WATERLOO -- James Walker is one of the elder statesmen of downtown Waterloo.

Now at age 73, he began selling shoes in his dad's namesake downtown store when he was 11 years old. He sold shoes to U.S. Navy WAVES staying at Iowa State Teachers College during World War II.

He can recall when the store had a sales staff of 26 people, 75 chairs for customers, and people still had to wait to be fitted.

He's seen downtown in its "up" periods and its "down" periods. But he got a picture of downtown Thursday night that surprised even him.

He took Main Street Waterloo's "Tour de 'Loo" of downtown revitalization projects.

"When you walk down the street and you look at the buildings that have been redone, rejuvenated, there's a lot going on. I'm quite optimistic about downtown Waterloo," said Walker who succeeded his dad at the store and retired and sold it to nephew Jim Christensen in 1998.

"It was an eye opener to me, when I started to look at what has really transpired downtown," Walker said. "I was very surprised and very encouraged by what I saw."

It gave him some ideas for upper-floor "loft" apartments and other reuses for the Walker Shoes building, now that the store is moving to Kimball-Ridge shopping center.

About 250 people attended "Tour de 'Loo," the first downtown coming-out party in about five years. People found there was a lot to come out for.

Andrew Van Fleet is one. He can walk a half block down the street and get a good glimpse of downtown Waterloo's past and future at the same time.

Van Fleet operates Darning Pixels, an Internet Web site development and graphics design firm, at 208 E. Fourth St. Down on the corner from him, at Lafayette and East Fourth streets, sits the old Fowler Mercantile building. His great-grandfather, Guy Van Fleet, worked there some 70 years ago.

Current owner Chuck Orr is renovating both the Fowler and adjacent Haffa building into first-floor retail business and artists lofts. The artists, coming from various locations, may have talents that fit the needs of Van Fleet's business.

"When I walk down the street to go to lunch or to run down to clients, it gets me excited to see the activity in front of the Fowler building," said Van Fleet, who's added staff and sub-leased some of his space to other professional offices.

Van Fleet's and Orr's buildings were among 16 businesses, storefronts or apartments which were stops on "Tour de 'Loo."

A steady stream of tour-goers visited the various properties, and were treated to refreshments, music and entertainment along the way. The event culminated at the Waterloo Masonic Temple, itself an 80-year-old downtown landmark not always seen from the inside by the general public. Built in the 1920s, its entire upper floor is unfinished.

Downtown boosters emphasized the area is moving in the right direction.

"I think the biggest thing is with the synergy that has been created by what's been done in the past downtown is starting to come together," said Orr, whose $1.3 million renovation work is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2006.

The Haffa building storefronts already are home to Classic Kitchen and Bath, and Evan Kaiulani Fine Art and Framing.

Several business and building owners suggested that downtown activity has picked up again, after a lull.

"The word I like to use is 'momentum,' " said Jim Walsh, Waterloo city attorney and VGM group executive, who had several properties featured on Thursday's tour.

Previously, at times downtown development has been "haphazard," he suggested. "Something happens and then time goes by before something else happens." Now, its happening all at once and in a concentrated area -- as evidenced by the Tour de 'Loo stops. all within about a four-block area.

"It's too bad about the casino," Walsh said, referring to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission's May decision to license a casino project near Crossroads Center instead of a proposed location downtown. But the downtown Riverfront Renaissance redevelopment project is still very much alive.

"It's going to create a big difference," Walsh said. "It's going to be a swell view going by on the highway," U.S. Highway 218, overlooking downtown.

Contact Pat Kinney at (319) 291-1484 or Pat.Kinney@wcfcourier.com