Rock Springs Main Street/URA Kickstarts Revitalization Efforts on Pilot Butte Avenue with Wyoming Block Grant

The Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency (URA) is excited to announce that targeted revitalization work is now underway on the 700 block of Pilot Butte Avenue, thanks to the Wyoming Blocks Program grant awarded by the Wyoming Main Street/Wyoming Business Council. This initiative focuses on revitalizing the area into a vibrant cultural and economic hub.

Current Progress and Upcoming Projects Include:

• Painting: Starting today, buildings located at 715 and 721 Pilot Butte are being repainted. We’ve collaborated with the property owner to repaint, update the windows, and more, with the long-term goal of making these buildings habitable.
• Clean Team: We have contracted with Elwood Staffing to provide a dedicated person who patrols the streets several times a week, picking up trash and litter.
• Pilot Butte Parking Lot: The Pilot Butte Parking Lot has been cleaned up, thanks to a team of volunteers. We’re connecting with adjacent property owner to enhance the adjoining fence to potentially include some artwork.  We have also submitted the grant application to resurface and update the lot and should hear back next month.
• Flower Pots: New flower pots have been placed along Pilot Butte, adding color and life to the streetscape.  More trees will also be planted this fall to fill empty tree planters and/or replace missing trees along Pilot Butte Avenue. 
• Branding and Community Engagement: We are actively developing branding for the area through merchant and community feedback.
• Artwork: We’re connected with a local artist about creating a "selfie mural" in the area. We need to nail down details and potential locations. 
• Facade Grants: Once expenditures are finalized, we plan to target facade grants for improvements in the block. 
• Merchant Support: We will be polling merchants to determine the services or expertise they need, aiming to support economic vitality by providing targeted assistance.

The Wyoming Blocks Program serves as both an educational tool and an implementation platform for community projects, promoting business and economic diversification. The program, which allocates up to $20,000 to each selected community, adopts the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach from the Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on developing local capacity to address issues through strategic, sequenced responses.

“We are thrilled to see the enhancements we’ve envisioned for Pilot Butte Avenue beginning to take shape," said Maria Mortensen, Board Chairwoman of the Rock Springs Main Street/URA. "The revitalization efforts will breathe new life into this block, making it a more attractive and vibrant area for both businesses and the community. We are confident that these improvements will create a ripple effect, fostering economic growth and community pride.”

Kayla Kler, Wyoming Main Street Program Manager added, “Wyoming Main Street continues to work with Downtown Rock Springs and is happy to play a supporting role in the work to transform the 700 block. We're excited to see how everything comes together this summer and creates new spaces for everyone to enjoy.”

We look forward to the continued progress and transformation of the 700 block of Pilot Butte Avenue and appreciate the community's support and engagement in these efforts. Further updates will be provided as the project advances.