Franklin Avenue Planning

Making Franklin Safe for Pedestrians: Grass Roots Crossing Guard Event

2009-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Throughout Franklin Planning events, participants repeatedly pointed out how hard it can be to cross Franklin – especially during the evening rush hour. Our task forces suggested having volunteer crossing guards help raise pedestrian visibility on Franklin. On Bike Walk Day, Thursday May 14th, we organized grass roots crossing guards at three high traffic intersections on Franklin (24th, 25th and 26th Aves). We wore brightly colored vests and carried bright yellow flags to alert drivers of pedestrians who needed to cross the street. We also handed out flyers the summarized right of way laws.

Through our interactions with people walking on Franklin, we learned that most pedestrians do not know that they had the right of way at all intersections. Even if there isn’t a marked crosswalk, a pedestrian has a right to cross as long as approaching cars are far enough away to easily stop. Since most cars don’t obey this law, pedestrians are often trapped at intersections or even in the middle of the street as they wait for cross-traffic to stop. Many walkers were grateful to have the crossing guard escort them across the street, and expressed how it is too difficult and dangerous to cross at the unmarked intersections like 24th and 25th. Redesign hopes to organize more grass roots crossing events in the future again, to continue reminding pedestrians and cars of this issue.

Vision for Franklin Avenue Almost Final Draft!

2009-05-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

[Updated--see bottom of post]
The Vision for Franklin Avenue is posted for review!! There is a short summary document with lots of nice images, plus a few additional files that go into more detail. I hope that you all get a chance to take a look. Here's the link:

http://www.sewardredesign.org/franklin_vision.html

Contents:

1.1 Process

people
phases (summary)

1.2 Outcomes

core values
conceptual themes (summary)
bystrom vision (summary)
development principles (summary)

There are three upcoming opportunities to discuss the plan:

SNG Community Development Committee meeting next Tuesday (May 12th at 7pm, Matthews Park Center): the Franklin Vision will be one of four items on the agenda
Redesign Development Committee meeting: Tuesday, May 27th at 8:30am at our office (2619 E Franklin)
A larger community gathering to discuss the plan: (time and date TBD)

Also, if you have comments, you can send them to Emily Wergin at Emily@sewardredesign.org

UPDATE:
The Seward Neighborhood Group Devleopment Committee approved the document at its May 12 meeting with only one change. The suggested maximum height of new development from 21st Avenue to 29th Avenue was reduced to three stories.

CDC Action on Bystrom Site Road Allignment

2008-11-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

After being presented a number of options for the connection between Minnehaha and Cedar, the Seward Neighborhood Community Development Committee voted to recommend against the "local street" option since this would not allow closing Minnehaha Avenue between Franklin and Cedar and would not improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the LRT station.

The CDC also voted to recommend that the connection be designed to Minnesota State Aid Road standards that would allow use of the connection by trucks. This alignment is a sweeping curve from Minnehaha to a new 22nd Street that connects with Cedar Avenue just north of the LRT bridge. This would allow improvements to the Franklin/Minnehaha/Cedar intersection by closing Minnehaha north of Franklin and making Minnehaha between 22nd Street a local street (not a truck rout).

DRAFT Bystrom Site Community Vision

2008-11-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

For the last three weeks, the Bystrom taskforce of neighborhood residents have been working on a detailed vision for the site. The based it on the Vision and Values developed for Franklin Avenue Planning. Here is the current draft that was handed out at the November 11 Seward Neighborhood Group Community Development Committee. Discussion will continue at the next Taskforce meeting, Wednesday, November 19th, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. @ Seward Redesign (2619 Franklin Avenue)

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DRAFT Bystrom Site Community Vision

This Development Vision will be taken to each of the partner organizations (SNG, SCCA and Redesign) for adoption by their boards. This Vision will steer our work together on the Bystrom project over the coming years and provide a way for us to make decisions as a community. It will also guide the decision making of the City, County, and development partners.

Identity:
We envision the Bystrom Bros. site to be a mixed-use, green development that reinforces Seward’s unique character and sets a precedent for both the process and outcome of distinct urban design.

Development here should reinforce Seward’s identity as a pedestrian- and bike-friendly neighborhood. This site is an opportunity to connect walkers and bikes between the Seward neighborhood and the LRT station/Hiawatha bike trail and to create a strong entry point into the Seward neighborhood.

Specifically, the west edge of the site offers an opportunity to pull the perceived edge of Seward right up to the trail and station area.

Changes at the north end of the site should create inviting connections to and from Franklin Avenue; and changes to the east should knit with the adjacent residential area.

Development on the site should include public art, sculptures in particular, that perhaps reflect the industrial character of this segment of the community.

Good Design
We envision the Bystrom Bros. site as a well-designed place that expresses the unique “urban hippy” character of Seward. (multi-cultural, arts-aligned, green, urban, grass-roots, family-friendly, multi-generational, welcoming, student-friendly, safe, comfortable and accessible. )

In reaction to examples of other developments throughout the Twin Cities, we found that good architectural design, quality building materials, and modest building scale (for the majority of buildings, no more than 5-6 stories) were the elements that most impacted what we found desirable. Density per se is not objectionable; large-scale, monolithic buildings are.

Site design should emphasize pedestrian and biking as primary modes of movement, creating public spaces that are safe, well- lit, and welcoming.

Site design and window orientation should take advantage of the amazing views of downtown and the West horizon.

Multi-Modal Movement
We envision the Bystrom site as a groundbreaking development from an alternative transportation perspective. The design will draw on historic precedents (like Milwaukee Avenue) and cutting edge tools and techniques to make walking and biking safe, attractive and easy. Due to its location adjacent to transit (the Franklin LRT Station in particular), pedestrian and bike infrastructure (the adjacent LRT-trail connects to both downtown and the Midtown Greenway), the site holds an added layer of responsibility to connect people to that infrastructure.

1. It should facilitate multi-modal lifestyles by increasing the number of places to work and live that cater to and celebrate pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. Specific strategies might include:

Inside, convenient bike storage at entrances.
Ample and conveniently located outside bike storage.
Area for bike repair.
Benches or other public seating to allow peds a rest stop.

2. It should link existing bike/walk/LRT infrastructure so that the overall system of alternative transportation throughout our neighborhood functions more efficiently and more comfortably.
Development on the site should allow and encourage multiple, safe connections in, out, across and along the site.

Local Economy & Leadership
We envision the Bystrom Bros. site as an opportunity to strengthen our local economy, that the development be driven by a strong and clear grass-roots voice, and that the end result is designed and tenanted to contribute to the fabric of our community.

The site is primarily a residential site.
Some office and light industrial would be appropriate for this site.
Do not see retail other than at a limited scale.
Any retail should reinforce connections to and support neighborhood retail nodes on Franklin and Minnehaha.
We do not want the site to create a new retail business node/center.

As the design for the street reconfiguration is refined and developers begin to propose and design specific parcels at the Bystrom site, the community will continue to guide the process.

Prospective developers will receive and read this community vision.
Potential projects will be presented to SNG CDC meetings, and follow the recommendations in the final Franklin Plan document.

Stewardship and Safety
We envision the Bystrom Bros. site as a safe and well-maintained part of our neighborhood. Development at the site is an opportunity to impact the safety of the existing LRT station area and Hiawatha bike trial.

Pedestrians and bicyclists should have clear, well-defined and well-maintained paths in and around the site that allow convenient and safe access to and from the LRT, the Hiawatha bike trail, Franklin Avenue and the neighborhood generally.

Public spaces and thoroughfares should be inspired by nearby Milwaukee Avenue (and may include car-free streets) and programs and design should put “eyes on the street,” lighting, and frequent use to ped, bike and public areas.

Intersections generally, and especially at Minnehaha and 22nd, should be controlled for safe turning and crossing by all modes of transport. We envision that this intersection will be one of the primary intersections used by people who work and live in the community to connect to the LRT and Hiawatha bike trail.

These pedestrian and bike connections along and through the site provide an opportunity to not only foster movement but also create opportunities for casual connections between neighbors.

Seward is Green
We envision the Bystrom Bros. site as a place that contributes to the environmental health of our neighborhood and the world.

This site should include green/landscaped gathering spaces that integrate with the urban fabric of our neighborhood. Trees, plants and other landscaping should screen and attenuate sound for those who work, live and visit there. Landscaping plans could include composting sites for residents.

To complement the proximity to the LRT station and bicycle infrastructure, surface parking should be minimized on the site – street parking and underground parking are desirable. In the spirit of “just enough,” parking should be created assuming this site could match or exceed the percent of people in Seward who don’t own a car (According to the 2000 census, 74% of Seward residents owned 0-1 cars per household, compared to only 40% MSA). Some strategies to reduce parking demand, might include:

Hour car availability on site.
On site bike repairs facilities.
Financial incentives, such as decoupling housing units from parking spots, subsidized transit passes, or …

Sustainable density should be balanced with livability and aesthetics. Construction should employ the best practices of green construction and conservation. New infrastructure and buildings should employ cutting edge techniques to maximize on-site storm water management, capture or create energy on site, and other green technology.

Addendum: Great Ideas from the Neighborhood

Possible Uses

Senior Housing
Small Business / Light industrial incubator space
Destination Businesses, like: climbing gym, theater showing independent films, copy shop with mailing, day care
Bicycle-related Business on the LRT-trail
Transportation-sharing hub for the neighborhood (like Hour Car but perhaps even broader … include “Hour Truck”, “Hour Bicycle”, etc.)

Design

Include access to rooftop gardens for every residential unit

… to be continued

Next Bystrum Site Pulbic Meeting November 11

2008-11-02T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Bystrum Site community task force has been meeting and will have more details at the next Bystrum Site public meeting.

The meeting will be one of the agenda items on the Seward Neighborhood Group Community Development Committee meeting on Tuesday November 11. The meeting will start at 6:30 because of a very full agenda. Since Matthews Center will be closed that night, the meeting will be at the Seward Redesign offices at 2619 East Franklin (next to True Thai).

Some results from the test projects on Franklin and 27th

2008-11-02T17:56:00.001-08:00

Really behind again on this blog. Here re some pictures of the test projects we tried at 27th and Franklin--two different kinds of crosswalks and improved landscaping at Zipp's. Not pictured are a planter, benches and a Welcome to Seward banner. (The benches are still there in front of Fast and Furless. And of course, the landscaping is still there on the Zipp's corner.)

We will be starting to work on the final documents for the city (that will be approved by the boards of SNG, Redesign and SCCA. There will be discussions at the SNG Development committee--not sure when yet.

Bystrom Site Redevelopmet Community Planning

2008-10-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

We are considering this a continuation of Franklin Planning--It will result in a more pedestrian friendly intersection of Franklin, Minnehaha and Cedar and will result in new development in the old industrial area just south of Franklin between Snelling and the LRT tracks. (This is a joint project of Seward Neighborhood Group, Seward Redesign and Seward Civic and Commerce Assoication.)

The community planning for the Bystrum site and realignment of 22nd Street is starting this afternoon– please participate! (Other events will be happening over the next few weeks>)

The process of spurring redevelopment in the Franklin LRT Station area has reached a critical juncture. Seward Redesign has been working for nearly 5 years to achieve the community’s vision for safer access and a more walkable, populated environment. Work is beginning on a 4-acre parcel near the station, the Bystrom Brothers site, as well as for a new connection between Minnehaha and Cedar along a re-routed 22nd Street.

The community is invited and encouraged to join us to learn about the current timeline for development planning for this important area near the LRT station and to become familiar with the site. City Desk Architects and the Franklin Planning Steering Committee will be leading the community through a series of events including:

What: Intro to project/community walk of the site.
When: Wednesday, October 8th, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Where: @ SE corner of Minnehaha & 22nd Street

What: Design Workshop as part of SNG’s community development committee.
When: Tuesday, October 14th, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: @ Matthews Community Center

What: Bystrom Task Force Meeting #1
When: Wednesday, October 22nd, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Where: @ Seward Redesign (2619 Franklin Avenue)

What: Bystrom Task Force Meeting #2
When: Wednesday, October 29th, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Where: @ Seward Redesign (2619 Franklin Avenue)

What: Review selection of preferred development scenario as part of SNG’s community development committee
When: Tuesday, November 11th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: @ Matthews Community Center

What: Bystrom Task Force Meeting #3
When: Wednesday, November 19th, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Where: @ Seward Redesign (2619 Franklin Avenue)

Please contact Katya, Emily, Sheldon, or Bernie with any immediate questions. We hope you can participate in this important community work.

Katya Pilling, Seward Redesign:
katya@sewardredesign.org, 612-338-8729 x 116
Emily Wergin, Seward Redesign:
emily@sewardredesign.org, 612-338-8729 x105
Sheldon Mains, Seward Neighborhood Group:smains@visi.com
Bernie Waibel, Seward Neighborhood Group: bernie@sng.org

Thanks!

Saturday, September 27th: Grass-Roots Test Projects for Seward’s Franklin Avenue

2008-09-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

We begin testing project ideas generated by the Franklin Avenue Planning* Task Forces with an event at the corner of Franklin Avenue and 27th Avenue S from 2 – 5pm.

Test projects will include:

Grass-Roots Gardening (1 hour shifts start early at 9am)
Temporary Pavement Painting
Prototype Bike Repair Statio
Temporary benches, sidewalk seating, bike racks and other street furniture
and more

This event coincides with an Open House celebrating the renovation of Frankly 27th: the building that is home to True Thai, Jim’s Barbershop, Seward Redesign, Fast and Furless, Animal Rights Coalition, ArtiCulture, and Dr Gary Miller, Chiropractor. Food, refreshments and activities will be available.

Come prepared to meet your neighbors, get dirty and see our potential, as a community, to make an impact on Franklin Avenue!

*Franklin Avenue Planning is a joint effort of Seward Redesign, Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG) and Seward Civic and Commerce Association (SCCA). To sign up for a gardening shift, email emily@sewardredesign.org for more information, see www.franklinavenue.us"

Vote for your favorite welcome banner

2008-09-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Here are two sample banners for welcoming to Seward. We are working on getting approval to have them at the LRT station and on the fence at Triangle Park (25th Avenue--North end). These banners actually provide six options--two options for color, two options for the large text and two options for the small text.

Vote for your favorite in the poll in the right sidebar.

Plans, ideas, booklets

2008-08-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

First, we've decided to use the 27th and Franklin intersection as the place to test a few of the ideas. We'll need a few volunteers so stay tuned for the exact date and time.

So, what ideas are we considering--some of the faster, lower cost ideas that are illustrated in the A Draft Community Vision for Franklin Avenue. The book is at a number of Franklin Avenue businesses--with plenty of space to write comments. The booklet is also online (PDF format) here.

And always, feel free to add a comment to this blog.

The Dog Days of Summer--Resources, what's happening in the background

2008-07-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the dog days of summer and I have been negligent about keeping this blog up-to-date. so this post will be a collection of random stuff:

Bureaucracy:
In July both the Seward Neighborhood Group board and the Seward Civic and Commerce Association board approved the Franklin Planning Values that came out of the task forces. The Seward Redesign board is expected to approve the values at it's August meeting.

Another Resource:
Jay Walljasper (the speaker at our Saturday session) has a new article on a National Geographic site: "A historic opportunity to improve our cities".

More chances to comment:
The first phase was getting the values in place and generating ideas for improving the Avenue. We've assembled all of this into a booklet that will be distributed to businesses on the Avenue.

Expect the books to be at the businesses in about a week. The books will have the left pages blank for comments. Fell free to give us your thoughts.

Bystrom Project:
Many of you may know of the Bystrom project--this is the land between 22nd Street and 24th Street along the LRT. Part of the project includes simplifying the Minnehaha/Franklin/Cedar intersection. This will be the first chance we will have to apply our Franklin Planning Values to a project. Look for news on how to participate in planning this project in the near future.

More Ideas

2008-07-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Lots more ideas at the last round of task force meetings. Now we just have to decide what to do! Our plan is to do some low resource projects this summer (low cost projects that don't require a lot of planning and approvals). Do these spark any ideas or suggestions? Add a comment below (click on the blue "Comments" link).

A sample intersection (25th and Franklin) with paver bump-outs, a white cross walk across 25th, colorful images as crosswalks across Franklin, and a banner sign where 25th enters Seward (in the distance, across the park)

Some ideas for "greening" Franklin: More trees, planters with flowers, and working with businesses to turn hard surfaces into green spaces the benefit the community and the business.

Improving biking: Creative painting for a bike lane.

So, what do you think? Let us know by clicking on "comments" below.

Franklin Planning Values

2008-07-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

What are the neighborhood's values? How do they apply to Franklin Avenue? Here is the latest draft of the values statement. It will be reviewed by the boards of SCCA, SNG and Redesign. It is one of many items on a full agenda at the Seward Neighborhood Group Development Committee agenda at 7 PM on Tuesday, July 8 at Matthews Center.
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Introduction

Seward is an urban village –
Franklin Avenue is our main street.
Early in 2008, Seward Redesign, Seward Neighborhood Group, and the Seward Civic and Commerce Association (SCCA) combined efforts to launch a community-driven planning process to create a master plan for Seward’s Franklin Avenue – from the LRT Station Area to the River.

More than 100 residents, businesses, property-owners and other stakeholders have participated in a variety of venues to contribute to this document. There were two organized walks along the Avenue to identify strengths and weaknesses, a broad community meeting to sort out areas to concentrate our efforts, and four task forces who have shaped this document.

These core values will be taken to each of the partner organizations for adoption by their boards. Our intention is that these core values will guide our work together over the coming years and provide a way for us to make decisions as a community.

The process to build this document also speaks to a value which we intend to guide our work – we will work in partnership, maintaining a transparent public process, which is rational and balances the interests and needs of various constituents. Planning is never complete but rather an ongoing process, which we will continually revisit and renew. In creating the core values below, we have seen the incredible value of synergy – what is created by many is better than the sum of its parts.

Your feedback on this document, the process used to create it, and your engagement in moving forward is valuable and welcome. Contact Seward Redesign (2619 Franklin), SNG or SCCA or go to www.franklinavenue.us.

Identity
We envision Franklin Avenue as a destination that draws people into our unique neighborhood.

Franklin Avenue is our Main Street / Town Center and should express the character of Seward as a whole. Key elements of our identity include that we are multi-cultural, arts-aligned, green, urban, grass-roots, family-friendly, multi-generational, welcoming, student-friendly, safe, comfortable and accessible.

Good Design
We envision Franklin Avenue as a well designed place that reflects the urban character of the Seward neighborhood.

Buildings, signage, landscaping and other elements of the streetscape should be human scaled, urban, green, artful, easily maintained, safe, graffiti resistant and durable. Design will use CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) techniques to shape a safer environment, i.e. eyes on the street.

Time, energy and resources should be invested to design (not just produce) elements of our streetscape. We are willing to invest in design while keeping it affordable for everyone.

Multi-Modal Movement
We envision Franklin Avenue as an active, interesting and safe place for all pedestrians.

We want Franklin to be a destination that draws people from both inside and outside the neighborhood. Franklin should be easy to access by bus, LRT, bike or car. Once people arrive in Seward, it should be intuitive that non-motorized transportation is the preferred mode between destinations on the Avenue and in the neighborhood.

For people in the neighborhood, biking, walking and public transit are primary modes of transportation. We should make changes to the Avenue so that pedestrians, bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, skateboarders, etc. have a safe and pleasant experience so they can use all of the parks, restaurants, shops and other resources on Franklin.

The LRT area and the 3-4 blocks east of it are unique. Seward wants to develop a chain of attractions or complimentary commercial activity that draw people into our business district and extend the Franklin Avenue’s identity and the feel of our community from the River to the LRT station area.

Local Economy & Leadership
We envision Seward as a place where a strong local economy and grass-roots activism meet.

Decision Making – our community is organized, well-informed and committed to leading decision making and implementation of changes in our neighborhood.

Shop locally – Seward residents and business owners use our dollars to support local businesses. Supporting these businesses helps them support the community.

Work/employ locally – Encourage employers to hire local talent; create opportunities for people who live in the neighborhood to find a local job; and create ways for people who work in the neighborhood to find a place to live in the neighborhood.

Synergy & Connectivity – We recognize the interconnectedness we have with each other. – We will work to attract new core businesses that meet community and business needs, and match our values but also draw people from outside our neighborhood. We, in turn, should be good neighbors to our surrounding communities by supporting their destination businesses.

Stewardship and Safety
We envision Franklin Avenue as a well-cared for and well maintained place where people can gather throughout the day and into the evening during all seasons. We promote safe public gathering places and we will take an active role in making it safe – working on local initiatives and partnering with police and others.

Businesses and other destinations along the Avenue should be connected by neighborhood gathering places where neighbors can have eye-to-eye contact, where community conversations happen and where the seeds of community activism grow.

Seward is Green
We envision Franklin Avenue as a place that contributes to the environmental health of both our neighborhood and the world.

Landscape – Franklin needs more trees, plants and landscaping – in addition to contributing to the health of the environment, these things make Franklin a more comfortable and attractive place year round.

Buildings – Buildings should contribute to the environmental health of our neighborhood through reduced energy consumption, on-site storm and waste water management, reuse and recycling of materials and other green technologies.

Infrastructure - Seward does not want the City or County to tear up and replace our infrastructure but instead to explore ways to improve through the repair/reuse of existing infrastructure whenever possible.

When making decisions about amounts of parking, lighting or other factors that impact the environment, we should always strive to have “just enough.”

Some ideas to talk about

2008-06-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ideas--visual interpretations of some of the ideas from the Task Forces. What do you think? Add comments below.

At Blue Nile--planters and trees

How about eliminating parking on the north side of Franklin for really good bike lanes?

A really interesting crosswalk

At Minnehaha and Franklin--a signature sign, painted crosswalks, small solar powered pedestrian level lighting

Planters and plantings at Northern Clay

Franklin at 25th Avenue looking north. Banner and painted wall at Northern Clan, "green street" for 25th Avenue, curb bump-outs, sculptures.

Planters and twinkle lights at Metroplace

26th Street north of Franklin (looking west toward Triangle Park)--only one lane each direction, crosswalk between Towers West and the park

Draft 2 – Franklin Avenue Planning Core Values – May 21, 2008

2008-05-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here is the next draft of the core values the Franklin Avenue Planning Task Forces have been working on. Feel free to get involved in the discussion at any of the Task Force meetings or at the SNG Board Meeting/Pot Luck on Wednesday, May 28 at Matthews Center.
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Good Design
We envision Franklin Avenue as a well designed place that reflects the urban character of the Seward neighborhood.

Buildings, signage, landscaping and other elements of the streetscape should be human scaled, urban, green, artful, easily maintained, safe, graffiti resistant and durable.
Time, energy and resources should be invested to design (not just produce) elements of our streetscape. We are willing to invest in design while keeping it affordable for everyone.

Multi-Modal Movement
We envision Franklin Avenue as an active, interesting and safe place for all pedestrians.

We want Franklin to be a destination that draws people from both inside and outside the neighborhood. Franklin should be easy to access by bus, LRT, bike or car. Once people arrive in Seward, it should be intuitive that non-motorized transportation is the preferred mode between destinations on the Avenue and in the neighborhood.
For people in the neighborhood, biking, walking and public transit are primary modes of transportation. We should make changes to the Avenue so that pedestrians, bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, skateboarders, etc. have a safe and pleasant experience so they can use all of the parks, restaurants, shops and other resources on Franklin.
The LRT area and the 3-4 blocks east of it are unique. Seward wants to develop a chain of attractions or complimantary commercial activity that extend the Franklin Avenue business district and the identity and feel of our community all the way to the LRT station area.

Identity
We envision Franklin Avenue as a destination that draws people into our unique neighborhood.

Franklin Avenue is our Main Street / Town Center and should express the character of Seward as a whole. Key elements of our identity include that we are culturally diverse, arts-aligned, green, urban, welcoming, student-friendly, safe, comfortable and accessible.

Local Sourcing
We envision Seward as a place where a strong local economy and grass-roots activism meet.

Decision Making – our community is organized, well-informed and committed to leading decision making and implementation of changes in our neighborhood.
Shop locally – Seward residents and business owners use our dollars to support local businesses. Supporting these businesses helps them support the community.
Work/employ locally – Encourage employers to hire local talent; create opportunities for people who live in the neighborhood to find a local job; and create ways for people who work in the neighborhood to find a place to live in the neighborhood.
Connectivity – . We will work to attract new core businesses that meet community need, desire, and match our values. but also draw people from outside our neighborhood. We, in turn, should be good neighbors to our neighboring neighborhoods by supporting their destination businesses.

Stewardship and Safety
We envision Franklin Avenue as a well-cared for and well maintained place where people can gather throughout the day and into the evening during all seasons.

Businesses and other destinations along the Avenue should be connected by neighborhood gathering places where neighbors can have eye-to-eye contact, where community conversations happen and where the seeds of community activism grow.

Seward is Green
We envision Franklin Avenue as a place that contributes to the environmental health of both our neighborhood and the world.

Literally – Franklin needs more trees, plants and landscaping – in addition to contributing to the health of the environment, these things make Franklin a more comfortable and attractive place year round.
Buildings – Buildings should contribute to the environmental health of our neighborhood through reduced energy consumption, on-site storm and waste water management, reuse and recycling of materials and other green technologies.
Infrastructure - Seward does not want the City or County to tear up and replace our infrastructure but instead to explore ways to improve through the repair/reuse existing infrastructure whenever possible.
When making decisions about amounts of parking, lighting or other factors that impact the environment, we should always strive to have “just enough.”

Franklin Planning Newsletter

2008-05-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

We are publishing a weekly Franklin Planning Newsletter. You can find PDF versions of them here:

Page 2 has some great information on one of the terms we keep hearing about--TOD or Transit Oriented Design.

Draft Core Values

2008-05-22T17:11:00.000-07:00

Last week the Task Forces worked on a common set of core design values starting with the DRAFT below. Expect to see the revised set within a couple days

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DRAFT CORE VALUES--FRANKLIN AVENUE PLANNING

Good Design

Buildings, signage, landscaping and other elements of the streetscape should be artfully designed to reflect the character of Seward. To do this, time, energy and resources should be invested to design (not just produce) those elements.

Multi-Modal Movement

People from outside the neighborhood (who will most likely arrive by car, LRT, bus or bike) should easily be able to get to Franklin. Once here, it should be intuitive for visitors that arrive by car to park and then walk around the neighborhood.
For people in the neighborhood, biking, walking and public transit are primary modes of transportation. We should make changes to the Avenue so that pedestrians, bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, skateboarders, etc. have a safe and pleasant experience so they can use all of the parks, restaurants, shops and other resources on Franklin.

Identity

Franklin Avenue is part of the Seward neighborhood, the main street and our front door. Franklin’s identity should express the character of Seward as a whole. Key elements include that we are culturally diverse, arts-aligned, green, a destination, safe, comfortable and accessible.

Local Sourcing

Decision Making – our community is organized, well-informed and committed to leading decision making and implementation of changes in our neighborhood
Shop locally – Seward residents and business owners use our dollars to support local businesses.
Work/employ locally – Encourage employers to hire local talent; create opportunities for people who live in the neighborhood to find a local job; and create ways for people who work in the neighborhood to find a place to live in the neighborhood.

Stewardship and Safety

Franklin Avenue should look well-cared for and have well maintained places where people can gather. These neighborhood gathering places are active throughout the day and into the evening, where neighbors can have eye-to-eye contact, where community conversations happen and where the seeds of community activism grow.

Seward is Green

Literally – Franklin needs more trees, plants and landscaping – both because these things make Franklin a more comfortable and attractive place and also because they contribute to the environmental health and sustainability of our neighborhood and the world.
Buildings – Buildings should contribute to the environmental health of our neighborhood through reduced energy consumption, on-site storm and waste water management, reuse and recycling of materials and other green technologies.

Infrastructure

Seward does not want the City or County to tear up and replace our infrastructure but instead to explore ways to repair/reuse existing infrastructure whenever possible.

Local Business/Gateways Task Force- Week 1 May 16

2008-05-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

Vision & Values activity and discussion

This group’s emphasis was on the following areas:

Identity

A strong, well articulated, positive identity
PR/Advertising as part of identity
Making it comfortable
Express our identity in a way that attracts people from all over as well as the neighborhood
Franklin as a part of Seward
Shaking the ‘bad rap’
Events that reinforce the neighborhood sense of identify

Locally owned Business

Asset to the livability of the neighborhood
Attracting shoppers who then may end up wanting to work or live here
No franchises, no big box!
Diversity

Safety

Evening activity
Lighting and activity and windows

Parking

Balance the need for parking, the perception that we need parking, residents feeling that they don’t want commercial parking in front of their homes, successful commercial district
Making parking areas attractive and SAFE

Connections

River as a way to connect to Franklin through the neighborhood
Connecting the neighborhood, local businesse3s, destination businesses and Franklin.
Multi-modal access – more bus access, more service from the #8
Gateways and landmarks

Green construction/sustainability

A central value of the community

Destination Businesses

Accessibility, east access
Making people feel comfortable
Having a good reputation
River

Community Engagement / Crime & Safety Task Force - Week 1 May 14

2008-05-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

Vision and Values Discussion:

Public Safety – creating a safer community, that brings people out, that creates a safer community, that…

Engaging local businesses to create events and activities that make it safer.

Stewardship/maintenance – leading by example- demonstrate that we care

Locally Owned Businesses

No franchises
Events and activities that celebrate our businesses and bring people together
Business Vitality

Time – lighting at night, night experience

Public spaces designed to draw people in

Movement Task Force - Week 1, May 13, 2008

2008-05-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

Vision & Values activity and discussion

This group’s emphasis was on the following areas:

Locally Owned Business

Basic goods and services should be available in the neighborhood – within walking distance for residents
Nice to be able to walk/bus from one errand to the next (trip-chaining)
Businesses should match community needs
It would be nice if businesses had bus schedules available
No big boxes

Sense of Place

Bus stops could be a gathering place – shelters/kiosks/other amenities at bus stop

Identity

Pedestrians and bus riders have opportunity to interact with each other (conversation) – sense of community
Signage is important

Public Safety

More people on street going to businesses makes a place safer (cyclic … more pedestrians improves safety, more safety means makes more pedestrians, repeat)
Pedestrian traffic (and public transit) is more sustainable and is inclusive of different economic status (don’t need to own a car)
Safer pedestrian/car interactions
Need increased visibility near LRT

Multi-Modal Access / Destinations / Accessibility

Want Franklin to be a destination for people inside and outside the community; however, avoid BYOC (Bring Your Own Car) … want more people to arrive by foot, bike and bus
Improve public transit – this allows more people to come without cars,

#8 and #7 bus need more service (no bus service to new co-op location on weekends)

For those who do arrive by car, we want them to park once they arrive, and walk between destinations in the neighborhood

Parking and wayfinding should be intuitive

Events like the walks are good because they get people out on the street, walking together – we could use more events like this
Lots of accessibility issues near new Co-op locations

Public Spaces

Franklin Avenue is a public space, not just a place to move cars – bikes and pedestrians should take a sense of ownership over the street – have places to stop and interact
Can parking areas be public spaces? (ex. – “Mall” by Walker Library in Uptown)
Discussion about edges/boundaries

Connections

Enhance/incorporate LRT with other systems … peds/bikes/buses
Better connection to adjacent neighborhoods
Better connection and wayfinding to other locations in our neighborhood (eg, Matthews Park)

Accessibility

Needs improvement – lots of issues near

Parking

Parking areas could be better designed … more green

Ease traffic flow / noise / speed

We don’t see Franklin as a thoroughfare or reliever for the highway … promote destination traffic instead of through traffic
Landscaping and transitions as you enter the neighborhood could help slow traffic

Visual Identity / Landscape Task Force - Week 1, May 12, 2008

2008-05-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

Vision & Values activity and discussion

This group’s emphasis was on the following areas:

Sense of Place / Arts / Identity / Locally Owned Business

businesses arts and identity all help create a sense of place
the many arty things in our neighborhood help make Seward a destination

artists have openings in their homes
Joan of Art, Cabooze, Northern Clay, Blue Nile, Coastal Seafoods, Bluegrass at 2nd Moon, Hoffman Guitars
The art crawl is great … more of them? More often?

Local businesses should line both sides of the Avenue

No big boxes
Welna Hardware is a great precedent – anchors its corner with its scale, colors etc.

Want to be known as a walking community
We need to think about what our core identity is – is there a verbal reference? A logo?
Places on Avenue should have character, not be cookie-cutter (like MetroPlace)
now, our neighborhood is beautiful and has a sense of place … once you leave Franklin
Extend the outdoor season (eg, blankets at restaurants for outdoor seating, shield wind with trees, etc.)

Public Spaces

Friendly, well-maintained/clean and inviting neighborhood gathering places where people meet, socialize, site and become neighbors
How do we plan for gathering places?
Some elements: no litter, artistic trash cans, painted phone poles, drinking fountains for people and dogs

Destinations

A compelling/alluring place (destination) for people in and outside our community to come for art, food, rest, etc … all thins cultural, green and edible
Destination requires easy access, including: bike parking, bus service & shelters, car parking, walkability, LRT access, public transportation in general
Want to fell like a place where you want to go

Trees / Green Spaces / Green Construction / Sustainability

This is a core value of our community
Use trees and green spaces to make Franklin more inviting, safer, softer, more comfortable and cleaner for walkers and bikers – so that the community walks in all seasons

Solar street lights – focus light on sidewalk / pedestrians

Buffering

use clumps of small trees (birch?)
ex – at new co-op, trees between sidewalk and road and between sidewalk and parking lot

Connections / gateways

visual consistency / continuity throughout the corridor

use art at both ends of Franklin and throughout
should not seem forced

improve pedestrian and retail connections to LRT / LRT bike trail

Consistency

We don’t want everything to be the same, but we do want it to all be well-maintained

Join a Franklin Planning Taskforce

2008-05-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

The task forces are ready to go. The task forces will help develop a piece of the vision for Franklin Avenue, write recommendations, and suggest summer test projects.

Each will have five meetings that will start the week of May 12 and go through mid-June. All the meetings will be at the SNG/Seward Redesign offices, 2323 East Franklin Avenue (at the back of the building). The days and times are:

Visual Identity / Landscaping – Mondays at 6:30 PM
Movement-Tuesdays at noon
Community Involvement/Crime and Safety- Wednesdays at 6:30 PM
Local Business Vitality/Gateways- Fridays at 8:30 AM

If you are interested in participating and didn't sign up at Saturday's meeting, if you would like to participate but these times don't work for you (we are still working on the best times for people), or if you just want to find out more about the task forces, email Emily Wergin at Seward Redesign at emily@sewardredesign.org or call her at 612/338-8729.

Saturday Community Planning Forum

2008-04-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

It was a COLD dark spring day in Minneapolis--which probably helped with turnout--no one wanted to spend time outside--so we had about 60 people attend. Many came early to review the results of the Walks on the Avenue from the week before (check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/FranklinAvenue to see the pictures the groups took on the walk).

We kicked off the morning with a short talk by Jay Walljasper, the author of The Great Neighborhood Book. Jay gave a great short talk stressing that it is the neighborhood residents who know best what is needed in the neighborhood. He provided some great grass-roots action ideas from the book (warning that some are probably illegal in Minneapolis). One idea was using furniture to make the street a maze so cars have to slow down.

We broke into four groups to sort through all the information from the walks. We took a break for some great food from the Clicquot Club , the groups agreed to create four task forces:

Visual Identity/Landscaping
Movement
community Involvement/Crime and Safety
Local Business Vitality/Gateways.

More on how to participate in the task forces in the next post.

Pictures from Walk the Avenue on Flickr

2008-04-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

If you want to get an early look at the results from the walks, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/FranklinAvenue. All the pictures from all the groups are displayed with comments. You can click on the "tags" link at the top of the Flickr page to see them based on different subjects.

Feel free to add your own comments. (you will have to sign up for Flickr to add one--but that's free)

DON'T FORGET the community meeting this Saturday!

Community-wide Workshop Saturday!

2008-04-22T16:10:00.000-07:00

We'll start putting it all together at a community-wide workshop:

Saturday, April 26
10:30 to Noon
Matthews Center, 2318 29th Avenue South

Doors open at 10 AM, come early and browse what has happened so far and look at some old (back to 1959) reports.

We will start the morning off with Jay Walljasper, the author of the Great Neighborhood Book. Jay is a resident of the Kingfield neighborhood in South Minneapolis and is sure to get us in the mood to be creative.
We will get a report on everything the Walks-on-the-avenue discovered.
We will break into small groups to get some work done on priorities and ideas

Lunch will be provided.
Childcare provided.
Questions? Email Katya at Seward Redesign at katya@sewardredesign.org

Cold, gray day but lots of ideas

2008-04-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

The second day of the Walk on the Avenue activities was cold and gray but dry. We had over 35 people meet at 2nd Moon for coffee and pastries before starting out on walks to to the east and to the west along Franklin Avenue.

Some of the comments and ideas:

We have problem intersections for pedestrians and bicycles on both ends of the neighborhood--Riverside/29th Ave/Franklin Avenue and Cedar/Minnehaha/Franklin Avenue.
We need better signs--where is the LRT station? A map of Franklin Businesses at the LRT station, The history of Milwaukee Avenue.
Need retail businesses near (and next to) the LRT station.

We (the Redesign staff and volunteers from SCCA and SNG) will be going over all the notes and picutres to present a much more complete summary at our community meeting at 10:30 next Saturday at Matthews.

2008-04-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

Come to a “Walk on the Avenue” April 19th. Small groups will identify (and photograph) things they like about the Avenue and things the don't like about the Avenue. Everyone who works, lives or owns property in Seward is invited.

Walk #2: Saturday, April 19, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Meet at Second Moon: 2225 Franklin Ave.
(coffee and treats from Second Moon Café provided)

View Larger Map

60 walkers at Walk on the Avenue

2008-04-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

Today's Walk on the Avenue had 60 people walking along Franklin, talking about what they liked--places to sit, interesting businesses, interesting buildings--what they didn't like--traffic, pedestrian safety, broken sidewalk, trash and garbage. (this is a very partial list, we will have the complete list--with pictures--at the community meeting on Satruday, April 26, 10:30 at Matthews Center.

Walk on the Avenue Thursday and Satruday

2008-04-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Come to a “Walk on the Avenue” April 17th or 19th.

Small groups will identify (and photograph) things they like about the Avenue and things the don't like about the Avenue.

Everyone who works, lives or owns property in Seward is invited.

Walk #1: Thursday, April 17, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Meet at Pizza Lucé: 2200 Franklin Ave.
( food from Pizza Lucé provided)

View Larger Map

Walk #2: Saturday, April 19, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Meet at Second Moon: 2225 Franklin Ave.
(coffee and treats from Second Moon Café provided)

And don't forget the Community-wide workshop that will be held on April 26th at Matthews Park Community Center (2318 29th Avenue South) from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. The workshop will review the results of the walks as well as identify those areas and topics that will
be the focus of work in the weeks ahead.

Community-wide Workshop, April 26, 10:30-Noon
Matthews Center, 2318 29th Ave.. S.