City council votes in favor of DRI projects, placemaking
The City of Norwich Common Council voted to accept $470,000 in DRI funding for the American Avenue project, as well as support the East and West Parks DRI project, and contract with EDR to develop a placemaking action plan. Although there are no solid plans yet for American Avenue (pictured), some ideas to be explored include installing utility connections, expanding sidewalks, making the area more pedestrian friendly, and making the space more visually appealing. (Photo by Sarah Genter)
NORWICH – At Tuesday's common council meeting, the City of Norwich Common Council voted to support the East and West Park Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) project, accept $470,000 in DRI funding for the American Avenue project, and approved a contract with EDR to create a placemaking action plan for the city.
The City of Norwich is the project sponsor for the American Avenue DRI project. The DRI Strategic Investment Plan approved by New York State in December 2022 said the project would "create a safer and more welcoming American Avenue with better lighting, more amenities, and a brand-new look and feel."
City of Norwich Community Development Director Erik Scrivener said the American Avenue project was awarded DRI funding as a concept, and there are no solid plans yet on what would be done to the street.
"We’re still in a development phase. We have our contract signed but we’re working through a few things, looking at some different options," he explained. "The project was awarded as a concept, and it’s still in that phase. We’re trying to hone down on what we actually want to do there and what we’re able to do. We received $470,000 in funding, which is a significant amount of money, but it’s a drop in the hat of what the project is going to be overall."
A contract for the project has been signed and is now in the hands of New York State for approval. Once that happens, Scrivener said the city can begin working with contractors and engineers to create solid plans for the project, which he hopes will begin in 2025.
Scrivener said they want to explore the possibility of installing utility connections on the street, making the street more pedestrian friendly, and making the space more visually appealing.
"We don’t just want to buy planters; we want to talk to NYSEG about the possibility of maybe burying some utilities or doing some other work there that should be done before we do any work, because if it’s ever tore up, we don't want to have it completed – like a new, wider sidewalk for example – and then have to dig up part of it if we eventually bury utilities. So we want to take a step back and kind of look at what can be done and with what amount of money," he said.
"There’s some options. It’s all going to be dependent on what the price of something like that is, and the willingness of everyone to participate in that. I mean, there’s going to be a lot of coordination down there to do something like that as well."
Alderman Robert Jeffrey addressed concerns downtown business owners had brought up during the DRI planning phase; namely, the proposal to make American Avenue a pedestrian-only space. That part of the plan was removed before it was sent to New York State for approval, and Scrivener said as of right now there are no plans to permanently close off traffic on the street.
"This will also be able to be amended. But I think that’s the plan, we’d be looking at a discussion there to see if there’s temporary boundaries or something like that during special events," said Scrivener. "As of right now there’s no changes in traffic."
During the meeting, council members also voted to support the East and West Park DRI project, sponsored by Friends of the Park, a nonprofit under the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID).
Scrivener said the parks project is much further along: contracts have been sent to New York State for approval, renderings of proposed plans have been created, and those plans have been reviewed and presented to the city planning and traffic commissions.
While the parks project can also be amended in the future, Scrivener said the current plans in East Park include five electrical pedestal hookups on the north side of the park, streetscape improvements on the north edge of East Park Place, removal of some parking space and a proposed lawn area, 50 amp connection in the northwest corner of the park, improving stage access, an additional concrete pad on the east side of the park for improved accessibility to the bandstand, electrical subservice outlets for seasonal service, and replacing the sound system.
In West Park, the proposed plans include domestic water service connection behind the monument on North Broad Street, more electrical subservice outlets for seasonal service, and modest streetscape improvements on the north side of the park.
The plans also include the installation of a public art piece, which will be funded through the small grants fund portion of the DRI. Scrivener said the piece will likely be placed in East Park near Cole Muffler.
"That’s going to be a whole process of kind of an RFP (Request for Proposals) as well," Scrivener said. "We’ll be soliciting artists and they’ll be submitting whatever their vision is for art, and then there’s a small grants project fund art group that’ll be working through that."
"That's kind of what we’re looking at that we’ll be able to fund with that money," Scrivener continued, referring to the $1,097,000 in DRI funding awarded to the parks project. "You won't see a lot of it with improving the electrical stuff, but after the ability for vendors to come in and connect is going to be huge, a huge improvement."
He said the upgrades would make it much easier for things like food trucks to be present at downtown events, and there is even the possibility of upgraded amenities such as bathroom trailers during local events.
Work on the parks project is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2025.
Council members also approved a contract with EDR to develop a placemaking action plan for the city, which will be used to implement smaller projects throughout downtown Norwich to tie the larger DRI projects together, as well as develop a marketable brand for the city to draw in tourism.
Scrivener said the contract with EDR will include project management, an existing conditions assessment, a market study, branding, public engagement, looking at economic development opportunities, and creating an action plan.
Scrivener expects to begin working with EDR this March, with the total project taking nine to 12 months. Once completed, the city will have a detailed plan mapping out placemaking projects to be implemented in the downtown area.
"It’s exciting to see some of this starting," said Alderman Bill Loomis.
"Every single application that was received for the placemaking project was incredibly competitive, and very thorough," said Alderman Robert Jeffrey. "I want to thank Mr. Scrivener for taking this and running with it, and the various individuals who formed this board."
The City of Norwich is the project sponsor for the American Avenue DRI project. The DRI Strategic Investment Plan approved by New York State in December 2022 said the project would "create a safer and more welcoming American Avenue with better lighting, more amenities, and a brand-new look and feel."
City of Norwich Community Development Director Erik Scrivener said the American Avenue project was awarded DRI funding as a concept, and there are no solid plans yet on what would be done to the street.
"We’re still in a development phase. We have our contract signed but we’re working through a few things, looking at some different options," he explained. "The project was awarded as a concept, and it’s still in that phase. We’re trying to hone down on what we actually want to do there and what we’re able to do. We received $470,000 in funding, which is a significant amount of money, but it’s a drop in the hat of what the project is going to be overall."
A contract for the project has been signed and is now in the hands of New York State for approval. Once that happens, Scrivener said the city can begin working with contractors and engineers to create solid plans for the project, which he hopes will begin in 2025.
Scrivener said they want to explore the possibility of installing utility connections on the street, making the street more pedestrian friendly, and making the space more visually appealing.
"We don’t just want to buy planters; we want to talk to NYSEG about the possibility of maybe burying some utilities or doing some other work there that should be done before we do any work, because if it’s ever tore up, we don't want to have it completed – like a new, wider sidewalk for example – and then have to dig up part of it if we eventually bury utilities. So we want to take a step back and kind of look at what can be done and with what amount of money," he said.
"There’s some options. It’s all going to be dependent on what the price of something like that is, and the willingness of everyone to participate in that. I mean, there’s going to be a lot of coordination down there to do something like that as well."
Alderman Robert Jeffrey addressed concerns downtown business owners had brought up during the DRI planning phase; namely, the proposal to make American Avenue a pedestrian-only space. That part of the plan was removed before it was sent to New York State for approval, and Scrivener said as of right now there are no plans to permanently close off traffic on the street.
"This will also be able to be amended. But I think that’s the plan, we’d be looking at a discussion there to see if there’s temporary boundaries or something like that during special events," said Scrivener. "As of right now there’s no changes in traffic."
During the meeting, council members also voted to support the East and West Park DRI project, sponsored by Friends of the Park, a nonprofit under the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID).
Scrivener said the parks project is much further along: contracts have been sent to New York State for approval, renderings of proposed plans have been created, and those plans have been reviewed and presented to the city planning and traffic commissions.
While the parks project can also be amended in the future, Scrivener said the current plans in East Park include five electrical pedestal hookups on the north side of the park, streetscape improvements on the north edge of East Park Place, removal of some parking space and a proposed lawn area, 50 amp connection in the northwest corner of the park, improving stage access, an additional concrete pad on the east side of the park for improved accessibility to the bandstand, electrical subservice outlets for seasonal service, and replacing the sound system.
In West Park, the proposed plans include domestic water service connection behind the monument on North Broad Street, more electrical subservice outlets for seasonal service, and modest streetscape improvements on the north side of the park.
The plans also include the installation of a public art piece, which will be funded through the small grants fund portion of the DRI. Scrivener said the piece will likely be placed in East Park near Cole Muffler.
"That’s going to be a whole process of kind of an RFP (Request for Proposals) as well," Scrivener said. "We’ll be soliciting artists and they’ll be submitting whatever their vision is for art, and then there’s a small grants project fund art group that’ll be working through that."
"That's kind of what we’re looking at that we’ll be able to fund with that money," Scrivener continued, referring to the $1,097,000 in DRI funding awarded to the parks project. "You won't see a lot of it with improving the electrical stuff, but after the ability for vendors to come in and connect is going to be huge, a huge improvement."
He said the upgrades would make it much easier for things like food trucks to be present at downtown events, and there is even the possibility of upgraded amenities such as bathroom trailers during local events.
Work on the parks project is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2025.
Council members also approved a contract with EDR to develop a placemaking action plan for the city, which will be used to implement smaller projects throughout downtown Norwich to tie the larger DRI projects together, as well as develop a marketable brand for the city to draw in tourism.
Scrivener said the contract with EDR will include project management, an existing conditions assessment, a market study, branding, public engagement, looking at economic development opportunities, and creating an action plan.
Scrivener expects to begin working with EDR this March, with the total project taking nine to 12 months. Once completed, the city will have a detailed plan mapping out placemaking projects to be implemented in the downtown area.
"It’s exciting to see some of this starting," said Alderman Bill Loomis.
"Every single application that was received for the placemaking project was incredibly competitive, and very thorough," said Alderman Robert Jeffrey. "I want to thank Mr. Scrivener for taking this and running with it, and the various individuals who formed this board."
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