It's time to design the bayfront and you can help
There's been big talk for years about redesigning Traverse City's bay front area. In a previous Fact Finder Report we first told you about the mayor's proposal to use Brownbridge Trust Fund money to pay for it.
That was a few months ago. A viewer wondered where the plan stands now and if it's any closer to becoming a reality.
The answers we found for him are the subject of tonight's Fact Finder Report.
It's been three years since a final proposal was presented for the Your Bay Your Say project that took public input and turned it into a plan for redeveloping Traverse City's bayfront area to include things like a splash park and amphitheater.
In November the mayor said the city should move forward with the plan.
Soyring says, "Now we're going to take those blocks and circles and those ideas and come up with schematics and designs and images and costing of that these elements will look like."
After reviewing 12 proposals this winter, the city recently hired consulting firm URS to turn those ideas into a final design.
Soyring says, "This is a firm that has local presence and Great Lakes experience working with marinas and waterfronts."
He says with the downturn in the economy, and consultants looking for work, the city was able to get a some competitive bids.
95% of the $100,000 fee will be paid for by the Downtown Development Authority's tax increment financing fund, the rest from other sources possibly the general fund.
He says the design stage of the process will be very tight. And he wants to submit a final design proposal to the city commission by June 21st.
"We tried to expedite this whole process and condense it as tight at possible to get it on the August ballot."
That's so if the city wants to use Brownbridge trust fund money for the project, voters have to say yes. And that starts with saying yes to the design.
"Of course we want them to say 'oh we love it, we absolutely love it.' But if they don't we're going to make adjustments until they say we love it. This is going to be an interesting phase because as you know the devil's in the details."
So how can you have your say about those details? The city is actually doing something a little different. It's called a charette. For three days, March 23-25th designers will be at the former Evergreen Gallery storefront near the city Opera House. You can come in, watch them sketch, offer your ideas and see them tried out right then and there.
You can share your thoughts on the plans for developing the bayfront now. What would you like to see? Who should pay for it? Let me know what you think. Leave your comments below.
