Central Avenue steering committee to rank consultant proposals
Eight consulting firms are asking for the lead role in updating the city’s “Making Central Avenue Great” plan.
A steering committee will review and score their proposals at a meeting this Thursday (click here for the agenda). The bids will be evaluated by the committee for quality of proposal, understanding of the project, experience of staff, cost of services, and other factors.
The eight proposals were mailed to committee members on Monday and are available online at the city’s website.
The goal of the process is to update a 1997 plan detailing the city and neighborhoods’ vision for the avenue, including what types of businesses, land use and developments are appropriate.
The steering committee was assembled this spring and includes representatives from neighborhoods along Central Avenue. Thursday will be its second meeting.
The meeting will take place 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Salvation Army Community Center, 2727 Central Ave. NE.
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Filed under: Audubon Park, Beltrami, Central Avenue, City Hall, Columbia Park, Development, Holland, Logan Park, Northeast Park, St. Anthony East, Waite Park, Windom Park
When the Central Avenue project began a decade ago, my logo design (the NE “compass”) was chosen to anchor the identity of the avenue. It appears on the banners and medallions along the street. Unfortunately, the banner color and layout were out of my hands, and I was always disappointed in the result: too much like the Target bullseye!
Now that the banners are old and tattered, it’s time to freshen them up! I WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE TO UPDATE THE DESIGN.
I realize that the banners are just “frosting” on the Central Avenue “cake” and that some might think them a waste of money. Folks should know that they are paid for by the businesses and organizations along the avenue and throughout NE. And, in conjunction with more significant improvements, Central Avenue needs to spiff up its visual appeal. Thousands of residents and commuters pass through the corridor daily, and visual impressions influence their attitudes about the street.
I live in Columbia Heights and have put up with the dollar stores and automotive parts stores repeating every half block for many years now. I am quite fed up to say the least.
Minneapolis always sets the trend for what happens on Central - and that tends to include blocks further north, which is best for us in CH. The new boulevard north of 29th or so is excellent, but fails to address the other areas that need attention. I suggest NE and CH need less commuters from Blaine and other cities I don’t know exist, but are probably further north. Central can be more bike/pedestrian friendly and minimize traffic from the north. Roundabouts in the CH and by Columbia GC sounds like the best option to moderate traffic through our neighborhoods. People commuting downtown from points north don’t spend money on Central (unless it’s gas), so why not make it as much of an inconvienence as possible? THEY SHOULD TAKE THE 35W! Central has become a commuter route and is not the route it once was for commerce and transportation. NE deserves better and that means leaving out commuters from Anoka, Blaine, Lino Lake, and other obscure suburbs. That should be the plan. Those places do not care about your neighborhood!
Lauri - Can I just say thank you for the original design! When I first moved to Minneapolis I lived on Lincoln and Lowry and LOVED those signs (so much so I asked business owners features on them for the name of the designer so that I could get a tshirt). After you get done with Central, come over the SAENA meeting and pitch some new branding for us!
And AMEN to axing the commuters.
Thanks David! What a welcome compliment about the banner design. Sure, I’d be glad to sketch some logo ideas for SAE. You can email me through my website: http://www.svedbergstudio.com