Downtown Strategic Plan Project Update (B)
Explanation:??
The Downtown Strategic Plan is a Top Priority for the City Commission as identified in the City Strategic Plan: 2020-2025-2035. A contract authorized by the City Commission with MKSK, in partnership with sub-contractors, Development Strategies and EDA, was executed in 11/2020 and co-funded by the GCRA and University of Florida. The Department of Sustainable Development, Division of Economic Opportunity and Special Projects, is the project lead.
On April 8, 2021, the City Commission at a General Policy Committee (GPC) meeting approved the project’s Engagement Brief. Since then, the project team has reviewed existing conditions, analyzed previous planning efforts, and engaged with more than 700 voices in the Gainesville community through a variety of tools and mediums, including one public meeting, two presentations to the GCRA Advisory Board, fifteen focus groups, hundreds of online and paper surveys, and dozens of one-one-one meetings with key organizations, community partners and stakeholders, in order to develop a clear understanding of the Gainesville downtown area. MKSK representatives have visited Gainesville three (3) times during this process and as mentioned have been working on the project with local firm EDA. The Engagement Summary is attached in the backup.
This week, the project team will share its draft analysis and key ideas for the proposed Downtown Strategic Plan in three public settings, including the GCRA Advisory Board meeting on April 19th at 5:30 PM; a Community Meeting #2 on April 20th at Bo Diddley Plaza, 5-7 PM; and this City Commission meeting of April 21st.
The project team is seeking Commission and public feedback on the draft analysis and key ideas to be incorporated into the final plan that will be presented to the City Commission and public for review and approval in the June/July 2022 timeframe.
Fiscal Note?
Contract amount: $250,000 ($125,000 GCRA, $125,...
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