In 2008, the City Commission created the Paducah Riverfront Development Authority (PRDA).  The mission of the agency is to assist and advise the City Commission in the development of civic projects and development plans which are intended to generate, revitalize, improve and generally enhance community areas, including but not limited to Downtown, LowerTown, the Renaissance Area Master Plan (RAMP), and the Paducah riverfront.  Specific projects include (1) the development of a tax increment financing district; (2) the preparation of a Request for Proposals for the property formerly known as the Executive Inn, including assisting in the selection of the best proposal and oversight of the project until completion; and (3) assisting in the on-going planning and implementation of the Renaissance Area Master Plan and the Paducah Riverfront Project.  PRDA's efforts are complemented by the work of Paducah Renaissance Alliance.

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Paducah Riverfront Development Authority

Steve Doolittle, Executive Director

300 South 5th Street

Paducah, KY  42003

(270) 444-5166

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PRDA Board Commissioners

Renaissance Area Master Plan

The PRDA engaged a multi-disciplinary planning, design, and market assessment team to develop the Renaissance Area Master Plan (RAMP) for downtown Paducah.  The RAMP was funded by a Preserve America grant through the National Park Service that included a match from the City of Paducah.  This initiative - covering the historic downtown core, the riverfront, and LowerTown - was designed with its primary mission to better link these three areas, in order to improve the market for each. The PRDA stressed this in its major outcome of the RAMP:

"It is important to the City to create a way for cultural and natural heritage tourists to be able to reach these three areas without interruption in order to be able to have a pleasant experience viewing and interacting with Paducah’s cultural and natural localities."

The RAMP is a comprehensive document that will be used as guidance for years to come.  To read the entire RAMP, click Renaissance Area Master Plan.