2nd Street Planning Project - Rochester, Minnestota2nd Street Planning Project - Rochester, Minnestota

   









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Vision

Second Street Planning Project: Preliminary Recommendations:

I. General Recommendations

A. Land use
  1. Discourage one-story commercial building forms.
  2. Encourage mixed-use blocks along 2nd Street with the goal of improving walkability and connectivity.
  3. Create transitions between 2nd Street and adjacent neighborhoods by encouraging medium to high density residential facing 1st Street SW in the Gateway and St. Marys Districts.
  4. Preserve the character of the existing residential neighborhood along 1st Street SW in the East District.

B. Open Space

  1. Create several small urban gathering spaces along 2nd Street.
  2. Where sidewalks are less than 10’ wide, setback buildings 2-4 feet to create wider sidewalks for outdoor seating and streetscape amenities.

C. Built Form

  1. Concentrate density and intensity along 2nd Street.
  2. Encourage buildings fronting 1st Street SW to step down 2 1/2 - 4 stories to meet the existing neighborhoods scale.
  3. Encourage buildings on 2nd Street to contain active store fronts and wide sidewalks.
  4. New buildings along 2nd Street are encouraged to be designed as Green buildings to meet a minimum of LEED Silver criteria.

D. Pedestrian and Bicycle Recommendations

  1. Encourage centralized bicycle parking (such as on-street bicycle corrals) at convenient locations for bicyclists to park their bikes and walk to places along 2nd Street.
  2. Work with the neighborhoods to identify inter-neighborhood bicycle routes.

E. Parking

  1. Maintain on-street parking.
  2. Encourage shared parking practices between complimentary uses which could allow for better utilization of larger lots.
  3. Encourage property owners along 2nd Street to combine parking lots in the rear of their buildings and to connect them to side streets allowing for the reduction of curb cuts, the addition of on-street parking, and the reduction of left turn lanes.
  4. Maximize the shared parking system through the use of transit.
  5. Encourage parking garages to be on the interior of the block with minimal visibility to the street. If the garage face is visible to the street or neighborhood, it should be visually-pleasing and address the detrimental impact of vehicle noise and light to the neighborhood. Encourage active uses on street level of garages.

F. Transportation

  1. Establish a task force composed of community leaders that would promote More efficient use of existing parking resources, promote transit options, and help implement other transportation recommendations along 2nd Street.
  2. Support transit by promoting land uses and development densities that create and support transit uses, such as high density housing, employment and retail.
  3. Encourage new developments to provide transit facilities (shelters, waiting and boarding areas).
  4. Improve streetscape by incorporating more street trees, ornamental lighting, benches, and other street furnishings.
  5. Provide a higher level of signing to identify transit stops and to provide riders with information.
  6. Lower the development requirements for parking where employer- or landlord-sponsored bus passes are provided.
  7. Reduce traffic lanes to 11’ and assign more width to sidewalks.
  8. Improve streetscape on cross streets one block north and south of 2nd Street.
  9. Improve crosswalks by defining with sidewalk bump-outs and contrasting paving.
  10. Consolidate access points where possible.
  11. Incorporate a "linear library" within the streetscape from St. Marys to downtown to tell the story of Rochester’s history.
  12. Incorporate fixed rail transit (streetcar) to the corridor.

II. Gateway District

A. Land Use
  1. Infill vacant lot at the south side of 2nd Street and 16th Ave with a signature building to help define the gateway area.
  2. The final plan for Shoppes on 2nd should shape the Gateway to 2nd Street either through building placement, streetscape or both.
  3. Maximize the redevelopment potential to the gateway district by consolidating access points and development parcels.
  4. Expand mixed-use redevelopment to include all 2nd Street frontage up to the intersection of 14th Ave. Provide shared parking behind buildings. Provide high density residential to face 1st Street.
  5. Purchase, as the opportunity arises, additional right-of-way in the Gateway District to expand the roadway.

B. Open Space

  1. New buildings to have a build-to line a minimum of 14 feet from street curb to provide more sidewalk space.
  2. 2. Provide open space at SE corner of Hwy 52 and 2nd Street for a small sculpture/gateway monument.

C. Transportation

  1. Incorporate a bike lane linking HWY 52 Bridge to preferred east/west bike route (West Center Street/First Street).
  2. South: Close 15th & 16th Avenues south of 2nd Street. Reconnect these via a new 16th Ave signalized intersection to meet up with 16th Ave going north. Connect new Third Street to 14th Ave SW. Install bollards to block traffic from heading south on 16th and 15th Avenues at 3rd Street SW.

III. St. Marys District

A. Land Use
  1. Infill 2-6 story mixed-use building at NE corner of 12th Ave and 2nd Street. Look for opportunities for shared parking with adjacent properties.
  2. Encourage 2-6 story mixed-use buildings along 2nd Street. Step down to 2 ˝-4 story residential uses facing 1st Street.
  3. Encourage medium to high-density residential buildings fronting on 1st Street at the intersection of 12th Ave.
  4. Redevelop properties at NE corner of 13th Ave and 2nd Street to include 2-6 story mixed-use building. Look for opportunities for shared parking.

B. Open Space

  1. Widen the sidewalk/boulevard in areas where the traffic lane is away from the curb line, but the distance is too narrow for a parking lane.
  2. Improve streetscape by incorporating more street trees, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches and other street furnishings.

C. Transportation

  1. Maintain parallel parking along north side of 2nd Street.
  2. Expand city bus drop-offs to 2 or more bays in each direction.
  3. Provide a bike route on 11th Ave from Cascade Trail to St. Marys.
  4. Improve crosswalk at St. Marys entry by defining with sidewalk bump-outs and contrasting paving.

D. Crosswalk / 12th Avenue Area

  1. Add a traffic signal at 12th Avenue that provides for left turn movements for buses into the St. Marys bus drop-off.
  2. Add a crosswalk at 12th Avenue.
  3. Explore opportunities for a subway connection under 2nd Street connecting the Joseph tower on the south to a public “daylight” location in a pocket park on the north side of 2nd Street (possibly in a pedestrian plaza located on a closed off 12th Avenue).

IV. East District

A. Land use
  1. South: infill Mayo properties with Mayo/office facilities and structured parking.
  2. North: Maintain SF dwellings on northside between 6th and 10th Avenue and infill medium density residential between 7th and 8th Avenues.
  3. North: infill 2-6 story mixed-use/residential facing 2nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenue, parking at interior of block.
  4. NE corner of 11th and 2nd Street: Mayo Administration building site. Structured parking at interior of block.
  5. North: Infill 2-6 story mixed-use commercial/residential along 2nd Street frontage up to Chardonnay. Half-block depth with structured and underground parking as feasible. Improved buffers between existing SF dwellings and parking areas.

B. Open Space

  1. 9th Avenue extension: Provide a bike and pedestrian link between 2nd and 1st Streets near 9th Avenue. Extend connections north of 1st Street to West Center Street and existing bikeway.
  2. Urban pocket park off-set at the intersection of 9th Ave extension and 2nd Street. Provide for possibility to have some commercial uses front directly on the park.

C. Transportation

  1. Incorporate an alley and shared parking behind new businesses on north side of 2nd Street.
  2. Maintain on-street parking throughout district (north side only).

Second Street Planning Project Goal and Objectives:

Please Click Here to view the current draft of the project goals and objectives. Please share your comments about the draft. Check back to see the final version.



Priority Objectives Survey:

On December 12th, 2007, interested members of the public gathered at Folwell School to share their thoughts on the future of Second Street. Below, read the survey results from that evening.

When event attendees were asked to prioritize objectives for the redevelopment of Second Street

Items marked as Most/More Important: .
Improve the safety, appearance and image of the 2nd Street Corridor 22%
Create an attractive gateway to the city 20%
Strengthen the vitality of the neighborhoods 17%
Strengthen the economic vitality of existing businesses; attract and retain new businesses 13%
Develop solutions for parking and traffic challenges 10%
Support the goals of downtown revitalization 6%
Other 4%
Quickly move cars through the area to and from downtown destinations 1%
Leave it to the market 0%
Responses for other (4%):
Ensure infrastructure (streets, water and sewer) is capable of handling current and future needs of the neighborhood; ensure infrastructure can be upgraded to support changes (water runoff and sewage); be creative and move quickly or "the market" will decide for us all.
Items marked as Least/Less Important: .
Leave it to the market 34%
Quickly move cars through the area to and from downtown destinations 30%
Support the goals of downtown revitalization 13%
Strengthen the vitality of the neighborhoods 7%
Strengthen the economic vitality of existing businesses; attract and retain new businesses 5%
Develop solutions for parking and traffic challenges 5%
Create an attractive gateway to the city 4%
Improve the safety, appearance and image of the 2nd Street Corridor 0%

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   Quick Links
Priority Objectives Survey
Transportation Surveys
Parking Surveys
Public Space Surveys
Land Use Surveys
Idea Montage

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  Location of Study
The study area is comprised of the mixed-use corridor along 2nd Street SW from Highway 52 to 6th Ave SW. As part of the study, the adjacent neighborhood areas about a block and a half north and south of the 2nd Street corridor will be considered.

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