Improve Downtown Kearney

Hello, How can UNK, the Student Engagement Office improve both Destination Downtown and even the Homecoming Window Decorating. We are new to the window painting (homecoming) idea but thought it went fairly well. Always looking for ways to improve. Thanks--Renae Zimmer, UNK Student Engagement Office

Pink Friday is a newer event that takes place nationwide the week before Black Friday. This could be something that the boutiques downtown could promote together to get Kearney Ladies downtown during the Holiday Season 💓

We have a really great bike path going around town, but we don't have anything going through town. It would be wonderful to be able to bike to the heart of the city, from anywhere in the city, on an official 'shared the road' bike path.

If we could work more closely with the city of Kearney to utilize rooftop spaces, for personal use, professional use, alternative power generation, or general gardening use, it would wonderful to add additional life to Downtown Kearney. Maybe the city of Kearney could work with us (providing grant funding) to help the downtown building owners get engineers to come inspect the different downtown rooftops. This would let us know what's possible.

Citizens, shoppers, tourists and UNK students ask me where the public bathrooms are downtown and I have to tell them there aren't any. There is a need to offer this necessity so these people don't go else where to shop, eat & browse. I have a great space on my property to house these which is at 2400 Central Avenue across from MONA if the other property owners and businesses agree.

It would be pretty cool if Downtown Kearney sold it’s own coupon book/card (maybe digital?) for the Winter, if not longer. I think it’d be great, and could give some exposure to struggling downtown businesses! Boutiques could even sell them and keep part, or all, of the profit 😃 Please feel free to jump in and improve or critique this idea!

I would love to see more Kearney history displayed downtown!

Family friendly bookstore and and reading space to buy books and games. Has an area to sit and read or play board games. Maybe sells tea, wine, or local beer

Love Downtown. It's important to be engaged in active planning for the future. Mixed-use concepts may be part of the future.

Limit stores such as barbers, salons, furniture and jewelry to 1 each Downtown - absolutely no need for multiples, and this fundamentally makes downtown a place not to visit. I would even include churches and martial arts - I’m only going downtown if I’m a member of something. Restaurants - a primary draw for folks to go downtown, period - and there are none on Central (Fanatics is a bar through and through). Add coffee shops, interesting shopping like board games, bookstores, comics, hobby stores, etc. give people a reason to explore and actually shop. My best guess, from watching the decline of many a downtown hub, is that rent is far too high for most businesses to thrive simply because it’s a “downtown premium.” In reality, it’s not a premium at all when there’s nothing to do.