Midtown Action Plan to be presented to City Commission
After months of planning, the Midtown Action Plan is ready to be presented before the City Commission for approval. In 2010, and again in 2011, the City Commission set as one of it’s top priorities to work with community groups to “create a sense of place” in defined districts throughout Tallahassee. Midtown is the first of these districts to create a plan.
The KCCI initiative Identify Tallahassee played an integral part in the process of creating the plan, as well as working with the City Commission to establish placemaking as a priority in the community. Community Catalyst Jay Revell represented KCCI in the Midtown Working Group, a collaboration between the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department, residents and members of the Midtown Merchants Association.
The action plan not only provides a vision and goals for the future of Midtown, but it proposes the steps and tasks to be taken to achieve those goals and ultimate vision. These goals include:
Activities/Events/Community
-Create a Midtown brand that will help form a visual edge for the district
-Promote the arts and culture through murals, music, fashion, history and cuisine
-Relieve parking complications and nuisances
-Identify ways to support local business
Infrastructure/Amenities/Urban Form
-Support urban infill and mixed use buildings for live, work and play
-Create a walkable and bikable community
-Reclaim or create new public spaces
-Improve traffic safety for all users
As a “living document” of sorts, the plan is designed to be tweaked and altered over time as necessary. City staff will continue to meet with the Midtown Working Group to assess progress.
In FY 2010, $500,000 was allocated to fund infrastructure projects in Midtown that would support the ongoing efforts and be a “catalyst for future private investment.” Six short-term projects have been identified, ranging from intersection treatments, new street lamps, a plaza along 5th Avenue, signage, decorative planters and events/promotions. To see the breakdown of how the funds would be spent, click here.
We’ve spent the past year watching this project progress, and we’re very pleased with how it developed according to Identify Tallahassee’s original vision. We’re excited to see these ideas brought to life in the coming years in Midtown!
