The Process: Our work included a one of a kind engagement process with thousands of voices helping to shape the vision. It was here that we coined the term “Blah-za” to describe Downtown’s collection of underutilized, uncomfortable, and uninspiring public plazas. We developed design concepts to reactivate these underperforming corners of the public realm, tested the development potential of critical Downtown sites, and created new policies to better manage ground floor use and off-street parking. Instead of designing streets according to how they move traffic, the plan developed a personality profile for every Downtown street that combines the street’s function and the adjacent uses.
Results: Plan adoption and significant investment. New housing, transformed public spaces, a continued focus on transforming South Downtown, and continued support for small and minority-owned businesses in Sweet Auburn.
The scourge of downtowns. Leftover space serving the opposite of its intended purpose which is to connect. The plan focuses on strategic public investments to activate streets and connect the dots.
