The final draft of the new Downtown Strategic Growth & Development Plan is to be unveiled at the second annual Downtown Summit today. The publicly-funded plan builds the 2010 Downtown Strategic plan by (1) identifying and evaluating current strategic opportunities, (2) updating the downtown area framework plan (master plan), and then (3) by identifying 22 specific catalytic projects that will directly or indirectly attract private capital into the downtown. 19 of those are in one of five specific "development areas" or zones (Riverfront, Civic Core, South Washington Street, Five Points, and Fort Ball), and three of them are demonstration projects with financial pro formas and designs provided to show how they could be done. Part of the work of the plan also involved speaking with developers about the feasibility of the projects and gauging interest.
Tiffin City Council approved funding for the study in October of 2014, and a Steering Committee met beginning in October. Larger stakeholder sessions were held throughout 2015. SIEDC managed the study and worked with a consultant team led by the
Gossman Group (Columbus) and involving
EDGE Landscape Architects and Planners (Columbus), and
LSL Planning (Royal Oak, MI) to create the plan. Participants at the summit will be asked for feedback to help establish project priorities for 2016 and moving into 2017. The intention is to finalize the plan by the end of May and present to City Council in June. Comments and feedback are welcome (David Zak,
zak@senecacounty.org).
