A historic downtown is more than a destination on a map. It is a collection of businesses, visitors, events, and people working to keep the area active. We worked directly with Independence Square’s organization to design and build a website that brings those different needs together.
The project at a glance
Client: Independence Square, the historic downtown district in Independence, Missouri.
Our role: Custom website design and development through a direct client engagement.
Project focus: Combine a distinctive local identity with directories, parking information, volunteering, commerce, and donations.
Website: Visit Independence Square.
See the website in motion
Design for more than one kind of visitor
Someone planning an afternoon on the Square has different questions from a volunteer or a person looking to support the organization. A visitor may want to find a business and then work out where to park. A supporter needs a route into participation or donations. The website had to make room for those different purposes without losing its sense of place.
That made organization an important part of the custom build. The project was not simply a set of informational pages: several parts of the site needed to help people complete practical tasks. We brought those functions into one website so they could sit alongside the introduction to the district.
Bring the everyday functions together
The build included business directories and parking map lookups to support people exploring the area. It also included volunteer opportunities, e-commerce, and donations for people taking a more active role. Each feature serves a different reason for visiting the website.
The useful detail is how those needs complement one another. A directory helps someone discover what is on the Square; parking information helps them plan the visit. Participation and donation options give people another way to connect with the organization. Bringing them together makes the site a working resource for the district.
Give a historic place its own visual identity online
The website was a custom design, and we wanted the visual work to feel appropriate to the place it represents. The variety of content and functionality made it especially important that the pages feel like parts of one site. The video above shows the design and how the experience unfolds as visitors browse.
What we delivered
The result combines a custom presentation with several connected business and community functions. We are proud of the breadth of the build and the way the visual work supports the practical information. It is a useful example for organizations that need to serve visitors, local businesses, volunteers, and supporters from one website.
For another project where useful integrations are part of a distinctive design, explore Park House on Main.
Explore more case studies or learn how we support agencies with custom WordPress builds.
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