CLARKSVILLE, In. (WDRB) -- Once the engine of Clarksville, Indiana's economy, Eastern Boulevard is now sputtering. But there's a new effort to re-start this important business corridor.
Clarksville officials are holding a meeting tonight to get the public's ideas on fixing Eastern Boulevard.
In its heyday, it was called Clarksville's Miracle Mile. Now, parts of Eastern Boulevard look more like the Morbid Mile: boarded businesses, crumbling parking lots, decaying buildings.
Clarksville has developed thriving business zones, Veterans Parkway and here, Lewis and Clark Parkway. But it has come at the expense of Eastern Boulevard.
"And the unintended effect with the revitalization of Lewis and Clark and Veterans was that it has drawn business focus away from this corridor," said Clarksville Town Council President John Gilkey.
In 2010, the Clarksville Town Council spent $6 million to widen and improve the street itself. Now, it has hired a consultant to look at ways to deal with the problem properties.
"If we don't do something with the Eastern Boulevard corridor, as it stands now, it's going to continue to ... it's going to diminish. We have to turn that process around," said Gilkey.
The town has already purchased part of the old Value City property for possible use by the school system.
"A portion of that building can become what they call a high tech school and that becomes a magnet school for Clarksville Community Schools," said Gilkey.
Rosalie Lamping hopes the town's efforts are an economic magnet. She has owned a business on Eastern Boulevard for more than 50 years.
"This is just like a shot in the arm to all the business people here. Knowing that our town really cares about us."
The town hopes to have a plan by year's end to turn this eyesore into an asset.
"We're in an area that we would like to become a gateway for Clarksville," said Gilkey.
City officials met Tuesday to discuss the situation at Clarksville's town hall, and school officials were set to meet next week to discuss the proposed high-tech magnet school.
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