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Hastings planning commission hears proposed “Heartbeat” creative district for downtown public art
Summary
Development services director presented a Heartbeat creative district plan to foster public art, performances and downtown activation; staff outlined funding sources and an RFP-based public-art process and answered commissioner questions about zoning, sites and amenities.
On Sept. 16, 2025, the Hastings City Planning Commission heard a staff presentation on a proposed downtown public-art and placemaking initiative called the Heartbeat creative district. Kevin Cubel, the city’s development services director, described the district’s mission "to support artists, businesses, and visitors alike through being a place where creativity and community merge to inspire, engage, [and] enhance the vitality of Downtown Hastings."
Cubel said the plan maps a broad boundary for the district and identifies different public-art treatments — murals, sculptures and crosswalk art — tied to site characteristics and visibility. "We do have a large, large district to cover," he told commissioners, and said the city intends to use RFPs for artists, implement maintenance and conservation agreements, and pursue funding from local sources, a community foundation and state creative-district and community-development grants.
Commissioners asked about several boundary and zoning choices. One commissioner questioned why a square block in an I-2 (industrial) area was included; Cubel responded that the site’s high visibility may make it a good mural location. Other commissioners observed that northern blocks may be more suitable for music and performance activities near churches and the Hastings Music Academy rather than murals, and Cubel said those areas could receive crosswalk art or small sculptures.
Speakers also suggested infrastructure that could support the district, including a small outdoor stage to host performances and sculptural bike racks to improve bicycle parking downtown. Cubel said an art crawl and performances are possible once the district is established and that artist-designed bike racks could be funded if initial feedback is positive.
The presentation was informational; no action was taken and staff said it would return with more details. The commission did not vote on the district during the Sept. 16 meeting.
