Design Charrette
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CHARDON TOMORROWUPTOWN Design Charrette i Prepared for: Chardon Tomorrow P.O. Box 1068 Chardon, OH 44024 Ph: 440.273.3077 Email: [email protected] By: Kent State University’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative 1309 Euclid Avenue, Suite 200 Cleveland,OH 44106 Ph: 216.357.3434 Email: [email protected] CHARDON TOMORROWUPTOWN Design Charrette TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 01 INTRODUCTION 03 Chardon Tomorrow Previous Initiatives UPTOWN DESIGN CHARRETTE 07 Goals Breakout Session # 1 - Development Breakout Session # 2 - Town Square Breakout Session # 3 - Access & Connectivity IDEAS 15 Small Business Incubator Institutional Anchor Design Guidelines Mixed Use Development Pedestrian-ize Short Court Street Enhance Streetscape Create Child Friendly Park Enhance Courthouse Create Shared Parking Create Safe, Pedestrian Circulators Divert Truck Traffic Bike-friendly Signage and Amenities CASE STUDIES 27 Culpeper, Virginia Kentwood, Michigan Bath, Maine NEXT STEPS 31 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For the past few years, Chardon Tomorrow has been There were concurrent ideas for these topics developed Development: engaged in visioning and planning exercises to help in each of the three groups. For instance, each group Small Business Incubator create a road map for Chardon’s future. These initiatives suggested that Short Court Street be converted to a Institutional Anchor are aimed at preserving and fostering Chardon’s unique pedestrian and bike-friendly walkway. Another idea with sense of place while achieving economic prosperity broad support is the creation of shared parking spaces Design Guidelines and quality of life. As a next step in their efforts to build on each side of the Square so that patrons can park once Mixed Use Development momentum and engage key stakeholders in this process, and walk easily to various businesses on the Square. - Housing Chardon Tomorrow invited Kent State University’s To this end, a contiguous, paved, and well-maintained - Parking Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative to organize and walkway/sidewalk along with clear and accessible conduct the Uptown Design Charrette on 29th September crosswalks were recommended. At the end of the day Town Square: 2012. The objective of the charrette was to identify design participants narrowed the extensive list of ideas to a few Pedestrian-ize Short Court Street and development solutions to reinforce the identity of top priorities and 'low-hanging fruit'. Chardon Square and the Uptown area. Create Child-friendly Park As next steps, market and traffic studies of the Uptown Enhance Streetscape The charrette began with a review of previous studies area should be conducted to determine feasibility of the - Outdoor Seating and surveys that offered ideas and launching points ideas generated at the charrette and to create a strategy for discussions. Participants revisited old ideas and for implementation. An immediate initiative would be to - Tree Lighting generated new ones to establish these goals: create design guidelines that will guide future develop- - Contiguous Sidewalks • Chardon’s historic small town character is ment in and around Chardon Square. - Clear Signage its most desirable feature and should be This report is a summary of the charrette and represents - Bike-friendly Amenities preserved. the ideas and designs developed by the participants. It is Enhance Courthouse Site • Chardon is and should continue to be a safe, a starter document to help Chardon develop a compre- family friendly, and affordable community. hensive plan for Uptown. This report also includes some • Chardon Square should be a vibrant and Access & Connectivity: case studies of places similar to Chardon in character or accessible center of the community. Shared & Accessible Parking condition that have achieved some of the results to which • Chardon Square should be more walkable Re-route Truck Traffic and bicycle-friendly. Chardon aspires. This document is a record of the stake- holders’ ideas and energy and can serve as a road map Safe, Pedestrian Circulators & Crosswalks The charrette was structured so participants would brain- for future research and planning. Bike friendly Signage and Amenities storm ideas and draw plans for three distinct areas of consideration. These are: a. Development in Uptown b. Town Square c. Access and Connectivity Opposite: Participants report out to the group on ideas developed in breakout sessions EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 01 NORTH STREET CENTER N. HAMBDEN STREET STREET COURT STREET WATER S. HAMBDEN STREET STREET Above: County Courthouse on Chardon Square SOUTH STREET Right: Study area centered around Chardon Square 02 Chardon Uptown Design Charrette INTRODUCTION Chardon, is a historical Western Reserve town with a population of approximately 5,148, located about 30 N miles east of Cleveland. Chardon Square is home to the Geauga County offices and the County Courthouse. The Square is also the venue for the Geauga County Maple Festival, held each spring. The Chardon branch of the Geauga county library network has an extensive collec- tion and is one of the most used libraries in the county. For the purposes of the charrette the study area was defined as Uptown which centers on Chardon Square and includes the surrounding historic, legal, and economic core of the community. For clarity, the two central parcels, one with the courthouse and the other with the gazebo and log cabin, and the buildings and properties surrounding these two parcels are defined as Chardon Square. The green Chardon Tomorrow space with the gazebo and log cabin is henceforth referred Chardon Tomorrow is 501(C)3 organization serving to as the Town Square. In order to focus the energy and as a public/private partnership between the city and attention of the participants on Chardon Square, the outer community stakeholders composed of chardon residents, edges of this study area were left undefined so as to let the community members and business leaders working to interventions and considerations radiate outwards from this ensure that Chardon maintains its historical charm while central locus. strengthening its appeal as a wonderful place to raise a Chardon Square is a beautiful and historic town center family, do business and have fun. Chardon Tomorrow’s with landmark buildings, a verdant green space and mission is: active retail and office spaces. Three sides of Chardon Preserving and enhancing the character of Chardon Square are tightly developed, although not completely by encouraging investment, fostering a sense occupied, and the Square is used year round for various of community, and developing partnerships with events and celebrations. community stakeholders to create a more vibrant and Filling the vacancies, attracting new retail and residential sustainable quality of life. development, improving walkability and bikeability, and The Uptown Design Charrette was organized by Chardon creating better amenities for public events and gathering Tomorrow to reinforce the identity of Uptown and create a were key themes at the charrette. vibrant and active town center. Above: Icon for Chardon Square INTRODUCTION 03 Previous Initiatives In order to learn about the key issues in Uptown and to maximize the effectiveness of the charrette, the CUDC team researched previous studies, surveys and initiatives conducted in the study area. This research was particu- VISION FOR UPTOWN larly useful in framing the charrette exercises around themes that residents and stakeholders had already iden- you like... tified as useful. The following are the reports and surveys VOLUNTEERISM consulted in preparation for the charrette along with some key insights and ideas they provided: a. Chardon Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan SMALL TOWN FEELING by D.B. Hartt, Inc. and URS. PRIDE IN CHARDON Authentic history wonderful feeling This plan helped identify the priority routes for REFUGE Sense of duty, patriotism in participation pedestrian and bike-related amenities and improvements. PRECIOUS b. Revitalization Road map HOME GROWN by Heritage Ohio This document provided insights into the feelings of security and family RELAXED Uptown planning process thus far and peace when home Unpretentious/open offered useful points for consideration by the participants. c. Downtown Assessment Resource Team Visit PLEASURABLE by Heritage Ohio Community d. Chardon Tomorrow Initial Design Charrette Planning Summary Feeling cared for and looked after This report helped familiarize the CUDC team with the previous efforts and current aspirations of Chardon Tomorrow and town HOME s a f e residents and stakeholders. Its contents AFFORDABLE served as launching points for several discus- sions at the charrette. N Chardon Tomorrow uptown DESIGN CHARRETTE September 29, 2012 | Village Hall | Chardon, OH 04 Chardon Uptown Design Charrette VISION FOR UPTOWN you want... UPTOWN walkable HOUSING INCLUDE public sector investment YOUTH ARTS & LIVING LANDSCAPING local businesses small niche retail enhance courthouse HISTORIC AUTHENTICITY family friendly community space main street character robust INTRODUCTION 05 N Chardon Tomorrow uptown DESIGN CHARRETTE September 29, 2012 | Village Hall | Chardon, OH N Do you…. Chardon Tomorrow Live on/near the Square?........................... Y / N Town Square DESIGN CHARRETTE Work on/near the Square?......................... Y / N DESIGN CHARRETTE Own a Business on the Square?............ Y / N 9:30am to 3pm Own Property on the Square?................. Y / N th Saturday, September 29 2012 Visit the Square regularly?........................