Preliminary results of the Bridge Street Corridor Study revealed
Out of the research, Dixon said five guiding principles were created: enhance economic vitality; make the center the heart of the Dublin community; embrace Dublin's natural setting and commitment to sustainability; expand livability choices for Dublin; and create a sense of place that expresses Dublin's commitment to community. (Click here to read the entire article)
Bridge Street Corridor Study
Plan outlines redevelopment options
ThisWeek Community Newspapers - By Jennifer Noblit
June 22, 2010
It was standing room only Monday night as consultants hired by the city unveiled a vision for the heart of Dublin.
Engineers from Goody Clancy and Associates outlined preliminary results of the Bridge Street corridor study, an addition to the community plan that will guide the development in the area of Bridge Street that stretches from the Interstate 270 and U.S. Route 33 interchange to Sawmill Road.
City manager Terry Foegler told the large crowd gathered at Wendy's headquarters that the study was a goal of city council and came about after landowners expressed interest in redevelopment.
"We need to take a look at this not only as an area for redevelopment, but an area for extraordinary opportunity," he said.
The study included community input sessions, meetings with stakeholders and research into the local market on demographics, housing, retail and office needs, David Dixon of Goody Clancy and Associates told the crowd.
After research and talks with residents, Dixon said they've concluded "people don't want to reinvent life, but they do want other options."
Out of the research, Dixon said five guiding principles were created: enhance economic vitality; make the center the heart of the Dublin community; embrace Dublin's natural setting and commitment to sustainability; expand livability choices for Dublin; and create a sense of place that expresses Dublin's commitment to community.
The Bridge Street corridor also was divided into seven districts with different redevelopment opportunities. The districts are:
- The Bridge Street Gateway: The most western area of the corridor can act as a transition from highway to main street. It has the chance "to set a tone and image for great value" and highly developed retail and office space, said Ben Carlson of Goody Clancy and Associates.
- Indian Run: The area that includes OCLC has "great opportunity for redevelopment," Carlson said, and can leverage the closeness to Historic Dublin and highway visibility with a mix of retail, residential and office development. "OCLC is actively exploring opportunities just as we've been describing. They're looking at the very uses we've been talking about," Carlson said.
- Historic Dublin: The central part of the Bridge Street corridor "deserves a very light touch," Carlson said, with a focus on keeping local businesses and the ability to cross Bridge Street. In the future, however, there could be great opportunities if Indian Run Elementary and Sells Middle School were relocated. Carlson said those would be ideal spots for civic sites such as a city hall, library and civic green to hold events.
- Riverside: The center of the corridor that encompasses the Scioto River could hold great opportunities for recreation, including a park on the east side of the Scioto. Carlson said a pedestrian bridge would be key for this area because it "connects both sides and opens retail opportunities on the east side of the river." There is also "quite an opportunity for high-quality housing in this area," he said.
- Dublin-Granville Road: The area that includes Wendy's headquarters and the Shoppes at River Ridge needs to be more walkable. Carlson said the "strategy is to leverage the visibility for more office."
- Tuller Greenway: The area that abuts I-270 and includes Tuller Road has opportunities for new housing and businesses, and needs to "expand on the street network," Carlson said. Adding a better street network to get people to Emerald Parkway will help decrease traffic passing through Historic Dublin, he said.
- Sawmill: This district includes Dublin Village Center and needs better access to Sawmill Road, Carlson said, so people passing by can "see into an exciting, walkable world." The area could include integrated retail, housing and office space.
The plan is market driven, Carlson and Dixon said, and could be used as a 20- to 30-year vision.
The next step for the study will be to continue dialogue with stakeholders, illustrate opportunities for development in each district and outline design guidelines.
The plan will be placed on the city's website at Dublin.oh.us so residents can comment.