Urban Land Institute Fall Meeting - Chandler Downtown
Really enjoyed the ULI Adaptive Reuse Infill and Revitalization (AIR) Product Council meeting. The focus this year was downtown Chandler's plans and progress made over the years. We started the day with a presentation in the Chandler council chambers, then took a walk around downtown to where City staff led discussions about selected projects and efforts.
Chandler Council Chambers
Two items really grabbed my attention and got me thinking: 1. Wall Street 2. Downtown Facade Revitalization.
Wall Street - Making an Alley a nice walkable experience
Just West of Arizona Avenue is Wall Street. The City worked with various partners to study and complete a revitalization of a portion (Chicago St to Frye Rd) of Wall Street. This work converted Wall Street from a typical alley (dark, dirty, scary) to an active walkway. The interesting part is it still functions as an alley for trash pickup and utility infrastructure.
Much discussion has occurred over the years in the Phoenix Metro area about capturing alley space and making it "usable". Alleys are ugly, maintenance headaches, and can be seen as encouraging crime, especially in residential areas. The opportunity is apparent, but the obstacles are large.
Here are a couple of the typical obstacles and what the City of Chandler did to overcome them for this Wall Street effort:
Challenge: Utilities are typically run in alleys and are expensive to move.
Strategy: Chandler kept the utilities in the alley but undergrounded electric service so power poles can be removed.
Challenge: Trash Service is picked up in alleys.
Strategy: Keep trash service in the alleys but coordinate pickup times and bin locations to make it a better experience.
Additionally, the City upgraded the hardscape, landscape, lighting and signage to make it a place people want to walk.
Overall, a nice demonstration of what can be done. I'm sure there are other similar alley improvements in the valley. I would be interested in hearing about other similar projects.
Downtown facade revitalization - Public/private partnership to maintain Chandler's downtown facades
Chandler Main Street Shopping
Nice scale. Light gets all the way back to the facade. Complementary colors.
Ok, downtown facade maintenance...snoozefest, right? I find this subject interesting in contrast to what is happening in downtown Mesa. Mesa is removing large portions of their downtown facade while Chandler is actively working with business owners and developers to maintain and improve the facades. So, who is doing it right?
Both cities are doing the right thing. Chandler is keeping and improving a nicely designed shade canopy. Mesa is removing a dated, poorly conceived shade canopy to reveal the unique, often historic buildings that have been hidden for years.
I am going to do a whole other post on downtown facades and arcades/colonnades because I think it's fascinating, but the main thing Chandler's Main Street facade has going for it is the scale.
The roof is high enough to allow for nicely proportioned storefronts but low enough to provide shade. Also allows enough light in so you can see the storefronts from a car.
I also noticed some restaurants had outdoor seating. It was tight, but still enough room for people to walk by.
Thanks to the City of Chandler for hosting us. A lot of great opportunities to learn how different municipalities do things and share success stories!