[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 111 (Thursday, September 8, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9827-S9828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    GREENFIELD, IOWA, REVITALIZATION

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, one of the greatest challenges we 
face not just in Iowa but all across America--is preserving the 
character and vitality of our small towns. This is about economics, but 
it is also about our culture and identity. After all, you won't find 
the heart and soul of Iowa at Wal-Mart or Home Depot out in the strip 
malls. No, the heart and soul of Iowa is in our family farms, and on 
Main Street in small communities all across my State. That is why we 
need to be as generous as possible--and creative as possible--in 
keeping our downtowns not just alive but thriving.
  As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am involved in 
funding many hundreds of programs every year. But the Main Street Iowa 
program providing challenge grants to revitalize downtown buildings 
across my State--is in a class by itself. It is smart. It is effective. 
And it touches communities and people in very concrete ways.
  For example, the citizens of Greenfield, IA, have been working hard 
to improve their downtown and their cultural opportunities. Main Street 
Greenfield was awarded a $30,000 Main Street Challenge Grant for the 
E.E. Warren Opera House Association to install an elevator. The 
$150,000 project was completed in July of this year. Other investments 
in the building have included weather proofing, outside facade 
improvements, and interior rehabilitation including theater 
restoration, installation of restrooms, mechanical and electrical 
systems, remodeling, and decorating. The Opera House, which is listed 
on the National Register of Historic Places, offers both historic and 
sentimental value to the Greenfield community. The physical size of the 
building and its architectural significance enhance the aesthetics of 
their public square. The Opera House itself serves as a social center 
for the arts, and as a site for community dances, theater performances, 
and meetings providing education in rural--folk--cultural, and fine 
arts. It also serves to draw business to Greenfield by increasing 
activity on the town square.
  The beauty of the Main Street Iowa program is that the ideas and 
initiatives come from our small towns and rural communities. I have 
been pleased to secure $1.5 million in funding since 2002 for Main 
Street Iowa Challenge Grants. The Main Street programs of the Iowa 
Department of Economic Development help provide technical assistance, 
but, as we have seen in Greenfield, success itself comes from local 
leadership, local teamwork, and home-grown ideas and solutions.

[[Page S9828]]

  This project is a shining example of new construction and a catalyst 
for future projects. When people see one of the anchors of Main Street 
being renovated or expanded, this can change the whole psychology of a 
town or community. It offers hope. It serves as a catalyst for a far-
reaching ripple effect of positive changes.
  The addition of an elevator will improve access for people with 
disabilities and will equip the Opera House for its next 100 years. As 
the principal author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I am 
heartened to see more and more of our old, historic buildings being 
retrofitted to improve access for citizens with disabilities.
  So I congratulate the citizens of Greenfield for putting together a 
winning proposal to secure a Main Street Challenge Grant. Their efforts 
to reinvigorate their historic downtown are setting a terrific example 
for other small towns across America, and for that, I salute 
them.

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