We
conducted a downtown design charrette with property and business owners,
residents, and citizen interests on downtown revitalization issues and
opportunities for the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce and City Administrator.
A number of projects were underway
within or directly adjacent to the historic downtown area by the city and
private developers. Taken together, the projects could provide the impetus for a
major revitalization of the district. Recognizing this opportunity, the Chamber
of Commerce initiated a planning process to determine a design vision and action
plan for the revitalization of the downtown area including traffic and parking.
We
conducted a design charrette to identify specific planning and design ideas that
could capitalize on the Chamber’s momentum and create a long range vision for
the district. The charrette identified proposals for marketing and promotion,
parking and transit, landscape and gateways, boardwalks and streetscapes, parks
and trails, urban design, new project developments, and regulatory measures.
We
reviewed the final proposals with the public during a series of public workshops
where the participants help refine the concepts into a detailed 6-year action
program for study, design, and implementation.