Downtown Master Plan Grant ApMEMORANDUM
October 15, 2002
TO:The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT:American Architectural Foundation for Public Outreach Grant - Downtown
Master Plan
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens is recommending City Council approval of
the submittal of a $3,000 American Architectural Foundation grant application for public
outreach educational programs to introduce the Downtown Master Plan to the Dubuque
community.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
MEMORANDUM
October 14, 2002
TO:Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM:Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
SUBJECT: American Amhitectural Foundation for Public Outreach Grant- Downtown
Master Plan
INTRODUCTION
This memorandum presents for City Council consideration and approval of a $3,000
American Architectural Foundation grant application for public outreach educational
programs to introduce the Downtown Master Plan to the Dubuque community.
DISCUSSION
The project will follow the components of the proposed work plan for the Downtown
Master Plan as submitted by Leland Consulting Group, URS/BRW, MSA Professional
Associates and Durrant Group. Components of the Downtown Master Plan will include:
Project Area Base Maps
Physical Profile
Socioeconomic Profile
Market Profile
Synthesis of Stakeholder and
Delivery System Interviews
Record of Physical Issues
Synthesis of Community
Meetings
Meeting Materials
Synthesis of Downtown Planning
Committee Work Sessions
Retail Inventory Audit
Residential Development Inventory
Limited Target Industry Analysis
Development Concept Plans
(Design Elements)
Benchmark Variables
Key Public and Private Investment
Priorities
Implementation Strategy (tactics,
financial tools, etc).
Final Framework Plan
Assistance with Developer RFPs
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend that the City Council adopt the attached resolution approving the submittal
of this project to the American Arohitecturel Foundation's "Accent on Architecture"
Grants Program 2003 and the use of budgeted City funds of $50,000 as a source of the
local match if the project is funded by the American Architectural Foundation.
LC/mkr
Attachments
cc: Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager
Prepared by: Laura Carstens, Cib/Planner Address: City Hall, 50 W. 13th Street Telephone: 589-4210
RESOLUTION NO. 559-02
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR
AMERICAN ARCHITECTURAL GRANT FUNDING - PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR
THE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN.
Whereas, the American Architectural Foundation has announced the availability
of funding through its "Accents on Architecture' grants; and
Whereas, public outreach is an eligible activity; and
Whereas, The City's downtown master planning process identifies important
public outreach components.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the Planning Services Manager is authorized to submit this
application to the American Architectural Foundation for public outreach educational
programs to intrcduca the finalized Downtown Master Plan to the Dubuque community.
Section 2. That the City Council authorizes the Planning Services Manager to
utilize budgeted funds to provide the match required by this program.
Section 3. That in the event said application is approved, the City Council
hereby provides its written assurance that the completed project will be adequately
maintained for its intended public use for a minimum of twenty (20) years following the
project.
Passed, approved and adopted this 21st day of October, 2002.
Attest:
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
day of October' 2002.
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
Downtown Dubuque Master Plan
A. Summary Page
ApplyinR or,qanization's name, address, phone number, and Web site address:
City of Dubuque, Iowa
Planning Services Department
50 West Thirteenth Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
Telephone: (563) 589-4210
Web Site Address www.cityofdubuque.org
Contact name, phone and fax numbers, and email address:
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Telephone: (563) 589-4210
Fax: (563) 589-4221
Email: Icarsten@cityofdubuque.org
Names of principal participants:
Project Partners: City of Dubuque, Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, Dubuque Main Street
Limited, State of Iowa, and Downtown Planning Committee.
Consultants: Leland Consulting Group, Denver, Co; URS/BRW, Minneapolis, MN; MSA
Professional Associates and Durrant Group, Dubuque, IA.
Proiect title: Downtown Dubuque Master Plan
Project description: The City of Dubuque is requesting a matching grant to be used for public
outreach educational programs to introduce the finalized Downtown Master Plan to the
Dubuque community. As American Architectural Foundation aptly stated: "Projects should
promote an increased awareness, appreciation, and understanding of how the public's
involvement in the design process can enhance the quality of life."
Grant amount request: $3,000
Total proiect cost: $100,000
Form of final products: Components of the plan (work products) will include:
~Project Area Base Maps
--Physical Profile
-Socioeconomic Profile
--Market Profile
-Synthesis of Stakeholder and Delivery
System Interviews
~Record of Physical Issues
~Synthesis of Community Meetings
~Meeting Materials
*-Synthesis of Downtown Planning
Committee Work Sessions
~Retail Inventory Audit
*-Residential Developments Inventory
~Limited Target Industry Analysis
*-Development Concept Plans (Design
Elements)
~Benchmark Variables
~Key Public and Pdvate Investment
Priorities
~Implementation Strategy (tactics, financial
tools, etc.)
--Final Framework Plan
*-Assistance with Developer RFPs
B. Background Information of Requesting Organization
The city of Dubuque is located on the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa adjacent to Illinois and
Wisconsin. The City is 30 square miles in area, with a population of nearly 60,000 people. The
City of Dubuque's annual operating and capital budget is nearly $100 million and funds a full
range of services. The City of Dubuque operates under the Council-Manager form of
govemment. The Dubuque City Council has established the following 2012 Vision Statement:
Dubuque is a city of history, beauty,
opportunities and excitement.
Dubuque, A Masterpiece on the Mississippi.
The community has a stable and diversified manufacturing base and a growing sector. Dubuque
is the major retail, medical, education and employment center for the tri-state area. Tourism
continues to be a major economic force in the community. Downtown revitalization is a long-
standing priority of the City of Dubuque and the City Council. City govemment works in
collaboration with the private sector to promote economic development.
The larger downtown area includes the central business district, transitional mixed-use
neighborhoods north, west and east of downtown, and a substantial industrial distdct east of
downtown. Downtown Dubuque itself is comprised of five districts: Cable Car Square, Historic
Old Main, Port of Dubuque, Town Clock, and UpperMain/Farmer's Market.
Downtown Dubuque has a dch cultural, histodc and amhitectural heritage. That heritage is
embodied in the investment and improvements that have been made over the last one hundred
and fifty years. While urban renewal in the 1960's dramatically changed the character of the
central business district, much remains of Dubuque's heritage in the downtown area.
As Iowa's oldest city, Dubuque is a community well known for its historic beauty and Victorian
architecture, which is the #2 tourist attraction after the Mississippi River. There are five histodc
districts encompassing nearly 700 structures in Downtown Dubuque and the surrounding
residential neighborhoods. Three of these are National Register districts that lie within the
downtown itself.
The Dubuque City Council has renewed its commitment to historic preservation in these five
histodc districts with adoption of an updated and strengthened Historic Preservation Ordinance,
creation of financial incentives, and adoption of design guidelines.
The City Council recently expanded and strengthened its demolition districts to protect the
downtown area. Demolition permits cannot be issued in these districts without a review by the
City's Historic Preservation Commission as to the structure's historic and amhitectural
significance.
The City also has hired a consultant to conduct an architectural/historical survey/evaluation of
the central business district and adjacent downtown neighborhoods.
The historic downtown neighborhoods include some two-and three story residential buildings
that are fully residential. Other buildings house a mix of uses, with first floor retail office uses
and opportunities for uses on the upper floors. The city contains many institutional, commercial,
and industrial buildings that are architecturally significant and reflect a variety of styles and
materials. The Dubuque City Hall, the Octagon House and the Egyptian Revival style Old
County Jail, designed by John F. Rague, are examples of our important historical architecture.
The City offers a vadety of programs to support downtown revitalization, including tax increment
financing, tax abatement, commercial rehabilitation loans, facade restoration grants, tax rebates
for histodc restoration, incentives for creation of upper story housing units, and incentives for job
creation. The City also provides a municipal parking system of surfaco lots, ramps, and metered
on-street spaces, and operates a public transit system with the main transfer system in
downtown Dubuque.
There have been many studies, plans and program for revitalizing downtown Dubuque and
vadous sub-areas within the contral business district over the years. The most recont overall
planning effort was the 1996 Downtown Circulation Study, which included a traffic analysis and
management component, a parking analysis component, and an urban design/streetscape
component.
The most recent sub-area planning effort was for the Port of Dubuque and the area south of the
Ice Harbor. This planning process included: examination of existing real estate dynamics,
evaluation of development opportunities, and creation of a master plan with design standards.
Adopted in March 2002, the plan is for the creation of a mixed-use development with
commercial, recreational, educational and residential uses. The Dubuque Downtown Master
Plan can incorporate this plan.
Currently under construction at the Port of Dubuque are the Mississippi Riverwalk, the National
Mississippi Discovery Center and Aquarium, the Grand Harbor Resort and Indoor Water Park,
and the National Mississippi River Education and Conferenco Center. Information on these
components of the America's River project at the Port of Dubuque is available at these web
sites: www.dubuquechamber.com, www.qreaterdubuque.org, and www.americasriver.org.
The City of Dubuque has long years of outreach expedenco using the media to stay in touch
with the community. The City also publishes a quarterly newsletter, City Focus, which is mailed
to all Dubuque homes and businesses.
The City of Dubuque invites the community to serve on various commissions and committees
and periodically holds public hearings, open houses, focus groups forums and informational
meetings on various topics, ordinancos and programs for the community.
The City also utilizes the daily Telegraph Herald newspaper and other periodical publications for
public relations. In addition, the City offers programs, announcements, and broadcast of City
Council meetings on its community access channel on the local cable television station to reach
out to the community. Cable TV penetration in the Dubuque market reaches approximately 90%
of the community.
The latest addition to the City's interface with the public is through the City of Dubuque web site
and email. The Public Library, a part of City government, provides free Intemet accass to all
citizens. The Library is a link-up site to the Iowa Communication Network, a fiber optic system
for live video conferences.
C. Project Description
In December of 2001, the City of Dubuque adopted Vision Downtown, a community consensus
vision for downtown Dubuque. The Vision Downtown document contains six dimensions that will
be addressed in the Downtown Master Plan:
· Commerce
Culture, Education and Entertainment
· Historic Features
· Public Spaces and Open Areas
· Residential Living
, Transportation
The Vision Downtown document was initially developed with public input, and then refined at
each step of the process. The downtown vision was crafted through a highly inclusive process
that included community meetings, a citizen questionnaire, reactor group session, and a
validation survey. Many individuals and organizations have supported the community visioning
process that created Vision Downtown. Over two thousand members of the community have
participated directly in the process; some have offered indirect input as well.
The downtown visioning process was sponsored by the City of Dubuque with support from
Dubuque Main Street Ltd., Main Street Iowa, and the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce4
This partnership will continue with the downtown master planning process.
The downtown visioning process was led by the Downtown Planning Committee, a
subcommittee of the City's Long Range Planning Commission. This leadership will continue
through the master planning process. Downtown Planning Committee members include
representatives from the Dubuque City Council, Dubuque Main Street Ltd., Dubuque Cultural
Alliance, the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Iowa Legislature.
Appointed officials from the City's Housing Authority Trust Fund Committee, Historic
Preservation Commission and the Long Range Planning Advisory Commission also are
Committee members. City staff from the Planning Services, Building Services, Economic
Development and Housing/Community Development Departments provide staff support..
In March of 2002, the City Council approved a $100,000 budget for creation of a
Downtown Master Plan based on the vision. The budget includes consultant services,
and public relations, printing, and distribution services to the public.
The City Council has allocated $50,000 of City funds for the project. The Downtown
Planning Committee is committed to raising the remaining $50,000 through a $25,000
state grant and $25,000 in private donations.
In June of 2002, a request for proposal was distributed to about seventy-five planning firms
nationwide. The Downtown Planning Committee and the City Council evaluated the nine
proposals received in July of 2002. In August of 2002, the Letand Consulting Group from
Denver, Colorado was retained to complete a Downtown Dubuque Master Plan. The project
team will also include URS/BRW of Minneapolis, Minnesota and two Dubuque, Iowa firms: MSA
Professional Associates and Durrant Group.
The Plan will specify the objectives, action steps and resources needed to reach Vision
Downtown. The master planning process will involve assessing the vision versus reality and
assessing the vision and reality versus existing plans to create a comprehensive Downtown
Master Plan that uses Vision Downtown as its foundation.
The City of Dubuque is requesting a $3000 matching grant to be used for public outreach
educational programs to introduce the finalized Downtown Master Plan to the Dubuque
community. As American Architectural Foundation so aptly stated, 'Projecte should
promote an increased awareness, appreciation, and understanding of how the public's
involvement in the design process can enhance the quality of life."
With Amedcan Architectural Foundation's matching grant, the City of Dubuque, Leland
Consulting Group and the consulting partners will be able to foster constructive interaction
between design professionals, the media, civic organizations, the business community, the
general public and public officials by inviting people to come together to discuss the Downtown
Master Plan vision. In the past, the City of Dubuque has aired the AAF television
documentary film, Back from the Brink: Saving America's Cities By Design on Channel 8,
the City's cable television community access channel. We would like to incorporate other
AAF television documentaries in the future plans for public education as part of this
project.
The goal of the City of Dubuque, the City Council, the Downtown Planning Committee and our
community partners is to help empower citizens of all ages to take ownership in and enjoy the
revitalization of the Downtown Dubuque area in our beautiful, histodc community. Revitalization
of our central core downtown area in the oldest city in Iowa will encourage a thriving tourist
industry, produce important revenue and provide employment for the citizens of Dubuque.
The City of Dubuque has a wealth of important historical architecture. For years, especially
dudng the 1960's downtown urban renewal project, the City of Dubuque has been losing our
historical and architectural treasures to the "wrecking ball." The City wants to reverse that trend.
Education of the community on historical preservation, downtown planning and the Downtown
Master Plan and everything it encompasses is cdtical to the success of revitalization.
Vision Downtown states: We envision the downtown area as a diverse commercial center
providing many economic opportunities. We envision our downtown as a cultural, educational,
and entertainment center. We envision our downtown as a place where the restoration and
preservation of our unique historic sites and history are appreciated and recognized; We
envision our downtown as an inviting area that appeals to all the senses through the creation of
a clean, safe, and environmentally pleasing setting. We envision our downtown as a home to
many people that produces a mix of amenities and opportunities. We envision our downtown as
having a multi-modal transportation system providing numerous means of access.
The City of Dubuque and the City Council have made the Downtown Master Plan a priority in
their planning, as you can see from the 2012 Vision Statement. The City and Council have
allocated funding to the project and support the vision.
D. Project Budget
Amount requested: $3,000.00
Project Budget Expenses
B. Task
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Description
Project Orientation and Initiation
Capacity of the "Delivery System" Analysis
Planning Workshop/Retreat
Market Indicators and Trends
Identification of Niche Opportunities
Concept Plan Refinement/Design Recommendations
Positioning and Investment Strategies
Implementation Strategy and Final Plan
Public Open House and Presentation
10
Total Professional Fees:
Estimated Project Expenses (15%):
Total Consultant Contract.
Downtown Planning Committee Public Relations:
Total Project Expenses:
Fees
$ 2,500
12,500
6,000
7,500
8,500
20,500
7,500
15,500
5,500
$86,000
12,900
98,900
1,100
$100,000
Project Revenue
Source
Amount
State of Iowa
City of Dubuque
Private Donations:
~> Dubuque Initiatives $ 5,000
> American Amhitectural Foundation 3,000
> American Trust 2,500
> Woodward Communications, Inc. 2,500
> Fischer Companies 2,500
> Diamond Jo Casino 2,500
> Alliant Energy 2,000
> Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce 1,500
> Dubuque Bank & Trust 1,500
> Dubuque Board of Realtors 1,000
> Capd College 500
> Premier Bank 500
Total $25,000
$25,000
50,000
25,000
Total Project Revenue : $100,000
E. Project Implementation
The consultants for the Downtown Dubuque Master Plan will engage in a throe-phase process
outlined below in Work Tasks 1 - 9. The Downtown Planning Committee will work with the
consultants throughout the project, and their public rolations responsibilities are described in
Work Task 10 below
Phase h Concept Development
Work Task 1:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
Project Orientation and Initiation
$2,500
Weeks 1-3
Clarify the project's goals, establish protocols, and
understanding of the project's background and context.
refine our
Work Task 2:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
"Delivery System" Capacity Analysis and Existing Conditions
$12,500
Weeks 2-5
Through inte;views with leading aroa stakeholders, City staff and
community meetings, identify opportunities and constraints to past and
futuro public improvement and economic redevelopment efforts.
Work Task 3:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
Planning Workshop I Retreat
$6,000
Week 6 or 7
To understand past and curront efforts in order to gain insight into their
intent and lessons learned.
Phase Ih Concept Refinement
Work Task 4:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
Market Indicators and Trends
$7,500
Weeks 8-10
To understand market opportunities for Downtown Dubuque and
provide the client team with a technical and analytical
Work Task 5:Identification of Niche Opportunities and Benchmarks
Budget: $8,500
Timing: Weeks 11-13
Objective: Identify and quantify, by type of land uses, the level of development
achievable within the downtown planning area in the short-, mid-, and
long-term and the associated public infrastructure improvements.
Work Task 6:
Budget.'
Timing:
Objective:
Concept Plan Refinement and Design Recommendations
$20,500
Weeks 14-20
Based on the results of work completed in previous tasks, recommend
urban design elements and physical infrastructure improvements
required to implement projects in Downtown Dubuque.
Work Task 7:
Budget:
Timing:
Object'we:
Positioning and Investment Strategies
$7,500
Weeks 21-24
Prepare a positioning and investment strategy for Downtown Dubuque
that capitalizes on niche opportunities unique to the marketplace.
Work Task 8:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
Implementation Strategy and Final Plan
$15,500
Weeks 25-28
Prepare a strategy and the necessary tools (final plan) including a
summary of potential public and private resources designed to attract
private and leverage public investment.
Phase IIh Final Presentations and Deliverables
Work Task 9:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
Public Open House and Presentation
$5,500
Weeks 29-32
Provide the City, stakeholders and interested citizens and opportunities
to explore and understand the master plan for Downtown Dubuque.
Work Task 10:
Budget:
Timing:
Objective:
Printing and Public Relations
$1,100
Weeks 1-32
Downtown Planning Committee Public Relations.
The active participation of the Downtown Planning Committee
throughout the planning process is critical to our team-oriented
approach. The Committee will provide input and guidance to the
consultants through participation at regular project meetings. We also
anticipate that the Committee will participate in any public meetings,
open houses and/or Council presentations. As a subcommittee of the
City of Dubuque's Long Range Planning Commission, the Downtown
Planning Committee must comply with the State of Iowa's Open
Meetings Law and Public Records Law through the publication and
distribution of meeting notices, and the production and distribution of
meeting minutes.