Cathedral Area Historic District Project Breaking A 50-Year Impasse:

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Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Breaking A 50-Year Impasse:

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Project Background / History• Longest North-South Arterial

Street in Bismarck, ND• 5-Lane Roadway on North

& South Ends• Narrows to a 30’ 2-Lane

Through Historic District• Crumbling Infrastructure • LOS F• Neighborhood Stopped City

Widening Plan in 1950’s • Repeated Projects Failed

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

A New Approach Emerges

• City Approaches the Neighborhood

• Forms A Washington Street Working Group

• Discussed How To Approach Starting A Potential Project

• Result: Neighborhood Wanted A Process To Provide Input On EVERYTHING!

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Seek To Understand, Then Be Understood

• Created A Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC)

• 5 Public Input Meetings

• Interactive Website with On-Line Public Opinion Survey

• Direct Mail

• Brought in News Media as Partners

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Schedule

• Public Input Meeting #1 Feb. 9, 2006• Public Input Meeting #2 Feb. 21• Design Charrette Feb. 21-23• Public Open House Feb. 22• Public Input Meeting #3 Feb. 23• Public Input Meeting #4 Mar. 30• Public Input Meeting #5 90% Plans, Fall

2006• Construction 2007

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

SAC• Open To Anyone – No Limit

• Must Agree To Rules:– Must Commit To Attending All Meetings– Keep An Open Mind, No Criticism– Must Participate In Ideas and Discussions– Must Discuss Project With Others and Report

Back With Input

• Open Roster Helped Establish Credibility!

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

SAC• Listening Sessions

• Story Telling – What Makes A Sense of Place

• Personal & Historic Photos

• News Clippings/Articles

• Presentation of Historic District Key Features & History by SAC Volunteer

• Walking Tour of District & Buildings

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Public Streetscape Survey• 456 Surveys Distributed

– Available on Website

• 120 Survey Responses Received– 20 Surveys Incomplete

• Response Rate = 26%• Prioritization of Project Goals

– Tree Preservation (17%); Left turn lane (16%); Streetscape Maintenance (15%); Seek public input/keep the public informed (15%)

• Preference of the Level of Detail of Streetscape Elements– High and Moderate

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Public Comments Received

• Avoid Impacting the Trees. • Pedestrian Safety and Controlled Traffic Speeds Should

Remain Top Priorities.

• Like to See the District Enhanced but not ‘Themed’.

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Public Comments Received

• This Section of Town Holds Bismarck’s History – Once Gone – it Will be Very Difficult to Restore.

• The Public has Set a High Priority that the Widened Street not Bisect Neighbors in the East from Those in the West…We are Concerned about PEOPLE Being Separated from PEOPLE.

• Widen the Street as much as Possible.

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Challenge: “Preserve the Memorable Streetscape Experience”

• Condensed Project Goals:

– Infrastructure Improvements

– Neighborhood Character

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Infrastructure Improvements

• Utilities Improvements– Opportunity to Upgrade

• Roadway Related Recommendations– Accommodate 20 year design life– Address Traffic Speed and Flow– Slow In-Bound Traffic– Focus on Pedestrian Conflict Zone– Emergency Vehicle Needs– Visibility and Lighting

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

What Is Primary Need Of Corridor?

• To Move High Volumes Of Traffic As Quickly As Possible?

• To Provide A Safe Corridor For Motorists & Pedestrians, While Providing An Acceptable Level Of Service To Corridor Traffic?

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

How We Got There

• Establish and Maintain Sincerity & Credibility

• Open Participatory Process

• Design Charrette

• Visualization Graphics

• Commitment

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Design Charrette

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Neighborhood Character

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Neighborhood Character

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Neighborhood Character

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Neighborhood Character

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Visualization

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Lessons Learned:

• Begin Early Open Dialogue:– To Determine Support To Consider

Developing a Plan

• Open Invitation For SAC:– Everyone is a Stakeholder, Build

Credibility Through Open Participation

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Lessons Learned:

• Establish Rules For SAC:– Requires a Commitment From Squeaky

Wheels, Doesn’t Just Provide Another Platform For Them.

• Seek To Understand, Then Be Understood:– Improves Communication and Builds Empathy

Both Ways

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Lessons Learned:

• The Open House Design Charrette:– Capitalize on an Interactive, Collaborative

Design Concept Process

• The Power of Visualization:– A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words– Used in the Planning, Design, and in the Final

Project Features as Seen By The Users

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Lessons Learned:

• Bring the News Media as a Partner:– Tell Them How You Would Like Them to

Participate, Provide Them Graphics, Etc.

• Commitment:– You Say You Are Going To Preserve Trees?

Prove it!

Cathedral Area Historic District Project

Lessons Learned:

• Keep The Momentum Going!– Frequent Meetings Build Enthusiasm &

Synergy

Cathedral Area Historic District Project