ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – In April, the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority (DDA) met with the public to discuss potential placemaking plans. The DDA is now in the process of updating those plans.
The original plan, brought to a community forum for consideration, included a town square concept and a food truck area near the DDA office.
According to Director Craig Woerpel, the DDA has since learned that of the $6.5 million available to the U.P. through the Revitalization and Placemaking Program, only $1 million is designated for placemaking. In light of that news–and after hearing from the community–the town square plan has been scaled back.
“We’re hoping to be able to provide at least two test medians in the park area and see how those might work,” said Woerpel. “We learned [the public] would rather have a turn lane than wider sidewalks. They want more parking and angled parking. Those are certainly some of the things that we’ll take into consideration as we move forward.”
The DDA is also looking to add bump outs on 12th, 11th, and 10th Streets to add a “town square” feeling, to slow traffic, and to make crossing Ludington Street safer for pedestrians.
Woerpel says the DDA has until June 30 to apply for the Revitalization and Placemaking Program funding.
