, and having a cultural center like downtown Washington creates that hometown pride.”
Grewe began implementing some proposals soon after receiving them—including organizing more events downtown—and reported quick results when a vendor announced plans for a new location on Main Street within weeks.
“Having a fresh pair of eyes was so valuable because it gave us some clarity and capacity without the pressure that would come from hiring consultants and straining the budget,” Grewe said.
Other recent initiatives involving IU students included developing a digital history trail; tackling childcare shortages; designing beautification plans; improving bicycle/pedestrian safety; among others. Over 20 county organizations have worked with 550 participants from various IU schools such as O’Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs; School of Public Health-Bloomington; Luddy School of Informatics; Eskenazi School of Art Architecture + Design.
“In the absence of Indiana University, I’d think we’d be significantly behind where we are now,” Grewe stated.
To date, Sustaining Hoosier Communities has helped complete 140 projects across six counties (Daviess, Dubois, Greene Lawrence Orange Washington). Through another program—the Rural Placemaking Studio—businesses statewide collaborate with IU faculty/students on art/design projects like creating signage.
As renewal progresses along Main Street near The Commons venue downtown Washington continues moving toward its vision for quality-of-life improvements intended both retain existing families attract newcomers according Grewe: The partnership “signals that Washington and Daviess County are serious about developing quality-of-life amenities that are essential to retaining and attracting families to our community.”
