Kim White, president of River City Company, announced the Vine Street corridor downtown will be the focus of the next Urban Design Challenge on May 15, at 5:30 p.m. at Central Church of Christ, 400 Vine Street.
The Urban Design Challenge is part of the non-profit downtown economic development firm’s 25th anniversary celebration. Idea Channel, a team of local designers led by Architects Thomas Palmer and Blythe Bailey will discuss its plans for the area from the University through the Georgia Avenue intersection. A reception at Toast Cafe, 326 Vine St., will be held immediately after the presentation.
“Vine Street offers an incredible opportunity to link downtown office, retail and residential potential to our growing and active urban university,” said Ms. White, “and with UTC engaged in long range campus planning, the timing couldn’t be better for a local design team to re-envision the area.”
Shown a brief preview by Idea Channel of the work in progress, UTC Chancellor Roger Brown noted that the team’s ideas prompted a far-ranging and fun discussion. He said “Our university community will be very interested in the future of this area and it is great that River City Company is bringing attention to it.”
Previous presentations by various teams in the year- long series include Dynamic Density’s treatment of the 700 block of Market Street, The Big Gig Team’s visions for the Civic Forum Block, Method E5’s plans for historic Patten Parkway, and Team Elemi’s work on the Fourth St. Corridor. Teams are competing for additional cash awards for their work.
Idea Channel was selected to take on the Vine Street Corridor project. In addition to Mr. Palmer and Mr. Bailey, team members include Eric Cummings, Matt Greenwell, Caleb Ludwick, Tara Maner, Wes Michaels, Michael Prater and Paul Rustand.
"This corridor is more complex and has more factors to consider, than what first meets the eye,” said Mr. Palmer. “We think our ideas will spark lively debate and prompt new views of the Georgia Avenue intersection in particular.”
At the conclusion of the Urban Design Challenge, the concept plans will serve as a knowledge base for future discussions about development and improvements to downtown. A concluding event later this summer will invite the public to vote on their favorite concept plan.
The public is invited to all the presentations. Visit http://www.urbandesignchallenge.com/udc/home for more information. The Urban Design Challenge is possible thanks to grants to River City Company from the Benwood Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, and Maclellan Foundation.
For more information, please contact Tiffanie Robinson at 265-3700 or Ann Coulter at 987-6930.