AGENDA DATE: 3/16/2022
TITLE:
Title
Completion of the Broadway Blueprint Economic Revitalization Study
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Receive the Broadway Blueprint Economic Revitalization Study
ITEM TYPE: Consent Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, DeLoria, Johnson
PRESENTER (S): Roger Johnson
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Part of Albemarle County’s investment in 2018 for the redevelopment of the historic Woolen Mills site and the expansion of WillowTree included $50,000 in funding for a future economic revitalization study along the Broadway Street corridor. The study aimed to provide strategies to leverage public and private investments associated with the redevelopment and reuse of the Woolen Mills site to further enhance business activity on the corridor. On November 20, 2019, the Board accepted an interim study that included goals for three focus areas: economic vitality, connectivity, and placemaking. Staff intended to present strategies for each of these focus areas in April 2020, but instead pivoted resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and paused work on the study except for limited stakeholder engagement.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Economic Prosperity - Foster an environment that stimulates diversified job creation, capital investments, and tax revenues that support community goals.
DISCUSSION: The Broadway Street corridor has remained active since the Broadway Blueprint Study began in 2018. In May 2021, staff provided an update on the study’s progress-to-date and affirmed the Board’s direction for completing it, which included the integration of the County’s new core value of “Community”. Staff used the Equity Impact Assessment (EIA) to apply an equity lens to the study. The EIA identified impacts across stakeholder groups that participated in the study. The EIA identified several mitigative measures that could be explored during the next phase of this work and could include connectivity and access to the Broadway corridor for the surrounding neighborhoods to both the existing and future amenities in this area and/or land acquisition to address gentrification.
The final strategies to forward the study’s purpose are to evaluate the creation of a corridor business association (similar to Downtown Crozet Initiative), contemplate an arts and cultural district overlay, consider pedestrian and bike connectivity and the design of a multimodal streetscape, evaluate new public programming, enhance public transportation and expand the Business Retention and Expansion program to seek customized solutions to the local businesses in the area.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact associated with the study’s completion. Future implementation projects would be considered through the annual budget development processes.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board accept the Broadway Blueprint Economic Revitalization Study. Moreover, the study will be transferred to Community Development to conduct small area planning and determine next steps. Staff further recommends that ongoing community engagement to City and County neighbors is integral to the future success of this corridor.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Broadway Blueprint Study