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Uptown Marion reports growth, visitor counts and placemaking strategies in 2024 update
Summary
Uptown Marion staff told the council that the Main Street program and local revitalization yielded increased visits, business support and events in 2024, and outlined placemaking, business curation and organizational strengthening as priorities for 2025.
Lacey Scherger, Uptown Marion director, told the Marion City Council on Feb. 18 that Uptown Marion recorded roughly 1.5 million visits in the prior year (about 312,000 unique visitors per Placer AI mobile-device estimates) and highlighted new business supports and events in 2024.
Sch erger presented state-level Main Street statistics, noting nearly $2.8 billion invested in Main Street buildings across Iowa, and described three strategies guiding Uptown Marion in 2025: placemaking, business curation and building an inclusive, sustainable organization. She said housing conversion and upper-story occupancy—a frequent challenge nationally—have not been a local problem for Uptown Marion.
The presentation included program wins such as the continued growth of events (more than 30 in 2024), success for local businesses competing in state small‑business competitions, and partnerships that divert materials from landfill through recycling and reuse programs.
Council discussion Council members thanked Scherger for her work during her first six months in the role and asked about surprises and operational challenges. Scherger said parking and trash issues have consumed a portion of her time and emphasized the importance of listening to long-standing community members before acting on initiatives. She also described Uptown’s business retention-and-expansion (BRE) practice: direct outreach, on‑the‑street engagement and referrals to resources such as Kirkwood and NewBoCo when businesses report concerns.
Ending Sch erger said Uptown will continue placemaking and relationship work with property owners and leasing agents to attract complementary businesses and support existing merchants; no formal council action was recorded.
