Faded crosswalks, busy traffic, cracked and uneven sidewalks, poor lighting, and intersections unsafe for pedestrians were among the variety of safety problems identified in the proposal, which was presented Tuesday to city leaders. The proposal said more placemaking opportunities are needed, like passive and active parks and other third places for the community.
Proposed solutions included raised crosswalks, narrow streets, pedestrian walk signs and improved traffic controls and lighting and furnishings like lighting, garbage cans, bike racks, benches, greenspace and greenery.
Credit: Bryn Dippold
Credit: Bryn Dippold
Student Abbie Nelson said many of the ideas were taken directly from the city’s 2021 Central Avenue Improvement Project.
“If all of these things could just be moved east, it would really improve the area,” she said.
Many proposed improvements from the Miami University plan align with the Destination Middletown plan, the city’s comprehensive plan that began in April 2022.
Eight key interest areas were identified as part of the comprehensive plan, and the Central Avenue corridor between Bellemonte Street and North Leibee Street was one of them.
Some properties in the development area are “fragmented” and “dilapidated” and could benefit from the influx of new multifamily units, which could bring more residents and tax revenue, the plan says.
The proposal suggests “branding” the Central Avenue Corridor with a possible gateway overarching sign and/or a “The Corridor” sign.
Some nearby businesses, including The Cracked Pot, Combs BBQ Central and Broken Barrel Bar and Grill, show success in the area is possible.
Future land use for the area may include mixed-use residential and commercial developments like offices, green spaces, 2-3 story townhomes, restaurants, apartments and boutique retail, according to the students’ draft plan.
One of the goals of the proposal is to “facilitate a shift towards mixed-used development through incentives and financing strategies” similar to those the city has used before.
Three possible ways to pay for the developments were identified:
- Tax Increment Finance District Implementation, which would invest tax revenue into public development and offset developer costs;
- Business Improvement District, an area where business or property owners assess themselves to pay for district services; and/or
- Community Reinvestment Area, which would incentivize new development through tax abatement.
Total cost for the proposed developments was not specified at the time of the draft plan presentation.
Larna Darrell, a community member, said the proposal should compare their plans to similar areas in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland but also to smaller nearby cities with similar populations to Middletown. “We have so many places around us...they have made what they have work.”
A final plan will be delivered to city leaders on May 13.
David Prytherch , Miami University professor of geography, is leading the students on the project. “I think about planning as a relay race,” he said. “They’ve taken the baton around the track and now they’re going to hand the baton back to (the city).”
He said students have done similar development projects with the city of Hamilton, which has adopted student ideas as “subarea plans” as part of Plan Hamilton, the city’s comprehensive plan.
“Just because you adopt a plan doesn’t mean things get implemented, but that’s the first step,” Prytherch said.
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