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Direct Design Assistance: Downtown Civic Options, Columbia Heights, MN
The demolition of an old school building close to the business district of Columbia Heights left a 5 acre site available for development. This presented an opportunity to knit together some land uses that have been fragmented over time. For instance, the residential areas to the west have been separated from the shopping on Central Avenue by a large underused parking lot; and affordable housing that recently been built faces the parking lot, rather than having a street presence. Development in this location, therefore, could improve connections and views, but might also create new civic amenities that might attract young families to the city.
The Design Center was asked to provide some conceptual site plans and sketches to illustrate how the site might be developed. The building program suggested by City officials included a community center with four gymnasia, and a new library. The site is well located for these sorts of facilities, close to the new Columbia Heights transit hub.
Four preliminary proposals were shown to a working meeting of the City Council. These ranged from a scheme that was completely public (civic amenities arranged in a green campus) to one that was completely private (providing opportunities for more housing but not providing the public facilities). In all four schemes, attempts were made to accommodate new public green spaces that could enhance the neighborhood.
The council preferred the schemes that were more public and the Design Center prepared three posters. The first illustrated the issues related to the site and some of its strategic opportunities. Two schemes were developed on the other posters. The first accommodated all of the facilities in one building. Taking advantage of a significant change in grade along the southern edge of the site, the bulk of the gyms could be masked form the adjacent residential neighborhoods, while a fairly grand building could front on the new public "village green" to the north. The second arranged the facilities in a "civic campus", and allowed a small number of new housing units to be built along the western edge of the site.
The Center's work was intended to illustrate how the development of a building program might accomplish more than just the provision of basketball courts. Development of the site may provide a variety of assets that would benefit present and future community members. The final posters were presented at a council meeting and will be used by city staff to encourage further public dialogue about future of the site.
Download: Posters (2.2 MB)
Outcome: The final posters were presented at a council meeting and will be used by city staff to encourage further public dialogue about future of the site.
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1 Ralph Rapson Hall, 89 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, |