A Delightfully Different Future for Altoona’s Olde Town

You know where to go for a delightfully different, charmingly quirky, and instantly unforgettable off-beat adventure, but what if we told you a vision for more is in the works in your favorite Iowa city?

We have some exciting news! We’re lookin’ at you, Olde Town.

This fall, Altoona leaders and businesses came together for an “Olde Town Charm Farm-to-Table” event to discuss the vision for the future of Olde Town – this came after the reveal of the Downtown Assessment conducted by the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IEDA).

The Olde Town Farm-to-Table event was hosted by the Altoona Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Prairie Meadows, Legacy Bank, Iowa Realty, The Insurance Station, Inside Out Chiropractic, and Bank Iowa.

The City of Altoona and the Altoona Chamber of Commerce have been working together to envision an even more fun and exciting Olde Town experience for residents and visitors alike. This includes pedestrian- and bike-friendly accessibility, restaurants and coffee shops, and entertainment attractions for families and nightlife.

Note: This is a site plan with potential ideas for the revitalization of Olde Town. These are not the final plans for the downtown space.

In August 2020, IEDA conducted interviews, toured the community and surrounding areas, and provided a comprehensive report of their findings –this included artist renderings of new possibilities for the future of Olde Town and the additional attractions it can bring to the community.

There are amazing organizations and businesses in the Olde Town neighborhood from the Altoona Historic Society to coffee roasters, attorneys & salons – the community is looking to build upon this area to provide an opportunity for even more businesses to settle in and serve the community and visitors who travel to town for a weekend getaway with the fam, a shopping spree with the girls or a night out on the town.

With more than 4 million people visiting our city each year, and standing as central Iowa’s premier entertainment destination, the City of Altoona and the Chamber of Commerce wants to bring all parts of Altoona to life for off-beat adventures visitors of all ages can enjoy.

We’ll keep you posted as news continues with Altoona’s Olde Town. Thanks for reading!

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