Master Plan Work Session
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
Having more places for the community to gather was one focus of a work session held Monday night by the Bradford Master Plan Team.
The aim of the work session was to come up with ideas for four specific areas of the city – the Elm Street off-ramp to Route 219; the Tuna Creek area of Mechanic and East Washington streets; the intersection of West Washington Street and Interstate Parkway; and Veterans Square.
The people who attended the work session were separated into four groups to address the issues concerning those areas.
Chris Hauser's group worked on ideas for Veterans Square and, Hauser said, a reconfiguration of the elements of the square to create more space would be more conducive to holding a variety of events there. For example, during Summerfest all the vendors could be set up in an around the square instead of along Main Street.
He said it would instill "a sense of community instead of being fragmented up and down Main Street."
Another suggestion to bring the community – and the downtown area – together included creating a "community area" on East Washington Street that could possibly used for outdoor concerts and other events.
When talking about pulling the entire downtown area together, OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews mentioned that, later this year, East Washington Street will be "streetscaped" like Boylston and Kennedy streets.
During the discussion, several people reiterated that Boylston Street from Davis Street to Interstate Parkway is the most traveled street in the city.
Andrews pointed out that part of the city's plan is to make West Washington Street a commercial corridor.
This would fit into plans suggested for that area that would attempt to attract families of University of Pittsburgh at Bradford students, as well as the rest of the university community.
Mimi Cahill mentioned that 20 years ago the line between the university and the rest of the community was very prevalent but now "the lines are becoming blurred" between the university and downtown.
In an attempt to further blur the line – or even erase it – several people suggested involving university students in art projects for the city, such as murals that would depict various aspects of the city.
Albert Filoni of MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni Architects of Pittsburgh said he was "very encouraged" by all of the ideas.
Pictured, Chris Hauser points out suggestions for a reconfigured Veterans Square.
WESB/WBRR News Director
Having more places for the community to gather was one focus of a work session held Monday night by the Bradford Master Plan Team.
The aim of the work session was to come up with ideas for four specific areas of the city – the Elm Street off-ramp to Route 219; the Tuna Creek area of Mechanic and East Washington streets; the intersection of West Washington Street and Interstate Parkway; and Veterans Square.
The people who attended the work session were separated into four groups to address the issues concerning those areas.
Chris Hauser's group worked on ideas for Veterans Square and, Hauser said, a reconfiguration of the elements of the square to create more space would be more conducive to holding a variety of events there. For example, during Summerfest all the vendors could be set up in an around the square instead of along Main Street.He said it would instill "a sense of community instead of being fragmented up and down Main Street."
Another suggestion to bring the community – and the downtown area – together included creating a "community area" on East Washington Street that could possibly used for outdoor concerts and other events.
When talking about pulling the entire downtown area together, OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews mentioned that, later this year, East Washington Street will be "streetscaped" like Boylston and Kennedy streets.
During the discussion, several people reiterated that Boylston Street from Davis Street to Interstate Parkway is the most traveled street in the city.
Andrews pointed out that part of the city's plan is to make West Washington Street a commercial corridor.
This would fit into plans suggested for that area that would attempt to attract families of University of Pittsburgh at Bradford students, as well as the rest of the university community.
Mimi Cahill mentioned that 20 years ago the line between the university and the rest of the community was very prevalent but now "the lines are becoming blurred" between the university and downtown.
In an attempt to further blur the line – or even erase it – several people suggested involving university students in art projects for the city, such as murals that would depict various aspects of the city.
Albert Filoni of MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni Architects of Pittsburgh said he was "very encouraged" by all of the ideas.
Pictured, Chris Hauser points out suggestions for a reconfigured Veterans Square.
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