Tag: planning

A Message from Lisa Clarke

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Rochester – A City on the Move

2019 will be a milestone year in the Destination Medical Center (DMC) district. From innovation to renovation, the growth happening in downtown Rochester is impressive. There are nine developments opening this year in the DMC district.

Among them are several DMC-supported projects, including:

In addition, Residence at Discovery Square apartments and the Ronald McDonald House expansion will debut.

Plus, a community treasure will experience a rebirth. Chateau Theatre, a Rochester institution, will re-open so residents and visitors to Rochester can experience new entertainment offerings in the Heart of the City. The Destination Medical Center Corporate (DMCC) Board and the Rochester City Council committed $1.1 million for this renovation.

This growth is energizing, bringing new living choices, hospitality and increased opportunities for startup businesses, and it’s just the beginning. With the increased density from new housing options in downtown Rochester, DMC will be collaborating with community partners to develop a retail, dining and entertainment strategy to ensure a robust and vibrant downtown for all to enjoy.

DMC is committed to a long-term transportation solution for downtown. This year, the DMCC Board and the Rochester City Council will move forward with selecting mobility hub locations and a circulator route to ensure fast, convenient and reliable transportation to and through downtown and assist in parking availability for residents, employees, students, patients and visitors in the future.

This is exciting, and we are less than five years into the implementation of the DMC development plan.  We have learned a lot and look forward to what the next five years will bring.

We appreciate the support of the community and the many partners who have contributed time and talent in support of DMC’s vision. Thank you.

Lisa Clarke, DMC EDA Executive Director

 

Active transportation and its community benefits

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What makes a city great? According to Gil Penalosa, a great city is one that is livable and safe – both for an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old.

Gil Penalosa

Penalosa is the founder of internationally known nonprofit 8-80 Cities and the chair of the board of World Urban Parks. The world-renowned urbanist advises communities on how to create vibrant cities and healthy communities for everyone – regardless of age, gender, or social, economic, or ethnic background.

The pioneer of the “Open Streets” movement, Penalosa has led the development of over 200 parks and worked in over 300 cities worldwide. He concentrates on design, use of parks and streets as public spaces, and sustainable mobility via bike, foot, car, and public transit and is passionate about building cities for all people.

Go the Easy Mile: Take a ride on the autonomous vehicle

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Autonomous vehicles are at the forefront of the transportation and mobility conversations, including in Rochester, where this technology has been considered by many as a potential addition to public transportation as part of the Destination Medical Center and City of Rochester’s planning efforts.

The Easy Mile 12-passenger autonomous vehicle is coming to downtown Rochester on Thursday, March 22 for a public demonstration at Peace Plaza. The public is invited to take a test ride between 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Planning is key to citywide success

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Strategic urban planning is key to sustainable development in a growing community like Rochester. It helps city leaders to maximize public dollars, adapt to changing demographics, and address the demand for housing, transportation, and workforce. While DMC helps shape the future of downtown, city and county planners are looking ahead to prepare for citywide growth.

“Planning to Succeed” or P2S 2040 is the city’s comprehensive plan intended to provide community members, business leaders, city staff, and government officials with a roadmap as they prepare for current and future growth.

Both the City’s Comprehensive Plan and the DMC Development Plan, which was endorsed by the City of Rochester in March 2015, encouraged extensive community engagement throughout the planning processes. “Community-wide participation is incredibly important,” says Patrick Seeb, DMC economic development and placemaking director. “It leads to better ideas, community buy-in, and long-term success.”

Community members weigh in on the future of downtown transportation

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A sustainable transportation model is pivotal to the success of the DMC vision. And from practical solutions like dedicated bus lanes to more futuristic ideas like driverless shuttles, the topic brought dozens of community members together for the first of four Public Conversations highlighting transit for Rochester’s downtown.

The informal open house, held on January 24 at the University of Minnesota Rochester, provided the public with a chance to hear from transportation consultants about the four integrated transit studies being conducted and offer their feedback on what they see working best for Rochester’s future.

Post Bulletin: Transit tops DMC leaders’ to-do list

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In a first of its kind joint planning session on Destination Medical Center Thursday, the topic on the tip of every tongue was transportation.

The Destination Medical Center Corp. board of directors hosted the meeting with the Rochester City Council and the DMC Economic Development Agency board. It was the first time the three boards had convened.

The agenda was wide-ranging, but transit issues were the consistent theme. City staff is preparing to request an amendment with its transit management consultant, SRF, at a July 6 council meeting. The amendment would allow the city to expand its contract with SRF to move forward with studies of four key transportation areas.

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Urbanization in Rochester

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HeartOfTheCity-1024x523
Rendering: Heart of the City

Metropolitan areas are growing faster than the country as a whole. In fact, it is estimated that 86% of Americans will live in a metro area in 2016.

With the anticipation of adding about 35,000 additional jobs in Rochester over the next 20 years as part of the DMC plan, a surge in urbanization, which is the increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas, is highly likely.

There are a number of factors driving this urban growth, not the least of which is an innate desire for humans to be connected to one another. “We are social beings by nature. Even introverted people want to feel a sense of community,” says Lindsey Meek, civil engineer, neighborhood leader for the Downtown Neighborhood Association, and downtown resident.

P3’s, Connected Transportation Network are key to DMC success

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Christian Holter, Blog Author
Christian Holter, Blog Author

I would like you to consider a number: 45,000. Olmsted County Planning Director Phil Wheeler recently said this is likely the most accurate number of people who currently commute to Rochester from beyond our city limits for work and play. Every. Single. Day.

As Destination Medical Center grows into a reality, its effects will clearly be felt beyond the Rochester area. Fortunately, the crafters of the DMC legislation recognize this, and have wisely chosen to dedicate a portion of the available funds for local and regional transportation and transit projects. Ensuring that our roads, bridges, bike and pedestrian trails are adequately prepared to safely and efficiently handle the ever increasing amount of traffic heading our way will be crucial to DMC’s success.

The changes coming to Rochester are part of a tremendous public/private partnership (P3), on a scale not seen in Minnesota ever before. This sort of investment presents us with both an example and an opportunity to replicate that kind of partnership throughout the whole thread of Rochester and southeast Minnesota.

When it comes to transit, there are numerous ways that this sort of partnership is already in place. All five area park & rides currently utilize privately owned parking lots, giving patrons of these services immediate and convenient access to groceries, dining, banking and other essential goods and services. Local businesses also currently perform a large variety of area transit services. Rochester City Lines, Go Rochester Direct and R&S Transport are just a few locally owned and operated companies providing a broad range of services that benefit from a high quality, connected and efficient transportation network.

Continuing to support and develop these kinds of services that employ hundreds of our friends, family members and neighbors will allow Rochester to continue to see healthy growth. Bike share programs like Nice Ride MN (which was spearheaded by current Minneapolis Mayor and DMC Board nominee R.T. Rybak) also replicate the P3 model, and could be a good fit for Rochester.

Public brainstorming sessions like the ones seen most recently downtown at Thursdays on First & 3rd are tremendous and valuable opportunities, especially for local business owners and entrepreneurs who can use these sessions to learn about what our growing community values and desires. I encourage everyone to continue making your voice heard as we strive together to make our City and region a great place that is easy to access and enjoy.

Share your thoughts on how we can enhance transportation in the region through the comments below.

Christian Holter is the Community Liaison for Rochester City Lines.