OPELOUSAS, La. — The Opelousas Downtown Development District is preparing a master plan that will outline how the area will look at feel in the next few years. "Community members will be asked from broad scopes to provide input into what that should and could look like, there will be a lot of work going on in the next four, five, and six months to get us to that point", says Bill Rodier, CEO/Director of the St. Landry Economic Development Group. The District's board aims to look at things like roads, lighting, sidewalks, and building improvements, all geared towards revitalizing the once thriving district.
"If we improve that artery infrastructure north, south, east, and west throughout the downtown area, we'll continue to boost investor confidence in downtown, residential growth in downtown, and really be that catalyst for growth from that infrastructure outside", adds Rodier. The plan will also be geared towards breathing life into buildings vacated by businesses that once filled the downtown area. "One of the business owners on that side of the street, she says she couldn't remember when all of the shops and businesses there were occupied", explains Opelousas Tourism & Mainstreet Director Melanie Leboeuf.
Residents in Opelousas are encouraged to provide their input and they can do that on March 3rd at City Hall at 6 p.m.
