Downtown Muskegon Blog

Behind the Scenes

Before you set out and accomplish tasks, a logical thing to do is to plan. Cities and downtowns are no different and a critical component of community improvement is taking stock of where you are, and laying out a plan to move to the next level. The last formal planning undertaken by the City of Muskegon was in 1997 when a Master Plan was adopted along with a Downtown and Lakeshore Redevelopment Plan. Then in 2002 the community visioning process “Imagine Muskegon” took place focusing on the downtown area. With so much having been accomplished since 2002 and with an eye to influencing the next round of development, the City of Muskegon has engaged Williams & Works, a Grand Rapids planning, engineering and survey firm, to complete a Master Plan update focusing again on the downtown and the lakeshore. With plans for public input scheduled for January, Main Street was pleased to talk with Jay Kilpatrick, the principal for Williams & Works about the process and the eventual product of the planning process.

MS:How has downtown Muskegon community fared since Imagine Muskegon in regards to accomplishing what it set out to do?

JK: Downtown Muskegon has experienced many changes in recent years, most of which have been welcomed and embraced as ways for the community to emerge as an even more prominent destination. The downtown is transitioning into more of a pedestrian-friendly, economically-viable, environmentally-sustainable community center. The redevelopment that has happened – and is still yet to come – has been consistent with the public input expressed during the Imagine Muskegon process. I believe examples could include the conversion of the former mall site and the cleaning up and re-use of some of the lakefront industrial properties. Even the redirection of Webster and Muskegon Avenues was called for by Imagine Muskegon and has been undertaken.

MS: What makes the present time a good time to look at the past plan, and to create an updated plan?

JK: First, there is a statutory requirement. Michigan communities are required to review their master planning documents at least every five years. Muskegon’s Master Land Use Plan was written in 1997. The update of the Downtown and Lakefront Redevelopment Plan will constitute the State-mandated 5-year review of the broader Master Plan. But more importantly, with the emergence of new investment downtown, this is an ideal time to refine, strengthen, and advance the Imagine Muskegon vision. The City elected to update the downtown and waterfront portions of the Plan because those two areas are seeing the most change; and it is necessary to further guide the changes to ensure they are consistent with both previous planning efforts and new concerns and ideas.

MS: Where, or what issues, have been raised as ones that should be dealt with in the plan update?

JK: We have had several meetings to receive initial input, and many issues and opportunities have been discussed. For starters, there is a desire to ensure that the future of Muskegon’s buildings and neighborhoods are environmentally-friendly and sustainable for future generations. There is a need to provide adequate and convenient parking by utilizing creative strategies that avoid large expanses of land consumptive surface parking. Architectural design and context-sensitive building form are also critical. We also understand that there is a desire to foster the creation of an iconic lakefront within the downtown that places emphasis on views, access, and public gathering space. However, this response is not exhaustive; certainly there will be countless other elements that will emerge as the planning process proceeds.

MS: An important part of any planning process is to consult all those affected by the plan. In the case of a downtown there can be quite a list of stakeholders. How do you plan to engage all those with an interest?

JK: The City has compiled a list of stakeholders that includes neighborhood associations, businesses, individuals, politicians, churches, developers, builders, community agencies, and the various commissions, foundations and boards which serve the community. Newsletters and other information will be disseminated to these entities. A website has also been established which will be updated from time to time to provide updated information to City residents and interested persons. The website is: http://www.muskegon-mi.gov/downtownplan.asp. On the webpage, you will find information encouraging people to participate in the Charrette scheduled for January 30th and 31st. Participation is imperative and we strongly encourage the public to attend and share thoughts and ideas on the future of downtown and the waterfront.

MS: And what will the final product look like, and be used by the community into the future?

JK: The final product will be a plan document and graphic renderings prepared by our consulting partners at O’Boyle, Cowell, Blalock and Associates. It will include a summary of current conditions and it will be very graphic intense, with illustrations and plans intended to guide the City with strategies for implementation. Narrative will support the graphics and a land use map, so developers and City officials and other plan users will have a clear understanding of the plan’s intent.

MS: I know Main Street plans to be actively engaged in the process. Thanks for your work on this project and your contribution to growing our downtown!

JK: We look forward to the project, as well, and to being a part of such an exciting urban evolution.

Check it out on the web


Imagine Muskegon Plan(pdf)
City of Muskegon Master Plan update page
Williams & Works homepage
City of Muskegon Winter newsletter(pdf)

posted by Dan & Sarah @ 2:55 PM