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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVisioningGroupSummaryReportNo.1_01272021BLOCK 3 | Workshop #1 SUMMARY REPORT | FEBRUARY 12, 2020 Workshop #1 Summary Report 3 On January 14th, 2020, a group of selected community members embarked on a visioning exercise to shape the future of a large parcel in Downtown Bozeman, currently known as Block 3. This report is a summary of this workshop and a snapshot into the design process for this important next step in Bozeman’s development history. Workshop Summary ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | Workshop #1 Summary Report 4 visioning team participants Amy Asay Amber Bolton Amy Hoistma Andew Gault Andy Holloran Ben Bennett Ben Kennedy Brad Beelaert Brian Guyer Brian Popiel Bridget Wilkinson Carson Taylor Charley Franklin Cathy Costakis Carla Hill Chris Naumann Chris Mehl Chris Shaida Cordell Pool David Fine Ethan Barlow EJ Porth Emma-Quin Smith Gloria Brown Hampton Uzzelle Hilary Parker Jeff Arango Jeff Roberts Juile Hitchcock Lauren Cummings Lauren John Martin Glastra Van Loon Matt Johnson Matt Skoglund Max Hammer Nicole Stine Paul House Peter Andrews Rob Pertzborn Steve Nobel Steve Juroszek Suzanne Held Thail Davis Troy Scherer Vickie Backus TABLE OF CONTENTS | Workshop #1 Summary Report 5 documents page no. Cover Workshop Summary Acknowledgments Workshop Agenda Introduction Existing Site Condition Workshop Places People Love in Bozeman Site Overview & Introduction Activity #1 Activity #2 Conclusion 1 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 26 WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 6 WORKSHOP AGENDA Summary of Activities VISIONING ICEBREAKER QUESTION ACTIVITY #1 SITE OVERVIEW & INTRODUCTION WRAP UP ACTIVITY #2 What is your favorite place in Downtown Bozeman? Stakeholders were asked to share their favorite places in Downtown Bozeman to lay the ground work for what they find important, attractive, or fun in their community. Imagine you are a time traveler and you visit this redeveloped site in 2035…You love what you encounter. Describe what you experience. Stakeholders were invited to sketch, diagram, and discuss their vision for Block 3. Facilitators guided discussion based on a set of design principles for successful downtown development. Precedent imagery was available to add inspiration to ideas. The design team led a presentation into the history of Bozeman, the urban design precedent of Downtown, and the current planning context in which the project will exist. Following the presentation, the group was asked to participate in two visioning activities meant to spark creativity and excitement for what the Block 3 site can be. Stakeholder table groups were asked to report out and share their big ideas for the future of Block 3. Visual Preference Exercises Utilizing Visual Preference Exercises stakeholders were asked to review a series of posters that visually displayed Design Principles for Successful Downtown Development. The participants were given green and red circle stickers to indicate a positive or negative reaction to the images. WORKSHOP PURPOSE The purpose of this workshop was to gather stakeholder input for the vision and direction of Block 3 so that it may contribute to the larger Bozeman community while balancing public and private interests. This was accomplished through a series of discussions & activities as described below. INTRODUCTION | Workshop #1 Summary Report 7 Block 3 is located at 300 N. Willson Ave., adjacent to Downtown Bozeman, with Midtown to the West and The Cannery District to the far North. The site is envisioned as a neighborhood hub, serving the commercial interests of Downtown, as well as the surrounding residential neighborhood to the North. The site’s zoning designation is B-3 or Downtown Business District. This zoning type is defined as the “area of greatest density of development, intensity of use, and appropriate infill”. In addition, this area of zoning “encourages high and low volume use” as well as “pedestrian-oriented uses in ground floor space” to activate the street frontage. The Bozeman Community Plan designates this site as the northern edge of the Community Core. The Community Plan describes the Community Core as an area to foster a diverse mix of uses and development to support a “strong pedestrian and multi-modal transportation network”. The Community Plan and the recently revised Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan, support development of a larger scale at this site. The development opportunity of this site furthers Downtown Bozeman’s goal to be “More than Main Street” by encouraging activity north and south to neighboring nodes along alternate corridors. Main St. Beall St. Mendenhall St. Villard St. Wi l l s o n A v e . Tr a c y A v e . INTRODUCTION | Workshop #1 Summary Report 8 EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS Southwest Corner Beall & Tracy Northeast Corner Villard & Tracy Northwest Corner Villard & Willson The site pictured below is located at 300 North Willson Avenue, and includes just over a block of Downtown Bozeman. The majority of the site is bordered by Willson Avenue to the west, Tracy Avenue to the east, Beall Street to the south and Villard Street to the north. The site also includes additional area to the west of Willson, which is currently a surface parking lot. In total, the site is 2.95 acres. The site currently houses the Bozeman Medical Arts Building and associated parking lots. The complex is made up of buildings that were constructed over four phases from 1965 to 1983, according to the property records. Site in bird’s-eye perspective, seen from the Southwest WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 9 (Clockwise from top left - Rooftop at the Chrystal Bar; Tattoo Alley; Ellen Theater; Music Villa; Hotel Baxter; Schnees storefront; pedestrian bridge at Bogart Park.) Generally, participants identified places in Downtown Bozeman that were centers for activity (intersection of Main St. and Black Ave. was identified as the heart of Downtown), or provided some sense of privacy/rest from the busy street, while still being connected to the social aspect of living/ working Downtown (Tattoo Alley, Chrystal rooftop, Music Villa, Bogart Bridge). ICEBREAKER PLACES PEOPLE LOVE IN BOZEMAN WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 10 SITE OVERVIEW & INTRODUCTION To help create a discussion around the vision for Block 3, HomeBase, SERA, and SMA Architects presented a series of design principles, drawn from national and international examples, that are key to creating successful downtown environments. cultivate a compelling mix of uses creating a downtown where people can live, work, and play promotes a vibrant district at all times of day embrace density higher density development encourages walking and creates a concentration of activity prioritize people over cars creating an environment that is safe, convenient, and comfortable for pedestrians makes downtown more enjoyable for everyone provide safe & effortless connectivity downtown should be easily accessible via biking, walking, transit, and driving enhance & integrate natural elements connections to nature improve community health and wellness, contribute to a human scale, and can help reinforce local identity offer places to gather & linger outdoors sidewalk cafes, pocket parks, and outdoor seating makes downtown a vibrant place to be design for human scale buildings that engage the street, a high degree of transparency, and details like awnings and signage make a neighborhood welcoming and attractive to residents and visitors alike establish a unique & authentic identity creating a gateway, branding the district through wayfinding, and encouraging public art installations and cultural events that make downtown a cohesive and memorable destination 3 2 1 4 5 6 7 8 Design Principles for Successful Downtown Development WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 11 BIG Ideas -Permeable Blocks - provide access-ways, view corridors open the site to entrances, alleys, and pedestrians -Pedestrian Oriented reduce parking - walkable - bikeable development -Public Art/Arts static and interactive art -Neighborhood Hub community space/activities for people to gather and linger -Food Hall gathering space for casual encounters -A Place for Everybody diversity of use/diversity of people (socio-economic) -Sustainability incorporate nature -Manage Parking/Cars - Adaptable/Reduced Parking -Naming & Branding provide a destination -Indoor/Outdoor Environments four season use, variety in experience -Flexible Spaces -Regional & Native Landscapes reduce impact -Gateway entrance and mobility around the site and to neighborhood -Anchor Tenant (non-profit, community institution) provide service to the community -Sense of Discovery/Mystery keep people engaged with the space Imagine you are a time traveler and you visit this redeveloped site in 2035… You love what you encounter. Describe what you experience. ACTIVITY #1 Working in groups of 5-7, stakeholders were invited to sketch, diagram, and discuss their vision for Block 3. Facilitators from the design team guided dis- cussion based on the design principles for successful downtown development. Precedent imagery illustrating those principles was also available to add inspi- ration to ideas. Big ideas and visions of the group are discussed below, and the following pages detail the design ideas discussed at each table. WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 12 Table 1 Table 2 DESIGN IDEAS -Attract activity from Main Street -Four seasons -Affordable housing -Activated alley -Neighborhood node -Civic arts -Space between buildings -Funky/Industrial DESIGN IDEAS -Flexible -Shared common space -Community anchor (Non-Profit) -Residential rentals (occupied year around) -Atrium -Ride share -Skyway between blocks -Re-purpose parking -Walking mall -Traffic calming at Willson WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 13 Table 3 Table 4 DESIGN IDEAS -Walkable journey -North Willson less traveled -East/West divide possibilities -North/South main corridor -Revitalize North Wilson Ave. -Attached to our Main St. -Art museum -Artsy North-East community -Art walk connection -Cooperative/affordable studios -Local character ‘dog patch’ -Transition from tall to low - Fancy to simple -Alleyway with activation and hangout spaces -Food truck parking -Food court - Year round use -Intimate Spaces - Sense of discovery -Affordable housing -Well lit at night -‘Vessel’ to draw you in -CSA drop-off -Places that bring the outdoors inside -Buck the historic - don’t replicate Downtown (Modern Architecture) DESIGN IDEAS -Willson scale density of traffic -Front door - Willson Ave. -Popup art -Reach bike lanes -Walkability -Big room - Dance/Theater -Outdoor space for theater -Affordable housing -Green roofs -Mix of wonderful experiences WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 14 Table 5 Table 6 DESIGN IDEAS -Permeable -Variety of housing types -Iconic Place -Views incredible up higher -Open to public -Variety of places -4 Season Gathering -Rooftop -District -Parking on West -Stage for Music -Traffic Calming -Willson as a Destination -Try to retain existing uses DESIGN IDEAS -Open space -Break up block -Not bar -Alley - not dumpsters - user friendly -Multi-use common space -6 to 10 buildings -Need to fit architecturally -Tall - affordable/attainable -6 to 7 Floors - Step back at higher floors -Entrance at Tracy / Beall -Willson - Pedestrian for 1 block - Help neighborhood WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 15 Table 7 DESIGN IDEAS -Non-Profit -Diverse uses -Adaptability of space -Affordability -Need for start ups -Walkability -Grocery store -Parking - convert parking in future -Modern version of Emerson -Permeable -Self-sufficient -Bozeman - little urban DNA -Serve the neighborhood -Childcare -Density -Alley fabric -Preserve views -Step back upper stories -Creative energy -Identify developer constraints and challenges WORKSHOP | Workshop #1 Summary Report 16 Utilizing Visual Preference Exercises stakeholders were asked to review a series of posters that visually displayed Design Principles for Successful Downtown Development. The participants were given green and red circle stickers to indicate a positive or negative reaction to the images. The posters were designed to be analyzed as the stakeholders exited the venue; as a summary of their experience at the Stakeholder meeting, and a final sentiment to how they envisioned the direction of this future development. Each board featured carefully curated images which supported the eight different design principles. Following the completion of this activity, the design team analyzed the results of this emotive imagery exercise to determine the big themes for each Design Principle. Results including photos of each board are summarized below. In general, the green dots supported what was heard in the first activity. This includes providing a variety of spaces for different activities and scales, pedestrian oriented outdoor spaces for all seasons, alley (intimate) spaces, active use of space (indoor and outdoor), urban density, appropriate lighting, green spaces that one can interact with (not just observe), community focused spaces, porous streetscapes, and appropriately scaled transition space between upper floors, ground floors and pedestrian activity. ACTIVITY #2 Visual Preference Exercise The red dots indicated a negative stakeholder reaction to; wide open spaces without a variety of appropriately scaled pedestrian experiences, bland utilitarian architecture, poor lighting, grand scale plazas, sterile environments, a lack of texture, Classical Architecture, Kitschy public art, and a lack of transition between streetscape and building facades. Workshop #1 Summary Report 17 Cultivate a compelling Mix of Uses Creating a downtown where people can live, work, and play promotes a vibrant district at all times of day.1 Workshop #1 Summary Report 18 Embrace density Higher density development encourages walking and creates a concentration of activity.2 Workshop #1 Summary Report 19 Prioritize people over cars Creating an environment that is safe, convenient, and comfortable for pedestrians makes downtown more enjoyable for everyone.3 Workshop #1 Summary Report 20 Provide safe & effortless connectivity Downtown should be easily accessible via biking, walking, transit, and driving.4 Workshop #1 Summary Report 21 Enhance & integrate natural elements Connections to nature improve community health and wellness, contribute to a human scale, and can help reinforce local identity. 5 Workshop #1 Summary Report 22 Offer places to go gather & linger outdoors Sidewalk cafes, pocket parks, and outdoor seating makes downtown a vibrant place to be.6 Workshop #1 Summary Report 23 design for human scale Buildings that engage the street, a high degree of transparency, and details like awnings and signage make a neighborhood welcoming and attractive to residents and visitors alike.7 Workshop #1 Summary Report 24 establish a unique & authentic identity Creating a gateway, branding the district through wayfinding, and encouraging public art installations and cultural events that make downtown a cohesive and memorable destination.8 Workshop #1 Summary Report 25 To conclude, stakeholder input has been summarized in the word cloud below. The word cloud was generated based on the frequency and importance of key words used to describe the vision of Block 3 development. Community has come to the top as our guiding principle. As we work to further the master plan for this parcel, the words below will guide us in decision making. Moving forward, our design team will be exploring master plan options which take into account the valuable input we received from the visioning team. As we work to balance public and private/market interests, we will keep the visioning team informed, and hope to invite this stakeholder group back for additional workshops. CONCLUSION Workshop #1 Summary Report 26 HomeBase Partners p: (406) 404-1788 e: amy@hbpartners.com Embracing a collaborative spirit to enhance and transform communities. Thank you for your participation in our Visioning Workshop. We are currently reviewing and analyzing all feedback from the meeting. Which will allow us to develop a conceptual Master Plan options. Utilizing your feedback we plan to arrive at a final Master Site Plan that will be submitted to the city in Summer 2020. We will keep the Visioning Team up to date as we continue to make progress. If you have further questions, concerns, or ideas, you may contact HomeBase Partners. Once again thank you for your time and participation.