MUNCIE — Fewer than 1,000 people live in the core of Muncie's downtown right now. But city officials say their goal is to greatly increase the number of people living in the heart of the city.
The latest downtown population counts — including people who live there and work there — were shared with city officials recently. The numbers came from Vicki Veach of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, who asked the Muncie Redevelopment Commission to continue its financial support of the downtown group.
The MRC voted to approve the $80,000 in annual funding that Veach requested. The outcome wasn't really in doubt, considering that Veach and the MRC work have worked closely in the past few years.
Out of Veach's presentation, however, came some fairly recent and updated numbers that paint a picture of downtown that officials say they would like to improve.
Veach said a recent downtown census indicated that 919 people live in the core area of downtown bounded by Liberty Street, Madison Street, the railroad tracks on downtown's south side and the White River.
"That 900 residents, our goal is to double that," MRC director Todd Donati said.
To do that will almost certainly mean new housing construction.
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