Mayor Graham Richard and North River Task Force members today presented a progress report on the process to develop the land just north of the city center and the
The announcement included an invitation to the community to participate in the July 23-26 design workshops, a request to contribute ideas through the City Utilities' and online surveys and an update on the initial round of community meetings.
“Good progress is being made as we continue our commitment to build a better city to retain and gain jobs and provide a great quality of life for residents and businesses,” said Mayor Richard. “We encourage everyone to get involved as we work together to create a great destination place north of the river for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The North River Charrette will be held July 23-26. Guided by design professionals, a charrette is an intense, week-long public planning initiative that explores project options and focuses community input through hands-on techniques, model development and brainstorming. This method allows the public to see how conceptual ideas are translated into specific development concepts. The public is invited to join in three sessions.
Monday, July 23 ' Design Workshop ' Bold Idea Community Brainstorm
5:30-8:30 p.m.
475 E. State Blvd.
Wednesday, July 25 ' Aha! Open House ' Extreme Makeover: Citystyle
4-7 p.m.
Arts United Center, Ian Rolland Gallery,
303 E. Main St.
Thursday, July 26 '
6-8 p.m.
Community Workshop Results
Community input sessions were held in June to learn more from the public about what the community wants north of the river. More than 100 people participated in the meetings. A variety of ideas and suggestions were gathered from the sessions. The majority of attendees strongly supported developing the site and did not advocate a do nothing approach.
Summary of responses:
Imagine it is 10 years from now, what types of uses do you see at the
-Water park venue
-Aquarium
-Small retail shops
-Family sports
-
What are some of the traits or characteristics of the uses you envision at the site?
-Density and design
-Urban features
-Connection to the river
-
Now that you have a vision for potential development on the site, what do you see as the relationship between the site and the surrounding area including the river and nearby attractions?
-Linkages between the site and surrounding areas
-Pedestrian linkages to the river
-Greenways connecting downtown,
What are some of the concerns or impacts that might arise from the development?
-Increased traffic
-Environmental
-Sustainability
City Utilities Bill Stuffers
In this month's City Utilities bills, customers will receive a
The City has secured an option agreement with OmniSource for its 29 acres of land north of the
By September, the Task Force is expected to make recommendations on the highest and best use of the land for the long-term benefit of the community. For more information or to send comments online, visit www.NorthRiverNow.org.