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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000 Riverfront Steering Committee �D(tiL REVISED 5 ,S*OO ELGIN RIVERFRONT/CENTER CITY MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE, DESIGN COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY FORUM MEETINGS Schedule Summary Meeting 10 Strategy Review Wednesday, April 12, 3:00 Staff & Steering Comm Meeting 11 Concept Refinemt Thursday, May 4, 3:00 Design Sub-Committee Meeting 12 Implementation Thursday, May 11, 3:00 Design Sub-Committee Meeting 13 Design & Impl ,Thursday, May 18, 3:00 Design Sub-Committee Meeting 14 Design & Impl Thursday, May 25, 3: 00 Steering Committee Meeting 15 Appr to procceed Wednesday, June 14, 6:00 City Council Meeting 16 Graphics, report Wednesday, June 14, 3:00 Design Sub Committee Meeting 17 Present report Thursday, June 22, 3:00 Steering Committee Meeting 18 Community Forum Thursday, June 22, 6: 30 Public Meeting 19 Present report Wednesday, June 28, 6:00 City Council March 23 , 2000 AGENDA Riverfront/Center City Master Plan Report Revised Schedule for Review and Approval Monday, March 27 Teleconference with Elgin City 9 : 00 a.m. - 10 : 00 a.m. staff to discuss staff comments on the Implementation Strategy memo . Thursday, April 6 Draft report to be sent out for review by City staff and Steering Committee . Wednesday, April 12 Meeting with City staff and Steering Committee to review the draft report . Thursday, April 20 Final Master Plan report to be sent out and included in the City Council packets for the April 26 Council meeting. Wednesday, April 26 City Council Presentation of the 6 : 00 p.m. - 7 : 00 p .m. Elgin Riverfront/Center City Master Plan. . . Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee June 22'd, 2000 3 : 00 p.m. Members Present: Ed Schock, Chairman Joyce Parker Jack Cook Stuart Wasilowski Linda Kelly Members Absent: Steven Byers John Mckevitt Pete Dominguez John Steffen J. Patrick McAtee Julio Valdez Staff Members Present: Clay Pearson Guests: Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates - I . Call to Order Mayor Schock welcomed all who were present and called the meeting to order. II . Approval of Minutes The minutes from the previous meeting of May 25m, 2000 were approved. III . Presentation and Discussion of Design Refinements Civic Campus : Rick Hitchcock and Dave Friggo went over the final drawings of the Civic Campus with the comments and changes from the past staff' and the steering committee meetings incorporated into them. They asked the committee for their comments, so that changes could be made and the final draft presented to the City Council . Some of the comments from the members are : • The overlook area : more green spaces, less concrete and smaller walkways . Have the area tie into the Library and Hemmens - all have a similar look. • Parking Lot North and East of Library: Remove row of parking spaces, open and green up the area. • Playground in Civic Campus Area : Several ideas were discussed as to what type of gathering place could be developed for both children and adults, and where the best location would be . Steering Committee Minutes June 22°C, 2000 Page 2 • Displaying of Signs : A comment was made regarding displaying signs in the community, and what the committee and the City could do in order to get the word out on what is being done on the riverfront projects . Some of the suggestions were to display several signs along the bike path or even at the Library and several other public places for people to see what is going to happen in the future. Festival Park: After the work has begun on the Civic Campus site, the consultants have recommended that the next project to consider is the Festival Park area . It is a large area which will need to be phased over time and funding to be sponsored by a number of partners including the City. Recommendations on work for this area include : • Regrading of the entire park to allow for redevelopment to the east and filling of the Metra riverbank on the west side . • Create a natural sloped edge, planted with natural vegetation, to bring people down to the waters edge. • Creation of overlooks and access steps at the waters edge . • Creation of a pedestrian promenade along the river bank. • Upgrading bike path to accommodate higher uses . • Create gateways into the park for identification purposes, and install playground and water feature to attract family- oriented activities . • Construct a staged performance facility at the south end of the park for use by the City and the Grand Victoria throughout the year. Costs & Fundino : Possible cost and funding for the projects are outlined in the Master Plan. The Civic/Cultural Campus and the Festival Park funding sources are broken down to include the site location, proposed sponsors and the total cost for the specific area. Project A, Civic Campus Riverfront The consultants along with the Steering Committees approval, recommend to the City Council to invest in the Civic Campus as the first riverfront construction project . Some of the proposed project features include a multi-use path with lighting, seating and signage, a two-tiered overlook at the spillway, access points to the water' s edge with stabilized slopes . 4 ' Steering Committee Minutes June 22', 2000 Page 3 The estimated construction cost of Phase I of the Civic/Cultural Campus is approximately $4 . 5 million, with final design and engineering to begin in June 2000, construction to begin in late fall and completion within a year. V. Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5 : 00 p.m. There are no future Riverfront Steering Committee meetings scheduled at this time . Respectfully submitted, Sharon Pepke Recording Secretary . w Loni Mecum . City Clerk City of Elgin N Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee May 25tr', 2000 3 : 00 p.m. Members Present: Ed Schock, Chairman J. Patrick McAtee Steven Byers Joyce Parker Jack Cook John Steffen Pete Dominguez Julio C. Valdez Jon Duerr Members Absent: Joan Berna Linda Kelly John McKevitt Stuart Wasilowski Staff Members Present: Mark Biernacki Ray Moller Guests : Laura Ross Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates Press Staff I . Call to Order Mayor Schock welcomed all who were present and called the meeting to order . II . Approval of Minutes The minutes from the previous meeting of April l2=`, 2000 were approved. III . Presentation of Design Refinements Rick Hitchcock presented to the Riverfront Committee the proposed projects that the Design Review Committee have been working on. The Civic Campus and Festival Park were chosen as the pilot projects to start on, with the approval of the Riverfront Committee . The Design committee is working on a start date as well as funding for the two areas . The reasons the two projects were proposed, is the ability to start work on the projects quickly, and emk provide the best opportunities to make a showcase/centerpiece in the area . After presentation, the Riverfront Committee approved the proposed projects which gave the consulting staff the authority to move forward, subject to City Council approval . eift Steering Committee Minutes May 25', 2000 Page 2 Presentation/Discussion of Recommendations to City Council Rick Hitchcock and Dave Frigo discussed the projects that will be recommended to the City Council on June 14= . In detail, they described what it will take to get the projects moving, and also showed what the Civic Campus and Festival Park might look like when they are completed. Dave Frigo explained that with the Civic Campus project, there is a possibility of extending Grove Avenue, which would bring new life to the area, with both summer and winter uses . He also explained that with both the Civic Campus and Festival Park projects, both require the need to bring people down to the rivers edge, not just to observe the river from a distance . With Walton Island, some of the ideas that would be implemented are: Ramp or float pier - to be more pedestrian friendly. Needs paved spaces - for weddings, shows etc. Clean up pond and add sign age - to identify and highlight plantings and wildlife . North end - fishermen' s lawn or maybe a sculpture With Festival Park, some of the recommendations are : Open lawn spaces . Destination playground. Add overlooks - to bring people down to the waters edge . Natural and softer edges near the water. Fountains - lit up at night . Performance place - stage . The consultants have proposed that bids could go out as soon as September, with a contract in October, and construction starting late this year, or early next year. The consultants and the Design Review Committee are also looking at the other areas and projects, and deciding when the best time would be to go forward with the implementation and schedule process . Dave said that the goal for the projects is to bring people and families to the downtown area and to enjoy the river and all of its possibilities . IV. Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4 : 15 p.m. The next Steering Committee meeting will be on Thursday, June 22', 2000, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, Lower Level Exhibition Hall, from 3 : 00 p.m. to 5 : 00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ` c I ,/ �lflr, Approved: 6/22/00 Sharon Pepkel Recording Secretary "4 Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee April 12th, 2000 3 : 00 p.m. Members Present: Ed Schock, Chairman Pete Dominguez Joan Berna Linda Kelly Steven Byers Joyce Parker Jack Cook John Steffen Ina Dews Stuart Wasilowski John Duerr Members Absent: J. Patrick McAtee John McKevitt Julio Cesar Valdez Staff Members Present: Mark Biernacki Ray Moller Guests : Sam Ballas - Lipton Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates Press Staff I . Call to Order Mayor Schock welcomed all who were present and called the meeting to order . II . Approval of Minutes The minutes from the previous meeting of March 6=', 2000 were approved. III . Discussion of Draft Master Plan Report Tim Anderson discussed the Draft Master Plan Report and asked the Steering Committee if they had any changes or comments . The consultants will incorporate the City Staff and Steering Committee comments into a final draft plan that will be presented to the City Council on April 26 , with the adoption of the plan sometime in May. 4 Steering Committee Minutes April 12th, 2000 Page 2 Tim said that the consultants will take several of the prior memorandums and compile them into one document . An executive summary will be added for public distribution. It was also suggested that the reorganized final document have several smaller sections that could be used as handouts at forums and events to target specific groups . Besides cleaning up the document (typos, errors etc . . . ) , some other suggestions were: 1 . Highlight bold key statements to have the major issues stand out . 2 . Refine figures and numbers throughout . 3 . References to Route 25 & 31 throughout the document (they are both major gateways to the City) . 4 . In the summary, some of the graphics need to be enhanced and defined, to make browsing through the different areas easier to reference . 5 . Change the terminology to make it clear and easy to understand. Within the Implementation Strategy, there are 3 sections discussed in detail . 1) Overview, 2) Funding, and 3) Priority Districts . The individual plans within the projects need to be placed in sequence order, and a time line designed, to make sure the projects are completed in the right order. Also making sure that the projects stay within the 3-5 year time line is critical . The consultants have suggested that a Project Management Team be created (which will consists of City Staff, Steering Committee Members and a few consultants) to get the projects going and keep them moving at a quick pace. The management team will also keep state representatives and legislators informed in order to receive funding for the projects . The Team will meet approximately every other week, to define the project areas, and report back to the Steering Committee members and the consultants with recommendations . The Mayor asked the Steering Committee to think about signing on to a project team in the near future. Also, he reminded everyone about the presentation to the City Council on April 26'`', and welcomed all to attend the meeting. . • Steering Committee Minutes April 12 , 2000 Page 3 IV. Discussion of Phase II Pilot Project Design Rick Hitchcock reviewed the Pilot Project Design portion of the Master Plan, highlighting the Civic Campus and Festival Park. A few key questions were discussed. How do we grab the attention of the public for the different projects, how do we receive funding for the projects, and how soon can we break ground on a project right away? These questions need to be addressed by the Project Management Team before any project can be started. There are lot of opportunities within the different areas of the projects, with some being very easy to accomplish and others that are very complex . The strategy is to refine all the concepts, costs, permit processes and funding in more detail, and from the information collected, choose a project that the City can start on. The consultants will update the current schedule for meetings for the Steering Committee for phase II, and get those out in the near future . V. Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4 : 40 p.m. The next Steering Committee meeting will be on Thursday, May 18 , 2000, at the Hemmens Cultural Center Lower Level Rehearsal room, from 3 : 00 p.m. to 5 : 00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, r, 417c _ Sharon Pepke Recording Secretary Approved: May 25 , 2000 eft Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee March 6th, 2000 3 :00 p.m. Members Present: Ed. Schock, Chairman J. Patrick McAtee Steven Byers John McKevitt Jack Cook Joyce Parker Ina Dews John Steffen John Duerr Julio Cesar Valdez Pete Dominguez Stuart Wasilowski Linda Kelly Members Absent: Joan Berna Staff Members Present: Mark Biernacki John Henrici Ray Moller Guests : Judi DiFulvio Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates Press Staff I. Call to Order Mayor Schock welcomed all who were present and called the meeting to order. II. Approval of Minutes The minutes from the previous meeting of February 7 , 2000 were approved. III . Discussion of Implementation Strategies Rick Hitchcock explained the draft for review of the Preliminary Implementation Strategy that was handed out to the Steering Committee members . Outlined in the handout are 8 project sites that the consultants have chosen and presented to the Steering members as a starting point which could be narrowed to 1 or 2 sites to be taken to the next step of development . There will be some quick successes and some that take longer to finish. The study area is very large and had to be narrowed to find a starting point . Timing and scheduling is critical with some projects, and it is important to make a strong visual impact . The eight sites that were discussed are : Steering Committee Minutes March 6th, 2000 Page 2 1 . Northeast corner of Route 31 and Kimball Street . 2 . Festival Park. 3 . Riverside Deck. 4 . Overlook Plaza (by the Kimball Street Dam) . 5 . Underpass for bike trail on Kimball Street . 6 . Metra West Bank. 7 . Road extension through Hemmens Plaza. 8 . Walton Island. IV. Discussion and Selection of Riverfront Pilot Projects The consultants along with the Steering Committee discussed the 8 project sites, narrowing the list down to a few projects to start with. Some of the projects could be completed within a short period of time, and the cost will be minimal . Other projects will need several years and may cost several million dollars to complete . Some of the Steering Committee members said that some of the projects that were close together (such as the Overlook Plaza, Underpass by Kimball, Extension through Hemmens, and Walton Island) could be grouped together as one project . Mr. Chesney told the committee that now is the time to start thinking about forming groups or committees to build project partnerships with state and federal representatives and technical staff in the early stages of the process . Many implementation steps involve complex and creative funding and regulatory issues . Groups that should be formed as soon as possible are : 1 . Project Management Team (PMT) to manage implementation activities for the priority projects and districts . 2 . Advisory Committee to provide advice to the PMT. 3 . Develop a communications network between the City with state and federal representatives and agencies . 4 . Create a developer negotiation team. These groups need to be created very quickly in order to make sure Elgin stays as a high profile City and the riverfront images should be made prominent and primary components of marketing materials to promote downtown Elgin as a destination. V. Draft Master Plan Report Review Schedule A schedule of the Draft Master Plan Report is listed below: 5 . Draft Report to City for printing and distribution to Steering Committee and City staff for review and comment. March 21st 6 . City staff and Steering Committee comments to CVA/HDG to prepare final draft . March 29th eft Steering Committee Minutes March 6th, 2000 Page 3 7 . Final draft report to City for printing and distribution to City Council . April 6th 8 . City Council meeting. April 12th Any questions regarding the review schedule, please call Ray Moller at 931-6749 . VI. Next Meeting Schedule The next Steering Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 12th, 2000 from 3 : 00 p.m. to 5 : 00 p.m. at Hemmens Lower Level Rehearsal Hall . There will be a review of the Riverfront Schematic Design Options and review of the draft of the final report at the Steering meeting. A presentation to the City Council of the Draft Master Plan will be on April 26th, from 6 : 00 p.m. to 7 : 00 p .m. VII . Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4 : 55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, • ( 3 Sharon Pepke Recording Secretary r Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee February 7th, 2000 5 : 00 p.m. Members Present: Ed Schock, Chairman J. Patrick McAtee Steven Byers Joyce Parker Jack Cook John Steffen Ina Dews Julio Cesar Valdez Pete Dominguez Stuart Wasilowski Linda Kelly Members Absent: Joan Berna John McKevitt Staff Members Present: Ray Moller Mark Biernacki Guests: Lee Gaul Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates Press Staff I . Call to Order Stuart Wasilowski called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone present . Ray Moller showed those present a video about the Center City/Riverfront Development Plan. The video highlighted sections of the riverfront and the City and included comments from the Mayor, Stuart Wasilowski , the consultants, and some of the people who attended the public forums . The video showed examples such as Naperville, where the riverfront has been re-developed and new changes have been implemented. If anyone would like a copy of the video, please contact Ray at 931-6749 . II. Approval of Minutes The Minutes from the previous meeting of January 20th, 2000 were approved. III . Focus Group Discussion Mr. Schreiber discussed the outcome from the meeting with the different focus groups which included representatives from the Hispanic, African American and High School communities . Some of the comments that were discussed were : • , Steering Committee Minutes February 7th, 2000 Page 2 • Parking a problem - parking seen as a symbol of convenience . • Location of parking - not enough. • Would like to see more people and activity downtown. • Safety is an issue. • Additional pedestrian bridges . • More programming and activities for youth and families . • More housing opportunities downtown. The groups as a whole commented on the fact that they thought this was a good chance to get their opinions heard. They have recognized that change has been made to the downtown area with the improvements to Kimball Street , Walton Island and the addition of the Grand Victoria. All these changes are seen as a positive boost to Elgin. The High School group also said that if the City provided them with activities, they will be more than happy to participate . Most had said that this was the first time they had heard about the riverfront plan, and thought that the concepts that were presented were very good. IV. Discussion of Preliminary Master Plan Recommendations Mr. Anderson updated the Committee on the Master Plan and where the consultants are so far. The plans are moving forward, but they are still refining them and would like more input from the Steering Committee. Some of the specific concerns that the committee members mentioned were : • Development of the rivers edge . • Open space along and North of Kimball Street . (Property along Kimball very critical . • Small projects completed in a short time frame . • Prioritize . • Perception of safety, it will always be an issue . • 2-way streets . • Trails (bike path, pedestrian walkways) connected. • More activity downtown. • Get more input from DNA, Metra, and the Forrest Preserve Representatives . • More natural areas . • Better job of promoting the riverfront plan - don' t loose the momentum. • More involvement from the community. • Progress, even if it is small. • Reality vs perception with safety downtown. How can we visualize or promote it better? • More lighting throughout the City. • The bluffs on Highland and Kimball will be great when opened up. • Residential close to Metra & Pace for commuters . • To have an ice rink downtown to draw people in the winter months . • Activities for all age groups. Steering Committee Minutes February 7th, 2000 Page 3 V. Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6 :30 p.m. The next Steering Committee meeting will be on March 6th, 2000 at Parks and Recreation office, 31 S. Grove Avenue, from 3-5 p.m. Respectfully submitted, kileab Sharon Pepke Recording Secretary Approved: March 6, 2000 • r Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee January 20th, 2000 5 :00 p.m. Members Present: Ed Schock, Chairman Joyce Parker Joan Berna John Steffan Jack Cook Julio Cesar Valdez Lynn Corrao Stuart Wasilowski Ina Dews Members Absent: Steven Byers Linda Kelly Pete Dominguez John McKevitt Staff Members Present: Ray Moller Mark Biernacki Guests : Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates Press Staff I . Call to Order Mayor Schock called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone present . Ray Moller distributed results from the surveys that the City conducted through the Spirit newsletter and the surveys taken at the high schools . Also handed out was a tally sheet from the first and second public forum showing the attendance at both meetings . II . Approval of Minutes The Minutes from the previous meeting of January 10th, 2000 were approved. III . Introductions None . IV. Discussion of preliminary Master Plan Recommendation Mr. Chesney updated the committee on the recent plans that the consultants have developed for the riverfront project . They have defined several key areas downtown that should be a starting point for projects . The planning areas are divided into five categories that include Redevelopment , Transportation, Parking, Street scape and Urban Design and Fox River Improvements . Some of the changes within the areas that they suggested were : Steering Committee Minutes January 20.'h, 2000 Page 2 • Moving the UP freight line traffic down to the METRA line to open up the views of the river as well as having more land for potential residential development . • Relocating the METRA maintenance and storage yards west of Elgin. • At Festival Park there is a large open space that could be tied into the Entertainment District, but a concern of its location within a flood plain will have to be looked at . Also, a pedestrian walkway located at Prairie street to give people access to crossing the river was suggested. • Encourage residential housing in the area and target property for upscale building to attract people to live in the downtown where it would be easy to commute to work . • Develop the area around the casino. A convention center or a hotel close to the casino is possible and elk would be a good access point from all areas . There would be a need to enhance the surrounding area and neighborhood. • The consultants suggested the City attract someone to rehab the Crocker Theater. It is in a great location along the river, with good parking and an ability to attract people to the downtown area. Mr. Chesney said that this would be a huge opportunity to make a bold statement close to the river. • Extend the Post Office cul de sac (Grove Avenue) through the plaza area west of City Hall . If it was opened up to pedestrian and some vehicle traffic, it would be a good link back to the downtown. It would also open up the Hemmen' s court yard which is not used very much and serve as additional access to the new Recreation Center. • Other key sites to be targeted are the NBD site, First Federal corner , Lipton building, Pace and the Post Office . • On the westside, a functional entrance into the downtown from Wing street is needed. • With the Highland and State Street bridges it was suggested that they be changed to 2-way traffic and updated by widening the pedestrian walkways, removal of some or all of the parking along the bridges and better lighting. Steering Committee Minutes January 20th, 2000 Page 3 The key is to minimize the time spent on the bridges and to make a statement with the appearance . The bridges are a huge piece of public investment and should be upgraded in a first class manner. V. Update Meeting Schedule The consultants along with Ray Moller will meet with local school representatives and members of the Hispanic and African American communities on February 7th, to get input from their groups regarding the riverfront project . VI . Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5 : 00 p.m. The next Steering Committee meeting will be on February 7th, 2000 at the Hemmens main floor from 5-6 p.m. ' Respectfully submitted, Approved: 2/7/2000 Sharon Pepke Recording Secretary NilI1) mid .00 . Minutes Riverfront Steering Committee January 10, 2000 5 : 00 p.m. Members Present: Ed Schock, Chairman J. Patrick McAtee Joan Berna John McKevitt Steven Byers Joyce Parker Jack Cook John Steffan Ina Dews Julio Cesar Valdez John Duerr Stuart Wasilowski Linda Kelly Members Absent: Allen Anderson Pete Dominguez Staff Members Present: Ray Moller Guests : Judy Difulvio Representatives of Hitchcock Design Group Representatives of Schreiber/Anderson Associates Press Staff I . Call to Order Mayor Schock called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone present . The Mayor also announced that Mr. Allen Anderson has given notice that he has vacated his chair on the Steering Committee because he has taken a position as a Judge . A replacement will be found as soon as possible . II . Approval of Minutes The Minutes from the previous meeting of December 9th, 1999 were approved. III . Introductions None . IV. Staff Report Ray Moller updated the Committee on the actions take by city staff to inform the public on the Riverfront/Center City Master Plan process . Some of the processes that are taking place are : • Mailed Opportunity Analysis to 65 attendees of previous public forum meeting. Steering Committee Minutes January 10th, 2000 Page 2 • Included a questionnaire in the Spirit News Letter sent to 37 , 000 Elgin households and businesses . 208 responses have been received to date . • Included information in the Insights newsletter which is distributed to 1 , 100 neighborhoods, community groups and business leaders . • Included information in the Connections newsletter which is distributed to 600 community contacts . • Placed information regarding the January 10public forum on the AT&T/Jones Cable Bulleting Board. • Placed a display describing the master plan in the Gail Borden Public Library. • Surveys were sent to area high school student councils and clubs seeking input . • Included information in the Hello, Elgin weekly newsletter which is sent to all 600 city employees . • Placed ads in local news papers on upcoming public meetings . • Updated information published on the city and Riverfront web pages . • The Mayor and Mr. Moller taped a cable show which is currently airing twice a week . • Produced a brochure on the project which is available at City Hall and Gail Borden Library. Any questions or comments can be directed to Ray Moller at 941- 9647 . V. Discussion of Preliminary Master Plan Recommendations Mr . Anderson updated the Committee on the Master Plan and where the Associates are so far. He stated that for the January 20th Steering Committee meeting the Associates will present the Master Plan Recommendations . He said that they are moving ahead on a very steady pace, but would like to have the Steering Committee have some input, and asked for their opinions and comments so far. Some of the comments the Committee members suggested are : • Lighting - a key factor • Bridges 2-way traffic • More public artwork • Have the River become more environmentally friendly Steering Committee Minutes January l0 , 2000 Page 3 • Tie the Riverfront projects with Walton Island • Try to get more young families involved • Connect Eastside with the Westside • Draw more new restaurants to downtown area • Easier flow of traffic through and around the downtown • More attention to density • Have parking deck be a new project site • Identify new projects - long and short term • Ideas for the uses of the downtown buildings • Define areas and their uses • Keep moving forward on the Historic District • Expand sidewalks on bridges to attract pedestrian traffic • Connect Westside to Center City by way of pedestrian route • Define critical areas and make them the focal point • Safely use the river • Balance residential with public access and open spaces Mr. Chesney said that the next step in the process is to bring more detail and narrow the focus on the concepts . The consultants will also set priorities within the 3-5 year window. He explained that there will be multiple phases, and that the need to focus on the smaller projects is just as important and the big picture . VI . Update Meeting Schedule Two meeting dates were changed after the Committee discussed a more convenient date for the meetings . The changes are as follows : 1 . Meeting #7 , Community Forum for Monday, February 14'h has been changed to Saturday, February 12'h . (Note : location and time to be announced) . 2 . Meeting #8 , Steering Committee Meeting for Thursday, March 2nd has been changed to Monday, March 6 from 3 -5 p . m. VII . Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6 : 00 p .m. The next Steering Committee meeting will be on January 20 , 2000 at Hemmens Lower Level from 3 -5 p .m. Respectfully submitted, Approved: January 20 , 2000 Sharon Peke Recording Secretary