Dreaming about Downtown Waterloo

By Eric Ritland

September 15, 2015

Our Waterloo office has been in the heart of downtown since it opened in 1945. In that time, the firm has had an astounding impact on the area’s architecture. It’s no surprise, then, that our staff is invested in the future of the downtown area and has some big ideas.

When Main Street Waterloo invited anyone passing by their office to record their dream for downtown, our own Maggie Doughertry didn’t hesitate to grab the board and bring it back to the office for our weekly Design Talk session with staff.

Dreams ranged from favorite dining and retail development to community togetherness, beautification, design, and city processes. (We even mentioned the need for a solution to everyday bird problems.) The team talked about the history of downtown and the start of its charm in the booming 50’s. In the end, everyone agreed that there has been much improvement in the last 20 years, and much more to be had.


Making an impact

Harriet Tubman may have said it best — Every great dream begins with a dreamer.”

We’re all dreamers at INVISION and want to be that catalyst for change. From little things like digging through history for façade inspiration, to major community projects like the Waterloo RiverLoop Amphitheatre & Expo Plaza, we’re committed to making downtown Waterloo a great experience.

We continue to get involved in a number of ways:

  1. Get involved.
    Staff members are leveraging their involvement with Main Street Waterloo by participating in groups like the Design Council.
  2. Share our vision.
    We put our dreams and ideas on paper to share our visions with those driving the efforts.
  3. Be the voice of optimism.
    We know how many hurdles can get in the way of great ideas. We are committed to promote the value of ideas with optimism.


What are your dreams for Downtown Waterloo?

Main Street Waterloo wants to hear from people like you. Share your dreams for downtown in this short survey. You can also comment below to share your dreams with our team here at INVISION. We always value the experiences, ideas and dreams of the people who interact with architecture and development.

  • What would bring you to downtown Waterloo more often?
  • What would make your experience here even better?
  • What other cities’ downtowns have made an impact on you?

We can’t wait to see what the future of downtown Waterloo has in store for this generation and the next!