City Celebrates Opening Of Buffalo Street Plaza
By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews
WARSAW – The concept of connecting the downtown to Center Lake – an idea born nearly 20 years ago – came to fruition Friday with the dedication of the Buffalo Street Plaza.
Several dozen people, including a wide variety of community leaders, gathered Friday afternoon, May 21, to commemorate the new plaza, which features a boardwalk that partially extends over the water’s edge of Center Lake, a new gleaming sculpture, an interactive fountain and a pavilion.
The plaza is part of the overall redevelopment project that includes new housing along North Buffalo Street and a future multi-use apartment building near the plaza where the old parks office currently sits.
City officials believe connecting the downtown to the lake will help expand the downtown’s footprint, improve the quality of life and spur more economic development.
In opening remarks Friday, Mayor Joe Thallemer described the newest extension of Center Lake Park system as a venue designed for everyone of all ages to enjoy.
He predicted the plaza would be widely used in different ways.
“This is quite the interface with the downtown,” Thallemer said.
The plaza project was delayed over two years because of rising construction costs, shortages of some materials and a year-long pandemic.
“We’re certainly very happy this day has arrived,” Thallemer said.
The ceremony was highlighted by a salute to the Castaldi family, who donated money in honor of their parents to cover the cost of the interactive fountain. Officials also announced the name of the city’s newest public art installation designed by New York City artist Osman Akan
The artwork stands 14 feet tall and consists of colorfully reflective glass panels on a gently twisted collection of metal rods.
City Planner Justin Taylor unveiled the name – Radiance.
It’s the latest artwork unveiled by the Warsaw Public Arts Commission. In recent years, the city has seen the addition of two statues, three murals and a seasonal gallery in a nearby alley.
On Friday, members of the Castaldi family, representing their father and mother, the late Lawrence and Ruth Castaldi, joined the celebration.
Suzie Light introduced and thanked the Castaldi family for the fountain and their legacy to the community.
Lawrence was a civic leader who served on some 17 volunteer boards and had a hand in developing Kosciusko Community Hospital. Ruth was an active volunteer and saw Center Lake as a great place to take the kids.
“I think they would be perfectly happy with what is happening today,” said Loretta Castaldi, who spoke for her siblings, Diana and Rebecca.
“I want to thank you all and tell you this is is a marvelous fountain,” she said.
The plaza project is the latest example of how the state has worked to bring state, local and private dollars into play for the public good.
Financing of the project came together in a state program known as the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative under former Gov. Mike Pence that relied on combining state and local funding with private investment for significant public-private partnerships.
In this instance, the intersecting dollars – in addition to the state grant money – include TIF revenues from the city that paid for the underground infrastructure and reconstruction of North Buffalo and part of Indiana Street; private investment through Matthews LLC for a housing development, plus the Castaldi family donation made through the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
The Indiana Regional Cities Initiative included three regional districts. The 11 counties in northeast Indiana shared $42 million from the state and then turned that into $260 in investments for the public good.
In Warsaw, the city received $3.5 million from the state and that then evolved into $27 million in total investment.
“Putting that money to work really gives us that quality of life that we can enjoy in the future for our kids and grandkids,” said State Rep. Craig Snow, who serves on the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority.
David Behr, director of the North Central Region of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, attended the celebration. He said the state program will continue and has $500 million reserved for future use.
“It’s been a very successful program,” Behr said.
“The amount of private dollars that have been pumped into this is phenomenal. It’s a huge-win-win,” he said.