The Q-Block puzzle, part 1
At the last EDA meeting (held a week early so we didn’t have to meet on Thanksgiving Day), we reviewed a presentation by John Slack on possible scenarios for development of the "Q-Block".
From the City website: "The City Council has directed the EDA to create a master plan for the area known as the 'Q-Block.' The master plan is intended to foster a climate for reinvestment and create a mix of uses within a pedestrian scale environment. The EDA has been working with DSU to create the plan. To date, property owners have been interviewed, an existing conditions analysis has been completed, and redevelopment expectations and preliminary design concepts have been generated. On December 8, 2005, the EDA will host a Public Forum at which the Preferred Development Alternative will be presented for the site. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the master plan, as well as learn more about the planning process and findings. Please plan on attending this Public Forum."
Concept plans, in PDF format, are available on the City's project page.
The City is on the right track in wanting to have a plan, because without one we’ll just get more suburban highway franchise blight. If we end up with that anyway, at least it won’t be for lack of trying. And the City is definitely on the right track with its desire for "a pedestrian scale environment". However, the whole Q-Block development idea is fraught with problems. Just to adequately address pedestrian access to the site is no small feat. (A stoplight at Third and Hwy. 3 might give it a chance.)
John Slack of DSU came up with viable concepts despite the conflicting needs and site restrictions with which he had to work. Several of the parcels are privately owned, and I doubt if the owners of those parcels are at a loss to figure out what they want to do with their property; there are contamination issues on one of the parcels, there are access restrictions off highway three…oh, yeah, and we want the development to "relate" to the historic downtown. So Mr. Slack had his work cut out for him.
However, I must confess that both my initial and subsequent reaction to the concepts was disappointment. I had hoped for something more unique and creative, even if I didn’t have specific ideas about what that might be. Heck, that’s why we hire professionals, right? I've put off making my comments, because if I couldn’t say something nice, I didn’t want to say anything at all. Fortunately, I got over that. (Sorry, Mom.) You can read about it here soon.