The city is set to spend some $700,000 for two New Orleans design firms to draw up and oversee a remake of Miller Park and Plaza, Patten Parkway and a new MLK Plaza.
The City Council is set to vote June 16 on the $693,700 contract with Speckman Mossop Michaels and Eskew+Dumez+Ripple.
RiverCity Company officials earlier said that Miller Park was outdated and needed to be enlivened. There was discussion of raising the park from a sunken, isolated area as well as animating it with a new building at the south end.
Patten Parkway, with veteran memorials in the center and parking on either side, has not changed in many years.
MLK Plaza would be a new link between Patten Parkway and Miller Park and Plaza at the front of the Volunteer Building.
The plan also includes some upgrades to Miller Plaza, where the Nightfall musical series is held on summer nights on a small stage.
The proposal is "to provide design consulting services to the city of Chattanooga for its aim to make improvements to Miller Park, Patten Parkway and MLK Boulevard, revitalizing and enhancing public spaces for the community.
"The project planning design architecture and landscape architecture and engineering services are for each of the following spaces/projects:
"MLK Plaza. To connect Miller Plaza Miller Park and Patten Parkway to reflect special conditions of the block between our two major Center City public parks and the missing link to Patten Parkway. This plaza should be designed for innovative stormwater performance as well as day-to-day traffic needs, and mostly as stitches in the fabric to link the three public spaces.
"Miller Park. Improvements to enhance usability, accessibility, inclusion and diverse functionality for all Chattanoogans.
"Patten Parkway. Improvements between Georgia Avenue and Lindsay Street.
"Miller Plaza. Improvements to the area in front of the existing stage, some focused improvements to the plaza area as it runs along MLK Boulevard as well as some overall minor upgrades to plantings and fountains."
The firms are to draw up the plans, hold public meetings about the project, assist in bidding of the projects, and oversee construction.
There will be an initial kickoff three-day session in which the design team will come to Chattanooga and meet with participants and stakeholders.
The consultants will then launch an online campaign to "crowdsource" potential park activities. Officials said, "This platform will include an interactive map for citizens to tag places with desirable activities. A complementary strategy will use a physical display to engage pedestrians in the City Center as well as park users without Internet access."
There will then be a public workshop followed by a public forum.
The local Hefferlin + Kronenberg Architects is also on the design team.
W.M. Whitaker & Associates is the landscape architect firm.