Plaza Palooza! - City of Alpena

Plaza Palooza PlacePlan
Welcome
Tonight’s Agenda
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The PlacePlan Team
The Process
Placemaking Overview
Design Context
Presentation of Design
Implementation Considerations
Small Group Feedback
Next Steps
The PlacePlan Team
Primary funder:
• The Michigan State Housing Development Authority
(MSHDA)
Partnered with:
• Michigan Municipal League
• Michigan State University
• Planning & Design Team
• School of Planning, Design, and Construction
• Michigan State University Extension
Recap of Project Objectives
Significant interest in a public space/place
 A public gathering space or “third place” for the
community
 Generate interest and activity in the plaza and
downtown core to strengthen the local economy
 Honor heritage/history and leverage existing
assets within the community
The PlacePlan Process
Community Selection
Stakeholder Interviews
Community Visioning
Project Charrette
Post-Charrette Recommendations
Final Report
Timeline
2013
Nov
Dec
Phase One:
Community Kick-Off
Workshop
11/13/2012
MML: Stakeholder
Interviews
Phase Two: MultipleDay Design Charrette
12/13/2012
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Phase Three: Prelim.
Design Presentation
4/17/2013
What is Placemaking?
– Multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and
management of public spaces.
– It’s goal is to create destinations, as defined by those
living there.
– Vision influences the form – good form provides the
“stage” setting necessary to activate the social activity
or desired “play” within the space. The emotional
response to the place is provided by the “audience.”
(Adapted from People for Public Spaces, 2013)
What is Placemaking?
 Placemaking recognizes successful places:
 Develop with physical form, that…
 Supports social activities, that…
 Results in positive emotional responses from people using the space
Emotional
Response
Place
Social
Activity
Physical
Form
Key Design Elements
The plaza should allow for both planned uses and
spontaneous activities
 Ice rink, chili cook-off, book clubs, small scale
concerts and performances, fitness classes, NOAA
hands-on history demonstrations, street vendors,
etc. are examples of planned uses
 Artists working, musicians playing, people picnicing,
children frolicking, are examples of spontaneous
uses
Key Design Elements
The plaza should accommodate both active and
passive (“sanctuary”) uses
 Outdoor games, children’s play space, fitness
activities, planned events and activities are
examples of active uses
 Outdoor eating/picnic space, meditation spot, biking
rest spot, reading corner, people watching, viewing
public art or other installations about history/
heritage & culture, etc. are examples of passive
uses
Key Design Elements
 The plaza should have a focal point, or “big wow”
element like an observation tower, public art, water
feature
 The plaza should connect visually and physically to
other assets such as the farmer’s market, bi-path,
riverfront, harbor, theatres, art galleries, shops,
restaurants, etc.
 The plaza should include four season features like
water, ice, fire, canopy (natural or built), etc. to
support year round uses
Guiding Design Principles
 Honor branding principles
 Design multi-purpose/flexible space that can be
used by all ages, in all seasons, residents and
visitors alike
 Support and help build a stronger downtown
 Ensure linkages & connectivity to the downtown,
river and related assets
 Create a unique/special/authentic place to be
 Ensure environmentally sensitive design
Placemaking Charrette Considerations
 The Art And Sanctuary Concepts Received Much
support, As Did The Ripple Idea From the Maritime
Concept, Blend The Best Of All Three
 Large, Well Defined Multi-Purpose Public Space
Within The Plaza
 Covered Alley
 Splash and Skate
 Not Overly Landscaped, But Needs Green
 Connections To The Surrounding Context Are
Important
Placemaking Charrette Considerations
 Fun Place To Be, Both in Design And Programming
 Accessible To All, Universal Design
 Something To Pose Next To
 Public Restrooms
 Year Round Use
 Easy To Walk Through
 Retain Safety and Service Capabilities
 Outdoor Cafes
 Bring History Alive
Placemaking Charrette Considerations
 Include Art In The Design
 Maritime Heritage Is Important
 Stage Area(s)
 Fire Pit
 Respect Key Branding Principles
 Social Spaces and Sanctuary Spaces
 Human Scale But also A Sense Of Place That Is
Plaza Palooza
 Welcoming
PLAZA PALOOZA
Context
PLAZA PALOOZA
Concept Plan
PLAZA PALOOZA
Concept Plan 2.0
PLAZA PALOOZA
Concept Plan 3.0
PLAZA PALOOZA
The Ship
Implementation Considerations
1. Planning Recommendations
2. Asset Recommendations
3. Technical Assistance/Funding
4. Potential Partnerships
Parking Management Considerations
Parking must be addressed for the downtown and its
relationship to the plaza
This process did not include a parking study, but respects the
need to improve connectivity to parking
Current Parking Status:
 1,000 parking spaces within four blocks of the plaza,
including 250 on-street spaces within the same area
 Plaza site has 78 public and 22 private spaces
Planning Recommendations
 Plan for Connectivity Between Plaza Site and
Locations of Interest
 Site Location
 Gateway linking neighborhood and greater downtown
 Proximity to assets (1 – 2 mile radius)
 Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary
 Thunder Bay Shores Marina
 Riverfront Bi-Path
 Alpena Civic Theater
 Alpena City Hall
 1914 Alpena Lighthouse
 Alpena Farmer’s Market
Planning Recommendations
 Plan for Connectivity Between Plaza Site and
Locations of Interest
 Address Walking/Bicycling Experience Leading to and
from Plaza
 Headed in the Right Direction: 2010 Adopted Zoning Ordinance:
 Broken Connections between Plaza and Locations of Interest Due to
Surface Parking Lots/Unrealized Streetscape Improvements
 Strategies/Approach:
 Walkability Audit: Plaza to Locations of Interest
 Sub-Area Plan: Thunder Bay River, North 2nd Avenue Bridge,
Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail, and North 9th Avenue Bridge
 Alley/Passageway Transformed into Connections
Planning Recommendations
 Plan for Connectivity Between Plaza Site and
Locations of Interest
 Parking Management
 Contract for a professional parking management study
 Common approach
 Survey Stakeholders
 Research Land Uses in Study Area
 Analyze results for demand
 Common Focus Areas
 Increase parking supply
 Use existing capacity more effectively
 Address variable demand
MML Asset Analysis
 MML Completed a Local Asset Analysis using the
Following Categories:
 Physical Design/Walkability/Connectivity
 Sustainability and Environment
 Cultural Economic Development
 Entrepreneurship
 Education
 Branding and Communications
 Welcoming to All
 Transportation
Asset Recommendations
 Overview of Findings- related to planning, design
and branding:
 Encourage/mandate mixed-used development.
 Enhance connectivity with increased number of sidewalks, bicycle lanes, cutthrough streets using human scale.
 Coordinate bus services.
 Strategically connect key attractions
 Improve upon the wayfinding of existing community destinations (i.e. NOAA
Facility, farmer’s market, trails, etc.)
 Embrace Alpena’s history via streetscape design and public art.
 Partner with the library, local schools and the community college to
encourage use of the Plaza for various programs and activities.
 Provide Alpena with a mobile recycling center in conjunction with other
scheduled events such as the local farmer’s market.
 Ensure that all three pillars of the brand are incorporated within the Plaza
design.
Technical Assistance/Funding
 Seven specific funding and technical assistance
programs identified to support the plaza project:
 MSHDA Community Development Technical Assistance
 MEDC Downtown Façade Improvement
 MEDC Community Revitalization Program
 Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act
 USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program
 Michigan Complete Streets Coalition
 Preserve America Grant program
Potential Partnerships
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Michigan Green Communities
DEQ
DNR
MSHDA
MEDC
USDA Farmer’s Market Promotion
Program
Alpena Community College
Besser Museum
Great Lakes Maritime
Heritage Center
NOAA
Group Discussion of Design Concepts
What elements of the design
do you like?
What is missing?
How can connections
to surrounding uses be
enhanced?
Plaza Palooza PlacePlan