112770
RESOLUTION NO. 11,277
TO ADOPT THE UALR URBAN STUDIES AND DESIGN/ DOWNTOWN
PARTNERSHIP MAIN STREET CORRIDORS STUDY CONCEPT PLAN
WHEREAS, historically, Main Street Little Rock served as the center of retail and civic
activities for the entire state. Although the ceremonial importance of the street has declined in
recent years, it remains an important civic and economic asset. There are numerous
opportunities to develop and redevelop sites along this historic street. More importantly,
redevelopment of main Street will help to spread success of revitalization efforts along the
riverfront to the heart of the downtown, making the entire downtown much more viable and
healthy; and
WHEREAS, Downtown Main Street has two district areas of development. Main Street north
of I -630 is a high- density urban street with a rich history and numerous architecturally significant
buildings. The Downtown main Street portion of the street is an important component of the
"Downtown Corridors Plan" adopted by the City; and
Main Street south of I -630 is a lower- density downtown neighborhood street with a mix of
residential and commercial uses. It provides a strong link between Downtown and the adjacent
neighborhoods. The area between I -630 and 19th Street is called SOMA (South Main Street);
and
WHEREAS, In order to promote the continuity, development and redevelopment of Main
Street, the City of Little Rock will emphasize selected aspects of Downtown Main Street and
SOMA to create a special image and definition for each area: Downtown Main Street, Arts/
Culture, Hospitality, History, SOMA History, Entertainment, Extension of the River Rail,
develop an implementation plan, and define a public participation program which includes the
Metro Centre Improvement District and the Downtown Partnership;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:
Section 1. The City adopts in principle the Overall Redevelopment Strategy concept
presented by the Downtown Partnership, and the UALR Urban Studies & Design in the Main
Street Corridors Study for Downtown Little Rock.
Section 2. The City will work with the Downtown Partnership, the Metrocentre
Improvement District, and private developers, to coordinate various actions to encourage
Downtown Main Street development.
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Section 3. The City endorses policies that encourage, reflect and support the priorities for the
development of DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET as a high- density core development area with a
Convention Center Complex, Historic Core, Arts Complex, Street Design, and Urban Form.
Section 4. The City endorses policies that encourage, reflect and support the priorities of the
development of MAIN STREET SOUTH OF I -630 as a neighborhood commercial area with
Focus on Entertainment, Urban Form, and Public Open Space.
ADOPTED:
ATTEST:
MAY 7, 2002
Nani y Woo , City Clerk
APPROVED:
Jim alley, Mayor
I i�� T M - % =E E T
CORRIDORS ST•
DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK
Y I� r�
t � Ja'nuary 2001
�a tFact Sheet for Main Street
Th- C6rridorrs Study ,� adopted�by the City-of Little Rock in Y -F-2 000 recommend' the follow-
ing for_-downtown,seginent`of'Main Street: �� 1 e r
�� [�A�l�.>�., 1>. J "- 11�L_.1� _C>✓� ��1. i rl IIn [t
1- T. 1.�E'..
91 A minimumlheightFofl3;floors-for new - construction l!
`! Freser- vation of.histonc structures -
C• No pedestrianlAb _`d es over Mam
L _rL A1�1 —Y 1Fa11.1. gJ -
rtl • t Actrve�uses for the ground floor (retailluse isia' pnonty)
' , L'�`l' 'r'-,'��`1�l SL!.9'I L.,..ii2
�• Publrc'art_to be- incorporated.in all new:projects , r
r'o_10si" 71'rL
r� A.consisfentstreetscape� -
l C�—� i
l I dLlt 1� �� Ju� �T 1L.
The Main Street corridor, currently includes::_ ��1\\ ` 1 L'• -
L _.1_ -��_�( oU„ -tip1 I I. =r
3832JL existing. parkmg:spaces m.the Downtown Main Street area (includes new Donaghey
_ r parking o odr ecaktriclJh� i tew l turl) es s I i nifWc' r a
nt struc17 �rhistnc' lur Is \\
`-`5 22- `7 blocks long`Maikham.tolRoosevelt` I
r 2l 'I ' intersections of the River Rail Trolley _ • I' ii
4i-'. - "�� . L`-e� . > I 1
4 "Identify,'] `areas with potential for the II ✓
i � � _ liter i' , �,_
Convention- CentceN %."Hospitality"
r JHistoric Mam Streertt"History = �
r Arts Complex -`Arts /Culture"
I l r
1`— 1�_SOMAi "South- Main- Neighborh od'"
r-1- -r- , I r �
L Direct rExpressway.accesr t its midpoint J,_
IF-1 , r
The Main Street Corridor Study proposes for�Downtown'Mai' Street: I
U 1 X11 , 1l
C 265,200 ''`' Square }feet of hotel space (631 rooms @1420 SF i �20 floors)
455 -150 Square-rfeet:of-ground floor active uses-(retail space jis a priority)
1,122;221'j�Squaze�feetbf housing onl�upper levels (at�10100 SF /unit = 1122 units) 11 t 1736 'I ,1 New parking spaces (afterreplacing(800existing s aces q.
`5568 - �� �L Totallparking spaces availablL a (include�sh^�new Donaghey parking deck)
,1.1-7",900'( rSquarc�kegof institutionallspace (arts,complex)
'23 I. lL Histonc or azchitecturallysignificant /structures to be rehabilitated
r -fir Ilo 0, i EO
374;074 '� Square feerof office,space on_upper'levels
2,334;545 1Squaze.feet ofspat a of all uses (excluding parking structures)
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BACKGROUND
In the past, Main Street Little Rock served as the center of retail and civic activities for the entire state. Al-
though the ceremonial importance of the street has declined in recent years, it remains an important civic and
economic asset. There are numerous opportunities to develop and redevelop sites along this historic street.
More importantly, redevelopment of Main Street will help to spread the success of revitalization efforts along
the riverfront to the heart of the downtown, making the entire downtown much more viable and healthy.
Main Street has two distinct areas of development:
Main Street north of I -630 is a high- density urban street with a rich history and numerous architecturally
significant buildings. This portion of the street is an important component of the "Downtown Corridors Plan'
adopted by the city. This document refers to this area as Downtown Main Street.
Main Street south of 1 -630 is a lower- density downtown neighborhood street with a mix of residential and
commercial uses. It provides a strong link between Downtown and the adjacent neighborhoods. In this
document, the area between I -630 and 19th Street is called SOMA (South Main Street).
In order to promote the continuity, development and redevelopment of Main Street, the City of Little Rock
needs to:
• Develop Main Street's Themes
Emphasize selected aspects of Downtown Main Street and SOMA to create a special image and definition for
each area.
Downtown Main Street SOMA
Arts /Culture History
Hospitality Entertainment
History
• Extend the River Rail
Extending the River Rail Trolley Line south along Main Street from Markham to 17th Street would be a major
incentive for development on both sides of I -630.
• Develop Implementation Plan
Developing public approval
of a plan of action for Main
Street is essential. The
public's opinion regarding
Main Street should be
reflected in the City's policies
and the Downtown
Partnership's efforts to
implement these policies.
�� Establishing a public partici-
pation program by the City
with private developers is
o }/ necessary. Public incentives
46�i i
Vi for development are being
en� of pmposM ain M Srcee1 projects looking north from 3rd Svrei
provided by the City Board
on a project -by- project basis in the form of tax abatements, public works projects, and matching grants. Such
incentives should be continued and formalized into a program.
Defining the role of the Metrocentre Improvement District as an entity in the revitalization of Main Street is
also important. This should be acknowleged in the City's public policy statement regarding Downtown
development.
U• A• L •R Urban Studies & Design 6~ Downtown Partnership
URBAN DESIGN PROPOSALS FOR
DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET
• Overall Strategy
Focus immediate development efforts at north and
south ends of the street. Develop a plan to fill in the
middle area over the next 10 to 15 years.
• Convention Center Complex
Promote a high- density development on the west
side of Main Street between Markham and Third
Streets to include a high -rise mixed -use project,
parking garage, and open space.
Develop retail areas on the east side of Main Street
on the remainder of Block 2 residential lofts prop-
erty and along the frontage of the existing city
parking garage.
Promote mid -rise residential development of the
half block east of the existing city parking deck.
• Historic Core
Encourage adaptive reuse of existing structures and
new construction between Third and Ninth Streets
with compatible infill projects on selected sites.
Identify key structures on each block as priority
projects.
• Arts Complex
Promote a medium density mixed -use development
on Main Street between Ninth and 1 -630. Include an
institutional use focused on the arts as the major
anchor for this area.
• Street Design
Extend the existing streetscape approach to the
remainder of Downtown Main Street, including a
consistent design for lighting fixtures, sidewalk
paving materials, pedestrian street crossings, street
trees, street furniture, street signage, transit stops,
and underground utilities.
• Urban Form
Encourage a building form that provides continu-
ous facades built to the street property line and a
minimum building height of three stories. Support
mixed -use projects with a significant residential
component. Promote active ground level uses that
are accessible to pedestrians. Remove surface A A
Barking as a land use fronting Main Street. �t
form for Downtown Main street —
o-
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Development opponwutirs -
[It'oniccore
Bmai
Lola
Lighting
U• A• L • R Urban Studies & Design
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`- Downtown Partnership
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tr,
Brick paring
and rcee grate
• Special Street Elenfents
Recognize the special aspects of the street with enhance-
ments of public art, graphics, and exhibits, in the
following locations:
1 -630 Gateway
North Main Street Terminus at Markham
Streetscape connection to Main Street Bridge
Corridors network intersections at Markham,
Capitol Avenue, and Ninth Street
10th Street connection to Arkansas Arts Center
URBAN DESIGN PROPOSALS FOR MAIN STREET
SOUTH OF I -630
• Overall Strategy
Promote South Main from I -630 to 19th Street as a
neighborhood commercial area with an entertainme
emphasis to the north and community services emp
sis to the south.
Promote South Main from 19th Street to Roosevelt R
as a medium density residential /office /commercial
mixed -use area.
• Entertainment Complex
Build on the existing identity of South Main from 12
to 14th Streets as an entertainment destination with
development projects and parking on the east block,
• Urban Form
Encourage a building form in the area from I -630 to
Street that provides continuous facades built to the
street property line and a minimum building height
two stories.
Maintain the existing pattern of freestanding structh
on individual lots with front yard setbacks in the arc
from 191h Street to Roosevelt Road.
• Public Space
Promote the development of a public open space on
north corners of the 171h Street intersection to includ
preservation of the "small Hotze House," a building
Examples ofgateway mha emmts
Public art
T,.,ii
Sign ge
U• A• L •R Urban Studies &Design Downtown Partnership