Tt post may 5 2016 b

It's good that these planning sessions occur. It's also good to know that similar things have occurred in the past, but the excitement fizzled after a while. It appears that this time, the goal is to maintain the discussion with the hope of action.

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In October 2005, The UpTown/Warehouse District Charette was held at the Toledo School for the Arts. I did not attend that meeting, which was promoted as:

The Urban Affairs Center is pleased to support efforts to create more vibrant and successful mix-used urban neighborhoods in or near Downtown Toledo. The UpTown/Warehouse District Community Planning Process is a community based planning effort led by businesses, residents, and other stakeholders of the two neighborhoods. It is a joint project of The UpTown Association and The Toledo Warehouse District Association.

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On a Saturday in June 2005, I attended the Marina District Charette. As the name implies, it covered only a small portion of downtown Toledo, assuming that the east bank is part of downtown.

From a flyer that advertised the gathering:

Here's your chance to be part of changing Toledo's future! Plan to attend the upcoming Marina District Neighborhood Charette -- a half day interactive planning session that will change the future of the East riverfront forever. We will discuss and gather input on the Marina District development, as well as on how the Marina District can be a catalyst for improvements in adjacent parts of East Toledo and the rest of the City.

June 2005 comment

"Handout discussed in our break out group meetings:"

Building a Healthy Neighborhood

After decades of experimenting with other models of city-making, American planners and designers are now relearning the old lessons.

A genuine neighborhood is a complex thing, an 'urban ecosystem.' Planners can only design the physical part of a neighborhood; it's up to the inhabitants to breathe life into it. We make it our place, our community. But the way in which a place is designed and built, the physical form, can either support us or hinder us.

Here are the basic building blocks that create a real neighborhood, give it a strong identity, help make it a place to care about.

Diversity and Mix

An authentic neighborhood mixes - close together - the full range of human activities: living, learning, working, playing, creating, worshiping, and shopping. It offers housing ranges of different types: small and large single homes and two-flat, multiple unit buildings, businesses with apartments above.

Edges, Gateways, and a Center

Clear edges make well defined places, places with character. Boundaries also connect to the surrounding neighborhoods. A Center that defines the neighborhood (a green space, park, art feature, institution, etc.)

Walkable Size and Density

Ability to walk to school, to the grocery, to restaurants, to bus stops close by. Size and density together are crucial factors for a neighborhood to work well. A walkable neighborhood allows children, older people, and non-drivers to be active and independent.

Neighborhood businesses and a good bus system can't survive without a certain threshold of people in a given area, that is, density. Density is measured in dwelling units per acre. Most of our residential blocks average 8 to 15 units/acre. By suburban standards our lots are narrow and small. In fact, most would not be allowed today under current code! Yet this density is what makes possible a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

Institutions

It's difficult to imagine a long-lasting, cohesive neighborhood without a school. In fact, the location of schools often serves to define neighborhoods. Active churches and other community centers also define neighborhoods.

Parks and Community Places

It is the shared common places that most clearly show the character of a community. Here is where we rub shoulders as citizens. Bike paths, the community vegetable gardens, the street side flower gardens tended by volunteers, festivals, attractive sidewalks, parks and etc.

Business Core

Healthy businesses are vital to a durable neighborhood, businesses located at the core. Businesses provide employment and most daily needs close by; that means fewer car trips and less traffic. Businesses can offer unique services that attract customers from far outside the neighborhood.

Street Grid

Suburbs are laid out as cul-de-sac streets that feed wide, fast collector streets. The result too often is congestion and unsafe streets for bicycles and pedestrians. A grid of streets works better. There are always several alternative routes to take, always a route less traveled for bikes and walking children. Narrow residential streets with on-street parking slow traffic down; many are only 26' to 30' wide. Vehicles are accommodated but without dominating.

Defining Views

Urban designers call them 'vistas' and 'terminated axial views.' These are unique to Schenk-Atwood: the Effigy Mounds on the bluff above the lake when a low sun outlines their shapes, Lake Monona sparkling at the end of a tree-shaded street, the strong tower of St. Bernard's Church above the trees at the bend in Atwood Avenue, the distant Capitol dome lined up right over the new bike path, the ornate dome of the Barrymore Theater, the colorful confusion of coats and sleds on the snow of the Olbrich Park hill. These are memorable views. They are key visual references and at the heart of the neighborhood's identity and character.

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July 2005 comment

"These highlights were compiled by the organizers of the June 25 Marina District meeting."

MARINA DISTRICT CHARRETTE

SUMMARY OF COMMENTS FROM THE JUNE 25, 2005 SESSION

Commercial Development

• Project needs to be a mix – connectivity, integrate the old and new including the Acme Plant, sustainability, uniqueness.
• Destination retail, housing, neighborhood retail, destination recreation, able to see river from Front Street.
• Destination “ Big Box “ – what does that mean.
• Great Wolf Lodge.
• Theaters.
• Put the Farmer’s Market in the Acme Plant.
• Year round recreation complex in Acme Plant.
• Mix of public and private uses.
• More emphasis on housing – less emphasis on retail.
• Gambling – why ship money to Canada?
• Questions about the competition of suburban development.
• Should be a regional “hot spot.”
• Should not be a destination point – should be a continuation of the neighborhood.
• Include a Library.
• Mix of destination and local retail.
• How to prevent it becoming like Portside.

Parks and Recreation/Riverfront and Pedestrian Access

• New opportunities with the area opened up at the interchange of Front and I-280.
• How will the parks be funded?
• Bike path (16’) connected to the Buckeye Basin.
• Bike lane connected to Ravine Park.
• Public access to the river is critical.
• Continuous access along the river.
• Is continuous access to the river needed?
• Public pier for fishing.
• Maintain the waterfront.
• Need a recreation facility with 2 sheets of ice, indoor soccer (2000 seats) and outside activities.
• Ice practice facility needed.
• Indoor water park – unique destination.
• Extend green space to Waite High School.
• Pedestrian connection between the Marina District and the Docks.
• Walkway to Sun Oil property.

Marina

• Is a marina part of the plan?
• Will the marina be public or private?
• Is the Marine Terminal included?
• Need a small boat marina.
• Cruise boat terminal.
• I want to live near my boat!
• Charter fishing and tour boats.
• Boat slips included in condo purchases.
• Public marina with overnight facilities.
• Transportation for boaters to other facilities (Museum, Zoo, Fifth Third Field etc.)
• Cater to boaters.

Sense of Place

• Design guidelines needed.
• What pieces and what emphasis where?
• Image – what should be here.
• How cosmopolitan? – density? – walkable – multi-family.
• Front porches – small lots.
• Maximize view of river from housing.
• Consider the Summit Street Corridor Development Plan.
• Front Street should be a shopping area.
• Front Street should be a boulevard.
• Hotel at the north, destination retail, mix housing and retail, and arena or something else at south end.
• Develop from west (river) to east.
• Make MLK entrance into an incredible entryway.
• Gateway at I-280 area.
• Entranceway from Main Street.
• Have zoning and design standards.

Housing

• 400 housing units.
• Housing is the best use.
• Diversity of housing stock – different prices.
• Yard and gardening opportunities.
• Single family detached housing option.
• High rises?
• Options for middle income persons.
• Need more information on housing options.
• More emphasis on housing – less emphasis on retail.
• Do not want to see housing – residential doesn’t belong with the development.
• Need affordable market rate housing.
• Starboard Side 1/3rd built – market rate housing – build market rate housing across the street.
• Housing on Miami connected to International Park and Marina District.

Connectivity With the Neighborhood

• Link existing projects and neighborhoods together including parks, pedestrian paths and schools.
• Project needs to be an extension of East Toledo.
• Don’t let Front Street be a barrier.
• Connect the project with the neighborhood.
• Vehicle access points at Main, Dearborn, Elgin and East Broadway.
• Extend green space to Waite High School.
• Starr and Main – residential and commercial.
• Same look for Marina District and Main Street - streetscape.
• Connect neighborhood to International Park.
• Redevelop properties facing Front Street – encourage home ownership.
• Transportation to neighborhoods – circulation system to Marina District - along river front from Birmingham to Rossford. – ultimately connect to the other side of the river.
• Light rail public transportation to connect neighborhoods.

Arena

• Section 79 vote called for an arena in East Toledo.
• The decision would be to move the arena.
• Make the arena decision soon – if no arena in East Toledo – then what?
• How much negotiation between the City and County? – comment was – very little.
• If not an arena – then what?
• Need more than a “two sheet of ice” practice ice house to replace the arena project.
• Is there are higher and better use of the land than an arena.

Parking

• Parking is a big issue.
• Multilevel parking.
• How much parking is needed for 400,000 sf of retail.
• $1,500 per surface space; $15,000 for garage.
• How to provide sufficient parking most effectively.

Acme Power Plant

• Leave it up – make it part of the development.
• Tear it down.
• Turn it into parking, recreation, commercial, housing and a museum.

Property Acquisition

• Concern about the neighborhood between Front and Mott being taken.
• Need to lock up the Gladieux property.

Other Concerns or Comments

• When will it start? – when will it be done?
• Focus on what can get done.
• Get Going!
• Create a signature landmark.
• Uniqueness.
• City commitment to redevelop neighborhoods – promote home ownership.
• How will the entire community be involved in the development process?
• People need to be a part of the planning.
• Get students and teachers involved.
• What can we do to make sure this development doesn’t go the way of other developments?
• Need to work together.
• View East Toledo as part of the City.
• Us (East) vs. We (city).
• Can we get something better?
• Utilize existing resources.
• Convention Center needs to be self supporting.
• Pilkington should be a gated development.
• Yondota industrial park.
• What is the role of the County?
• 24/7 use of the site.
• Homeless living in International Park.
• Green building opportunities.