BRIGHT IDEA: UPGRADED STREET LIGHTS COMING TO HAARIG AREA

The 400 and 500 blocks of Good Hope Street should look considerably brighter within the next two weeks.

Union Electric will replace the existing lights in the two-block area with brighter high-pressure sodium lights, members of the Haarig Area Development Association were told Thursday night. Twelve people attended the meeting.

The new lights, requested by the association and installed at no cost, will raise lighting to the level of the 600 block, association President Dennis Meyer said.

Meyer said the association also wants to get lighting levels increased along William and Morgan Oak streets all the way east to the river.

The association plans to provide the city with a list of blocks where the lighting is most inadequate throughout the area.

"The focus is in the central business district, but we're trying to plant a seed for the neighborhoods, too," Meyer said.

The meeting Thursday was the third for the new group, which was formed to promote development and preservation in the area.

Haarig (pronounced haric) is the historical German name for the district bounded by the river on the east and Pacific Street on the west, by College Street on the south and by parts of Independence and William streets on the north.

The members discussed a tentative plan, forwarded by realtor Thomas L. Meyer, to hold a Haarig festival sometime during the year complete with bratwurst and beer in an attempt to bring people back into the area.

Some darkly joked that there might not be much to show people at the rate buildings are coming down.

Many of those at the meeting want to do something to halt the trend toward demolishing historic buildings in the area.

"Nine buildings have come down in the last two years," said John Wyman, who owns Mollies Cafe and Bar.

"It's almost hard to see where it's going to go."

The old Orpheum Theatre, located at 615 Good Hope and built in 1917, was demolished last year. Slated for demolition to make way for a new Salvation Army headquarters is the Farmers and Merchants Bank building at 701 Good Hope.

Two members of the association plan to appeal for help at the next meeting of the city's Historic Preservation Commission.

Added Hillary Schmittzehe, executive director of VIP Industries: "I don't think we need to tear down anything more of value."

But Wyman cautioned that "we cannot recreate the community that was there." Revitalizing the area will require "people working and living and breathing down there."

Elected to the association's first board Thursday were Bob Blank, John Essner, Walter Joe Ford, Vince Kelley, Dennis Meyer, Thomas L. Meyer, Hillary Schmittzehe, Sam Unnerstall and John Wyman.

The association's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the VIP Industries Building on Highway 74.