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River Walk project meetings slated

Web Posted: 09/24/2007 11:08 PM CDT

Creighton A. Welch
Express-News Business Writer

Plans are under way for the 25-block mixed-use development project to revamp the River Walk north of downtown, appropriately called River North.

All this week, the design team is holding a charrette, or public presentations and discussions to create a draft master plan for the mixed-use project. The meetings are in the New Covenant Building at First Presbyterian Church, 404 N. Alamo St. They are free and open to the public.

On Monday, the team addressed the issue of transportation and the effect it can have on a development's success.

Rick Chellman is the transportation engineer for the project, and his ideal development is one utilizing a "park-once" plan. Residents and visitors of River North would be able to park in one spot and have everything within walking distance without driving again.

"Most planners use a five-minute walk radius," Chellman said. "That's about how far Americans will walk."

The five minutes is about one-fourth of a mile. The River North area is about three-fourths of a mile long and one-third of a mile wide.

Chellman said some streets would be added to the area to break up the larger blocks, and he doubts any streets would be removed. The plan also may call for expanding VIA Metropolitan Transit's trolley service throughout the area and improving sidewalks to make them more pedestrian-friendly.

"By designing places where you have the option of walking, we're enfranchising more people," Chellman said.

He also said that a more inviting transportation system would increase commercial activity in the area.

Stefanos Polyzoides is a partner at Moule & Polyzoides, a California architecture firm that is running the planning team. One of his hopes is that the area spawns a "regeneration of the great commercial block" where shops line the streets, and residents walk from place to place.

"It's really sad that folks today have to get in their cars to go take a walk," Chellman said. "Even folks who have great difficulty walking will do so in an environment that's conducive to it."

Traveling by foot was the subject of Monday's discussion. The rest of the week will address the economy, environment, architecture and zoning implications of the planned area. By the charrette's end, the planners will have a draft for the project, but this plan will not necessarily be the permanent design for River North.