Downtown Orange Undergoes Facelift

By Jeff Curtis, Director Orange Downtown Alliance | Posted: Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Wednesday, April 14th is a day that many Orange residents have waited expectantly toward:  Through the generous care of Grelen Nursery, the combined efforts of many Orange citizens and the local garden clubs a major landscaping project will commence in the heart of town.  The Orange Downtown Alliance, (ODA), a Mainstreet organization with a Design Committee chartered to “Promote the enhanced physical appearance of the district by capitalizing on its assets, rehabilitating historic buildings, encouraging supportive new construction, and beautifying the streetscape” has organized what will be the first-of-a-kind main street landscaping project.

“The landscaping project will encompass all four corners of Main and Madison streets in the very center of town,” said Dan Gregg, president of the ODA and owner of Grelen Nursery, Inc.  Gregg has been a strong leader for the ODA and an advocate of Orange for years and is the principal organizer of the ambitious project.  “The volunteers of the Design Committee and the other folks helping with this have such a positive attitude and are offering so much support that it really made our job a pleasure,” stated Gregg, “Each of the four property owners were readily available to discuss the project and have given us permission to turn the intersection into a gardening centerpiece,” said Gregg. 

Plans for the completed landscape project include the assistance of the garden clubs and other volunteers to maintain the aesthetics of the corners.  Gregg, with an inspiring vision for Orange stated, “There is constant traffic and people walking through this intersection, it’s the center of Orange.  Once the plants are in place and take hold people will enjoy a totally colorful, fresh look of downtown. It’s a real, tangible tool toward downtown revitalization.” 

More information on the project and the orange Downtown Alliance is available at orangedowntownalliance.org or by emailing director@orangedowntownallince.org.