(a) EDAW was retained by the City of Grand Junction to complete a conceptual
Master Corridor Plan for the future development and redevelopment
of the North Avenue Corridor. North Avenue is a major east-west commercial
thoroughfare, and has experienced significant decline over the last
years. The corridor study area includes the intersection at 12th Street,
eastbound to the I-70B business loop intersection, and an approximate
one-block radius on either side of North Avenue.
(b) This plan includes an overall strategy to revitalize the corridor
in order to promote the future development of retail, commercial,
office and residential opportunities to sustain and increase the vitality
of this corridor. Specific key projects and strategies for the implementation
of improvements have been identified including:
(1) Fulfill a market gap in the region;
(2) Create services at the neighborhood level;
(3) Restore the regional destination desire;
(4) Improve mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders;
(5) Create a significant neighborhood of residential, retail, commercial
and public activity areas.
(c) Success in filling the market gap is dependent in three areas: financial,
physical and regulatory. The plan recognizes existing barriers and
provides strategies to overcome these:
(1) Financial.
(i) Work with private and nonprofit interests to assemble and hold opportunity
sites.
(ii)
Share market opportunities with various audiences to encourage
investment.
(iii)
Use range of mechanisms – land swaps, low-interest
loans, acquisition/write-down.
(iv)
Consider establishing appropriate districts as holding entities.
(v) Problem is less severe near logical development node –
probably can use traditional land assembly.
(2) Regulatory.
(i) Consider overlay district that is more supportive/encouraging of
mixed use.
(ii)
Revise regulations to eliminate barriers to investment in neighborhoods
on the corridor; promote density and greater variety of residential
products (i.e., density bonuses).
(iii)
Encourage the introduction of residential development within
nodes and at key locations; fill financial gaps, and support demonstration
projects (look for institutional partners).
(iv)
Where necessary, assist with assembling properties to accommodate
a range of product types (workforce, student, senior, etc.).
(v) Eliminate regulatory barriers which preclude or delay redevelopment
buildings for residential use (building codes, limits on adjacency
among uses, etc.).
(vi)
Work with private and nonprofit interests to provide opportunity
sites for residential development.
(3) Physical.
(i) Maintain (City) flexible position on the use and width of alleys
(if relevant) in select locations.
(ii)
Create street standards for building setbacks, sidewalk width,
signage, awnings, etc., sensitive to the feasibility of the remaining
building envelope.
(iii)
For stores that require surface parking in front, require heightened
landscaping or pad site development with interior parking –
remaining sensitive to sight-lines.
(iv)
Establish street standards – define the street’s
role by district based on the vision and desired character.
(v) Update any transportation plans relative to desired district functions,
including encouraging public transportation through increased comfort
and security of stops.
(vi)
Link parking lots, minimize curb cuts and consolidate driveways –
selectively – where feasible.
(vii)
Redesign intersections and access points within the nodes to
simplify and coordinate signal sequences.
(d) The key to achieving new development must be initiated on a theme
of:
(1) Capitalize on proximity to college and downtown through marketing
efforts, product mix and positioning.
(2) Educate the Council about this market reality and prepare them for
filling the gap of catalyst projects resulting from inflated land
prices and other factors.
(3) Consider an urban renewal district to assist with on-site and off-site
costs for qualifying elements.
(4) Capitalize on proximity to hospital and park through marketing, product
mix and positioning (including actual physical connectivity).
(5) Encourage hospital, or unrelated clinics, to explore partnership
opportunities.
(6) Encourage mixed uses including affordable residential and multifamily.
(7) Capitalize on substantial infrastructure investment in north-south
connection (along with presumably softer land assembly costs) to pursue
regional retail opportunity.
(e) Creating services at the neighborhood level requires an assessment of existing resources for project area workers and residents. Accommodating these uses and supplemental regional, County-wide services, will round out the corridor. Key physical projects have been identified for the revitalization of North Avenue and are more clearly identified and discussed in GJMC §
32.24.020. The three key projects identified are:
(1) Community/development nodes at the intersections of 12th Street,
28 and 29 Road.
(2) Corridor – right-of-way and streetscape improvements.
(3) Land assembly areas for potential large/high impact – public/private partnerships at intersection nodes. (An example massing and phasing concept is presented for such larger development opportunities in GJMC §
32.24.030.)
(f) This philosophy will address the goal of restoring the corridor for
regional destinations. The project area is disabled in providing for
pedestrian and bicyclist mobility. Addition of sidewalks, curb cuts
consolidation and streetscape improvements will achieve a number of
goals including creating a unified street edge and overall character
of the corridor. The following examples are taken from the in-depth
study of the streetscape improvements that would further improve North
Avenue:
(1) Create a generous vegetated swale to collect, filter and distribute
stormwater to replace the drainage adjacent to street.
(2) Where buildings are adjacent to the street, sidewalk improvements
include connecting the sidewalks to building entrances, defined curb
cut entrances, and relocation of parking between buildings. This allows
for an improved streetscape, greater visibility of storefronts, and
clear and safe pedestrian connections.
(3) Parking lots adjacent to streets should have a defined curb cut entrance,
added sidewalks and additional plantings to define parking lot circulation
and enhance way finding. Additionally, planting islands within these
expansive asphalt areas will allow for a reduction in the urban heat
islands typically found in large parking lots. Logical ped/bike connections
from North Avenue to destinations through parking lots should be explored.
(4) Curb cuts should be reduced and consolidated in order to enhance
the overall character of the corridor and improve vehicular and pedestrian
circulation.
(5) Signage along North Avenue can be improved by minimizing pole-mounted
signs and replacing them with ground-mounted monument signs.
(6) A streetscape kit-of-parts will further unify the streetscape by
implementing amenities that maintain the character throughout the
corridor.
(7) Modifications and recommended adjustments to the Grand Junction sign code are provided in detail in GJMC §
32.24.090.
(g) Additional streetscape improvements and guidelines recommendations are provided in order to help guide new and future development along North Avenue. These guidelines will assist in creating a cohesive and unified streetscape. These recommendations are located in GJMC §
32.24.070.
(h) These projects, at a reasonable scale and value, will enlist future
developer interest and act as catalyst projects to meet the greater
need of private investment.
(i) The preferred alternative was developed from the demand and market
study as well as the public comment obtained from the open houses.
The predominant elements of this preferred alternative are:
(1) A student and entertainment district in proximity to Mesa College
would also provide student housing, after 5:00 p.m. activities and
the opportunity for a quality hotel to serve the area.
(2) A neighborhood center where senior housing located in proximity to
a quality grocer, neighborhood retail, and the potential for a hotel
to serve the hospital and surrounding neighborhood.
(3) A multifamily and attached residential district connecting to the
neighborhoods to the north, and potential for office space to the
south.
(4) A mixed-use area with residential over retail incorporated with the
governmental functions and public plazas to create a gateway for the
29 Road intersection.
(5) Regional retail to anchor the east end of the corridor.
(j) Roles and Responsibilities.
City Leadership
|
Support at least two demonstration projects (catalyst projects) –
commit support for the use of a range of gap filling tools
|
Once potential incentives are identified – publish
a request for development
|
Consider the range of district mechanisms which could potentially
fund improvements in the corridor
|
New Initiatives
|
|
Implementing Entities (i.e., City Staff,
Advocacy Entities, etc.)
|
Continue to monitor the market and development climate –
establish benchmark database
|
Develop targeted marketing materials – solicit regional
retail opportunity
|
Establish street standards
|
Link parking lots, minimize curb cuts and consolidate driveways –
within nodes
|
Complete regulatory review – eliminate gaps and barriers
|
Investors/Private Sector
|
Host developer/lender (“delivery system”) information
meetings – progress updates
|
Share development challenges – open book and open
dialogue
|
Community
|
Continue to participate – get educated
|
Support leadership decisions which advance the vision
|
(Res. 174-07 (Exh. A), 12-3-07)
The following report provides an overall view of the current
situation of the North Avenue Corridor. Barriers and constraints have
been identified and studied to understand their relevance and contribution
to the decline of this commercial district and thoroughfare.
The three miles of the corridor expanse has been divided into
three distinct proposed districts as a practical way of addressing
the corridor. These three areas are logically divided by north/south
major streets – 12th Street, 28 and 29 Roads –
and relate to specific neighborhoods and land uses. The report further
defines the key projects that will provide the greatest synergy from
which development can further progress and build upon.
Implementation tools and specific strategies have been developed
to address the barriers pertaining to the districts. An example is
presented and used to illustrate how such strategies and tools would
be employed for the phasing of such a key project.
Other strategies that encompass the entire corridor study area
are also defined with recommendations. Both private and public leadership
is necessary to achieve these goals and partnerships are encouraged
for policy and physical planning efforts.
All of these recommendations will serve the City of Grand Junction
to have a defined document by which to solicit and guide new development
in an effort to revive and improve the current situations facing the
North Avenue Corridor.
(Res. 174-07 (Exh. A), 12-3-07)
Historically, North Avenue was the northernmost boundary of
Grand Junction. As development continued to grow to the north, the
North Avenue Corridor now finds itself at the center of the City and
in great location and proximity to many great assets and amenities
such as the Stocker Stadium and Lincoln Park and Golf field, Mesa
College and a wide range of community services, hospitals, downtown,
access, etc.
Until the 1990s North Avenue was the primary retail tax generator
for the City of Grand Junction. However, over the last few years it
has experienced a dramatic loss in revenue in great part associated
with the extensive development of new and large commercial and retail
centers along the western edge of the City.
As business is pulled to these new commercial centers, North
Avenue has the opportunity to reestablish itself with improvements
and developments that support a community environment and will make
it uniquely different. Rather than mimic the developments occurring
on the western edge, the North Avenue Corridor can reclaim its identity
by promoting developments that combine retail, office and residential
with civic components to establish a distinctive sense of place and
character. This will provide, as supplement to downtown, an historically
rich active neighborhood with a focus on entertainment and mixed use.
(Res. 174-07 (Exh. A), 12-3-07)
A kick-off meeting with the EDAW project team and City of Grand
Junction internal staff served to obtain information from the Planning
Department on the conditions of the corridor and local insights and
issues to keep in mind during the planning process. The following
meeting notes show the items discussed and important information relating
to the history and conditions of the corridor study area. These items
will help guide implementation plans and will be maintained in further
evaluation and development of the plan.
Primary key issues that were discussed in the kick-off meeting
and have directed the progress of the corridor study and plan are
as follows:
(a) The 29 Road intersection will become a key transportation corridor
with the new bridge planned continuing south over the railroad tracks,
connecting to the greater business loop. Daily trips are expected
to increase and this development area could serve as an identifiable
community node.
(b) North Avenue has historically been a cruising street and is currently
still used as such. While the cruising of the corridor in itself is
not a problem, associated problems such as the congregation and loitering
in vacant parking lots is a safety and security problem.
(c) No major traffic problems were identified in regards to traffic lights,
accidents, or problem intersections.
(d) Bus transportation and usage is well used within the corridor and
potential “farside” pull-outs after intersections might
be explored in future design scenarios to allow for buses to not impede
with the vehicular flow of traffic on North Avenue.
(e) There is a lack of consistency in sidewalks and street design that
would create an identifying character to make the pedestrian environment
more appealing and usable.
(f) The consolidation of curb cuts would greatly improve access, safety
and the pedestrian streetscape environment.
(g) Utilities should be consistently located and buried whenever possible
to further improve the visual view of North Avenue.
(h) There is a great need and opportunity to provide good quality and
affordable housing, multifamily and attached residential units along
the corridor.
(i) Alternative and possible methods to mitigate the issues surrounding
the existing homeless shelter would further improve the perceived
environment of North Avenue.
(j) Consolidation of commercial uses into core districts would provide
areas where the community could access neighborhood services with
associated active public spaces while providing opportunities for
large lot configurations for future development.
(k) An overall re-evaluation and improvement of the signage standards
along the entire corridor would further improve the visual character
of the streetscape and promote a pleasant pedestrian and vehicular
environment.
(Res. 174-07 (Exh. A), 12-3-07)
The North Avenue study area is nearly three miles in length
and contains the key intersections of 12th Street, 28 and 29 Roads
that create ideal five-minute walking districts. While the corridor
is in general proximity to the downtown area, it is outside of a typical
walking distance. The proposed bridge at 29 Road is also a key factor
to North Avenue and will increase traffic circulation through this
retail area. Crucially important assets to North Avenue are the adjacent
Mesa College, Lincoln Park and Stocker Stadium, the multiple government
office and job employment centers, community centers, and the direct
and easy access to I-70 to the north and I-70B to the south.
(Res. 174-07 (Exh. A), 12-3-07)