Principles & Objectives

After completion of the analysis phase, a series of principles and objectives were developed to guide the revitalization plan:

Commercial Development & Redevelopment

• Expand retail space to capture market share through new construction, rehabilitation and redevelopment
• Maintain/enhance the quaint, older character of the Town Center
• New retail space should reinforce existing, viable businesses, not compete
• Maintain the primary orientation of the Town Center on Route 57
• Create a street--sidewalk-building relationship that enhances the function and character of the Town Center
• Extend the dense, pedestrian-scaled commercial development of the commercial core to Route 31
• Design of storefronts should result in a seamless edge that draws people throughout the Town Center
• Develop restaurant//cultural businesses (such as a farmers market)with access to a Shabbecong Creek greenway
• Themes to be developed in the Town Center should include the development of a Complete Center for Convenience Goods &Services and a Restaurant and Entertainment Center,as described in the market analysis
• Do not pursue the creation of anchor stores, such as the family apparel store, as described in the market analysis
• Develop northern and southern village extensions per the market analysis
• Do not pursue the extension of the southern village to a new vehicular intersection with Route 31
• Pursue development of restaurant businesses that do not require liquor licenses to serve alcoholic beverages,such as brewpubs
• Replace frontage that is occupied by off--street parking,or other gaps in the storefronts,with viable retail and mixed-use buildings
• Preserve the Victorian building character of the western end of the Town Center while ensuring continuity in the street character
• Create a “gateway ” at the intersection of Routes 31 &&57 to create a contrasting node along Route 31 that identifies the Town Center
• Zoning and design standards should reinforce pedestrian--scaled storefront design and prohibit development that would intrude upon the unique pedestrian character of the Town Center
• Utilize area adjacent to Shabbecong Creek for public open space Pedestrian Circulation
• Investigate the use of mid--block pedestrian crossings on route 57

Pedestrian Circulation

• Maximize pedestrian connections to the neighborhoods adjacent to the Town Center and within sub-areas of the Town Center
• Develop a pedestrian corridor along Shabbecong Creek that will act as a connector to the residential neighborhood
• Reduce the perceived or actual width of the pedestrian crossing to the theater at the intersection of Routes 31 & 57
• Provide for pedestrian circulation to Route 31 from the Town Center
• Create a more hospitable environment for pedestrians throughout the Town Center

Parking

• Enhance utilization of existing parking areas
• Redevelop parking areas to be pedestrian--friendly
• Centralize new parking facilities,,but avoid the creation of a parking structure in the short-term
• Maintain on--street parking where possible throughout the Town Center Vehicular Circulation
• Retain traffic along Route 57 maintain commercial viability
• Reduce the negative impacts of vehicular traffic on the pedestrian environment to the greatest extent possible
• Utilize Alleger Street and Vanatta Street to create a vehicular access loop to a southern village extension
• Ensure adequate access for trucks on streets Residential Neighborhoods

Residential Neighborhoods

• Preserve existing viable residential neighborhoods that abut the Town Center
• Target neighborhoods in decline for redevelopment