Any downtown revitalization strategy must involve much more than
superficial physical improvements to public areas. While these things
can be initially important in signaling public commitment to the area,
and raising developer interest, by themselves they can rarely support a
sustained renewal effort.
The following recommendations promote the implementation of a
comprehensive strategy with a high level of property/business owner
involvement, coordinated district-wide planning and programming, and
direct public intervention in the real estate market.
- Adopt a detailed downtown redevelopment master plan centered on
Janesville Road between Bay Lane and Pioneer Drive. The plan should
reflect land uses that are more compact and mixed, and that are
interconnected with adjacent land uses including the library.
- Augment Downtown Design Guidelines to include standards for
massing, building placement, minimum building heights, and maximum
number of parking spaces.
- Redevelop the Parkland Mall site.
- Establish a Downtown Merchant's Association
- Create a business recruitment and retention program
- Develop a retail grouping program to help promote synergies among businesses within downtown and neighborhood commercial centers
- Develop professionally produced print and web-based marketing materials.