History of the Hastings BID
The Business Improvement District (BID) was established by the Hastings City Council in 1986 to address concerns over a large number of vacancies and numerous maintenance issues throughout the Central Business District. This forward thinking group realized the importance of creating a staffed organization whose charge was to build "political will" for downtown revitalization. The City of Hastings funded a Downtown Master Plan which produced a number of privately funded revitalization projects and provided the "spark" for a publicly funded Street Improvement Plan. Over an eight year period, 10 blocks of downtown streets were reconstructed providing new sewer lines, water lines, streets, sidewalks, and lighting.
Over the past three decades the City of Hastings, BID Board, Community Redevelopment Authority, downtown property owners and developers have been working hand in hand to "restore economic value" to the Central Business District. In an era where many Midwest downtowns have suffered, Hastings Downtown District continues to buck the trend by staying vibrant. Downtown and community leaders realized long ago that "no one else will save your downtown." Only local leaders can produce long-term success by committing public and private dollars to the revitalization effort.
As the revitalization effort in Hastings has matured, this has paved the way for more substantial and higher quality projects which seem to be changing some attitudes about the "value" of property in the downtown area. If the projects that are coming on line are an indication, the downtown area should continue to see an increase in "value" for years to come.