The Gilbert Town Council has approved the 2018 update to the Heritage District Redevelopment Plan, giving Town staff the green light to work with the Gilbert Redevelopment Commission to explore and pursue a number of concepts for the downtown area.
“Thirty years ago, Council made the decision to invest in the original Town site by purchasing land,” said Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels. “The success that has come from those land purchases is realized today through the tremendous amount of growth that has occurred in the Heritage District. The 2018 Heritage District Redevelopment Plan update opens the door for growth and vibrancy to continue for years to come.”
For now, the plan is conceptual, and proposed projects have not yet secured funding. The plan identifies three key redevelopment areas within the District and identifies essential public amenities that will improve the livability and tourism in each area. Public amenities identified include community gathering and event spaces, a car-free paseo, an alternate route to enhance traffic circulation, and neighborhood parks and green spaces.
This is the fourth update made to the Heritage District Redevelopment Plan, with the original document adopted in 1991 and the most recent update occurring in 2008. The updated plan identifies and prioritizes short, middle, and long-term goals for the next 10 years. The plan will also guide the Town in making informed decisions regarding access, improvements, infrastructure, and development for town-owned parcels.
Crandall Arambula, a consulting firm specializing in the revitalization of America’s cities, was hired to lead the plan update and facilitate an extensive public outreach effort. Over a three year period, Town staff engaged the public, businesses, landowners, and other stakeholders through community meetings and workshops, one-on-one meetings, Town Council study sessions, consultant studies, and a Heritage District survey that received over 4,000 responses.
“The updated plan seeks to diversify the current mix of uses in the District in order to support the responsible use of land to create and sustain a thriving downtown that includes jobs, entertainment, education, and neighborhoods,” said Dan Henderson, Director of the Gilbert Office of Economic Development.
With the approved plan, Town staff will immediately work with the Capital Improvements team to add public projects to the 10 year CIP plan, hire a developer for the 9.1 acre site where the commons park is proposed, and kick off stakeholder groups for the Heritage District Design Guidelines.
Learn more and get involved at www.gilbertaz.gov/HDUpdate.
