Downtown Strategic Plan Design Meeting Agenda - September 21, 2006




Northville Downtown Conceptual Design Plan


September 21, 2006

Volunteer Design Committee Kick Off Meeting
6:30PM 8:30PM at City Hall

Agenda

1. Introductions
A. Consultant team contact information handout
B. Attendance sheet with contact information

2. Overview of Project
A. Project objectives and intent from RFP (handout)
B. Work plan with schedule (handout)

3. Current Phase: Background Information and Site Analysis
A. Importance of background information
B. Description of each project area and relevant background information needed.
C. Town Square & Mary Alexander Court
1. Expanded
size
2. Drop off, access (busses?) and pick up needs
3. What should daily and nightly use be and what will it need?
a. What venues and uses do we want to use it for and will they fit?
b. Where can we locate outdoor cafes?
c. What amenities do we want to improve?
d. What about winter?
4. What items have donor plaques?
a. What are we to do with these?
5. What are needs of businesses that abut Mary Alexander Court?
a. Deliveries, size of vehicles, schedule?
b. Federal Express, etc.
c. Trash?
d. Parking Customers, employees
e. Residential
needs
f. City property in court
g. Parking
deck
- Weight limitations
- Expand?
h. Fire truck access
i. Outdoor
café
seating
j. Examples of retail alleys




Northville Downtown Conceptual Design Plan


D. Streetscape
1. What room and amenities do we need for special events?
a. Tent
layout
b. Fire truck and emergency vehicle access?
c.
Sound, irrigation, lighting, electrical service
d. How do we encourage store use while events occur?
2. Outdoor
cafes
a. Where are they now?
b. What is their size and layout?
c.
Where should they be, and where do we have room?
3. Donor
plaques
a. Where and what are they on?
b. What should we do in the future?
4. Where are benches, trash, bike racks and are they used? Do we need more?
5. Should we keep the pole lights?
a. Can we change the yellow color light to white?
b. Should we add additional types of lighting such as LED or spot lights to enhance the
night scene?
6. What businesses may be interested in renovations or would be if they were helped with
design?
E. Ford Field
1. Events
a. What current events and future events should we plan for?
2. Do we need to provide barrier free or stroller access from Hutton/Dunlap?
3. What amenities should we have?

4. Upcoming
Schedule:
a. Home work assignments due Thursday, September 28
th
by 9:00 a.m. to Sue Grissim, Project
Manager, Grissim Metz Andriese Associates, 300 East Cady Street, Northville, MI 48167, P: (248)
347-7010, F: (248) 347-7005, Email: sueg@gma-la.com
b. Wednesday, October 4
th,
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Review of background information and site
analysis findings
c. Monday, October 23
rd,
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Review of Conceptual Downtown Design Concepts

5. Site Inventory & Analysis Tasks

a. Break out into (3) task areas for assignments.





Northville Downtown Conceptual Design Plan


Project Intent
The intent of this Request for Proposals is to invite qualified and experienced consultants to present
proposals to develop a CDP for Northville. This plan will serve as the conceptual blueprint for all physical
improvement in the downtown area, will assist the DDA in making decisions on how to spend the DDAs
finite resources, and will be the first step in the eventual construction document
services.

Project Objectives
This project has the goal of creating an enticing environment for residents and visitors alike. The DDA
expects that the development and implementation of the Design Plan will:

1. Create a unique visual experience
2. Address parking lot screening and design
3. Improve public open space
4. Connect the Downtown to Ford Field and Mill Race Village
5. Redevelop the Citys Town Square
6. Redesign Mary Alexander Court
7. Improve
connections
around the downtown area
8. Explore opportunities for additional outdoor cafes and seating
9. Create a coordinated and vibrant downtown area.
10. Balance parking need with other streetscape objectives.

Project Area
The project area encompasses the four prime blocks of downtown bounded by Wing Street to the west,
Hutton Street to the east, Dunlap Street to the north, and Cady Street to the south. See attached map.
The area is a subsection of the larger DDA district. There is a four block core area within the downtown
where most of the design work as requested in the RFP will be implemented.

Project Components

Streetscape Design
Northvilles streetscape improvements were installed as part of the MainStreet 78 project and are now
over 25 years old. Many of the improvements are starting to look their age and are looking worn out and
tired. The CDP should address the needs of the aging streetscape and address the following items:
paving, trees, landscape material, street furniture (bike racks and benches), recommended areas for
outdoor seating, accessibility, maintenance, parking lot landscaping and screening for lots #2 and #3,
dumpster screening, locations for additional on-street parking, bus parking and circulation, alleyway
improvements, signage, and locations for historic marker and public art placement.

Town Square
Northvilles Town Square is the focal point of the downtown. Located on the south side of Main Street, in
the center of the retail district, the current Town Square is host to numerous activities throughout the year
including concerts, festivals, and weddings. Town Square should be expanded by closing the small street
section that connects Main Street to Mary Alexander Court. Arrangements similar to that made with
Pooles Tavern should help to activate the new Town Square with sidewalk cafes lining its edges. A
redesigned Town Square should include a green lawn, a band shell with audio and lighting capabilities,
pedestrian friendly lighting, benches, and landscaping. The CDP should create a physical conceptual plan
for the changes at the Town Square.





Northville Downtown Conceptual Design Plan


Mary Alexander Court Reconfiguration
Mary Alexander Court has the potential to become a vibrant retail area within the downtown.
Incorporating pedestrian friendly streetscape elements into a redesign of Mary Alexander Court may give
it more appeal and, in turn, increase the vitality of adjacent businesses. If the auto access road to the
upper level of the Cady Street parking deck is closed to expand Town Square, better access to the
parking area must be considered. To help address this, the recommendation has been made to convert
Mary Alexander Court from one-way to two-way traffic. This conversion can be accomplished within the
existing street dimensions while still accommodating precious on-street parking. The CDP should
coordinate with the redevelopment of Town Square to the north.

Connection to Ford Field and Mill Race Village
A new entrance to Ford Field at Hutton Street should be introduced to better move people between this
popular park below and the core downtown area. This could be done by reconfiguring the Hutton / Dunlap
Street curve and designing pedestrian friendly connections. Also there is an opportunity for a public plaza
overlooking the activities of Ford Field and perhaps, out-door amphitheater-style seating. The CDP
should create a proposed conceptual design plan for these changes.

Establish a Cut-Through on East Main Street
To shorten the walking distance for customers, a cut-through should be established to connect
pedestrians to the E. Main Street businesses from the parking behind. Ideally this cut-through will be
located roughly midblock. The CDP should address where this cut-through should take place and how it
might aesthetically and physically be accomplished.

Project Process
The Design Committee will serve as the Steering Committee for the project. The members of the Design
Committee include 3 members of the DDA, City Manager, DDA Director, and DPW Director. The
Consultant will meet with the Design Committee to review the scope of services and discuss the specifics
of the project. Over the course of the project, the Consultant will meet a minimum of 3 times with a group
of community volunteers. It is recommended that the volunteers be utilized to develop the program
requirements for the project, design criteria for the improvements, and provide feedback for the concept
designs prepared by the Consultants. It is estimated that a minimum of 10 meetings will be required
through the course of the project to meet with the project volunteers, Design Committee, DDA, and City
Council. Once the concept designs and budgets are prepared for the project, the Consultant will meet
with the Design Committee to review the DDAs construction budget and select projects to package for
construction.

Introduction & Project Approach

We are thrilled to have been invited to provide you with our submission to your RFP for developing a
Downtown Conceptual Design Plan. Our proposal includes a number of activities designed to ensure
decisions made regarding the future of Northvilles