About 20 people gathered Tuesday evening to hear the city's urban renewal coordinator champion the virtues of the Old Yellowstone District.

Liz Becher's speech to the American Association of University Women at St. Mark's Episcopal Church was well received by a small crowd, which convened to hear her vision and the city's plans for the Old Yellowstone District, which runs from Poplar Street on the west to David Street in the east, between West Yellowstone Highway and Collins Drive.

Becher said the city hasn't had difficulties attracting development to the east and west of downtown, and even development downtown has been steady.

But the Old Yellowstone District hasn't seen that level of new investment, she said.

The district is nestled between the old Amoco refinery site that now houses a golf course and the city's core downtown area. Becher said the area was once supported by refinery traffic as well as truck traffic on Old Yellowstone Highway before Interstate 25 was built in 1968.

The area now houses more than a dozen automotive related businesses, old buildings, a few thrift stores, and other pockets of industry.

City plans for development in the area include a paved town-square, the continuation of the existing "Rails to Trails" path from downtown through the district and connecting to the golf course, a four-way traffic signal at the intersection of Poplar and King streets south of the Poplar bridge, and the routing of Yellowstone Highway down to Midwest before it reaches Poplar Street.

One option at the city's disposal is helping businesses in the district with relocation costs, Becher said, adding that some industrial businesses may be better suited with locations closer to the interstate with easier access to suppliers.

"We want to connect downtown with ... good redevelopment happening out west," Becher said.

There wasn't much opposition to the plans. A brief tussle over the size of sidewalks and a complaint that the globe styled lighting that will be used throughout the district didn't meet the needs of area residents and business owners were the only hints of discord between Becher and the mostly supportive audience.

You can reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. You can read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape