HomeMy WebLinkAboutWright Avenue N A Plan final3/1/2016
Wright Avenue Neighborhood Association, Inc.
P . O . B o x 1 6 5 0 8 4 L i t t l e R o c k , A R 7 2 2 1 6
Wright Avenue Neighborhood Action Plan 2015
Willard Proctor, Jr. President
Sheila Miles, Neighborhood Action Plan Coordinator
Percy Coleman
Lethel Fisher
Leigh Jacobs
Angela Mattison Shaw
Maelene Turner
Maud Woods
Steve Murthy
Frank Tappin
Curtis Hall
Paul Dodds
Margaret Floyd-Campbell
Kwendeche
Alice McKay
Harriett Hall
Virginia Echols
Jana Jacobs
Annie Abrams
Brenda Robinson
Matthew Summerville
Charlene Harris
Tony Murphy
Claretha Nelson
Henry Thomas
Rose Higgs
Erma Hendrix
Phillip Bryant
Jill Floyd
Samuel Mitchell
Mavis Merriweather
Johnny Hasan
Pauline Porter Roberts
Aquinalda Brown
James Floyd
Bettye Wiqaar
Sylvia Tyler
Marsha Tyler
Eric C. Smith
Peggy Gene Burns
Sherl Tappin
Willie Jean Ross
Mae Alice Evans
Dorothy Pearson
Tiffany Ashley
Kevin Hershman
Granville Clark
Mary Clark
Phyllis Dove-Nation
Ralph Washington
Rick Porter
Carrie Porter
Christine Murren
Jennifer Carman
Meredith Stepp
Roy Allison
Vera Durel
Solar Beam Kelly
City of Little Rock
Planning and Development
Walter Malone, AICP
Brian Minyard, AICP
Neighborhood Resource Center
Willie Carpenter
W r i g h t A v e n u e N e i g h b o r h o o d A s s o c i a t i o n , I n c .
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Table of Contents
Overview 4
History 6
Infrastructure 8
Housing 10
Branding 12
Economic Development 13
Public Safety 14
Youth 15
Action Items and Priorities 16
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Overview
The Wright Avenue Neighborhood is located in the heart of the Central High School National
Register Historic District. Although a largely residential neighborhood, the commercial/business
section is located along the Wright Avenue corridor.
The residents and businesses of the Wright Avenue neighborhood worked with the City of Little
Rock’s Certified Planners to develop this Neighborhood Action Plan. This plan will serve as an
agreement between the neighborhood association and the City of Little Rock to help guide
priorities for the Wright Avenue Neighborhood’s capital improvement and community
development.
In addition to robocalls, correspondence was mailed to approximately 700 households and
businesses soliciting input on neighborhood planning and revitalization. Community surveys and
brainstorming sessions were used to gather residents’ input and to set priorities. The primary
areas of focus include Infrastructure, Housing, Branding, Public Safety, Economic Development,
and Youth Activities.
Because this historic neighborhood faces diverse challenges with limited resources available to
address them, this plan can serve as a tool to assist the City of Little Rock with making strategic
decisions and allocating resources for shaping the Wright Avenue neighborhood into a more
vibrant, stable, and sustainable place to live and raise families.
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Wright Avenue Neighborhood Boundaries
The Wright Avenue Neighborhood Planning area covers the area from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Drive west to the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad, and from Roosevelt Road north across
Wright Avenue to 17th Street. This is a predominately residential area. The commercial/business
section of the neighborhood is along Wright Avenue. Roosevelt Road (US Highway 70) to the
south and the rail lines to the west make strong dividing lines for the neighborhood, Martin Luther
King Jr. Drive provides that dividing line to the east with the help of lot orientations perpendicular,
however the north boundary with 17th Street is one that blends into the next neighborhood to the
north (Central High).
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History
The area is largely residential in composition and is bisected by Wright Avenue, the historic
commercial corridor through the area. Though the platting of additions had taken place between
1877 and 1919, little building occurred in the "West End of Little Rock until the late 1890's.
Around 1870, carpetbagger Milton Rice built an imposing home, known as Oak Grove, on twelve
acres among the rolling hills west of the Little Rock city limits. Though greatly modified, is located
at 2015 S. Battery Street. This block features a median, originally called the “Flower Garden’,
which is unique for the street grid
pattern.
The area was subdivided into parcels
by several notable citizens: Fulk
Addition by Francis Marion Fulk, who
was described in the Arkansas Gazette
as "one of the wealthiest and best
known citizens of Little Rock”; Moore
and Penzel Addition by Colonel John
Moore, a lawyer, and Charles P. Penzel
who was a banker and the director in the Little Rock Railway and Electric Company; Fleming and
Bradford Addition by Henry G. Fleming who was a real estate dealer and engineer for the
Missouri Pacific system; Sheldon Addition by Orin Sheldon who ran a dairy near 21st between
Battery and Spring (renamed Summit); and Oak Terrace by Milton L. Rice who was a state
senator, president of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad, and carpetbagger lawyer.
1904 City ordinances included plans for track extensions to existing lines from downtown along
9th and 15th Streets. One route expanded beyond the service to West End Park (current site of
Central High School) south along Park and Schiller to 25th Street. This area was not improved
immediately upon being platted into lots. Mayor Charles E. Taylor's reelection campaign in 1914
outlined his administration's progress in street improvements - the paving of eight blocks of
Summit, Schiller and Adams Streets, additional work along 19th and 20th Streets and 19 blocks in
concrete along 16th, 17th and 18th Streets in Park Addition. It is important to remember that
though some improvements were in place and many others were in the planning stages, the West
End was still largely undeveloped in the early twentieth century.
A notable building in the area is the James Mitchell School at West 24th and Battery Streets
which was built in 1908-10 and designed by Thomas Harding Jr.
Existing Zoning & Land Use Plan:
Much of the neighborhood is zoned R-4, Two-Family District with R-3, Single Family District next
most common. Combined over 75 percent of the neighborhood is zoned one of these two
districts. Both of these districts allow single family detached houses ‘by-right’. The ‘R-4’ district
also allows by-right a duplex or two residential units on one parcel. All the areas zoned either of
these districts is shown on the City Land Use Plan as Residential Low Density recommending
residential development at no more than 6-units per acre.
Along much of Wright Avenue the Land Use Plan recommends either Mixed Use or Commercial.
Mixed Use (MX) may be commercial, office or residential or any combination of the three. Most
to this area is zoned C-3, General Commercial with some O-3, General Office and PCDs
(Planned Commercial Districts). There is a ‘node’ of commercial Land Use and C-3 zoning at the
Dr. Martin Luther King Drive-Roosevelt Road intersection. The former school site between
Summit and Battery on Roosevelt Road is a PCD with a MX Land Use designation. The
commercially zoned areas account for almost 10 percent of the area, over 28 acres.
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Along the western edge of the neighborhood (either side of Thayer Street, south of Wright
Avenue) is an area shown for Industrial on the Plan and zoned I-2, Light Industrial. This is an
area of 15 to 20 acres and accounts for 5.5 to7.6 percent of the area. The Park zoned areas
amount to just over 9 acres or 3 percent of the area. The Land Use Plan shows 18 acres for
Park/Open Space. This includes the state owned ‘overflow area’ for the Fairgrounds which is
open grass most of the year.
Crime:
The incidents of Crime within the Wright Avenue Neighborhood Association area have been
showing a steady and slow decline. For the ten year period, about 5 to 6 percent of all the crimes
in Little Rock were in this area with over 300 incidents a year.
However, in the last few years the number of incidents has fallen to around 200 or less than 4
percent of all the crimes in the City. In discussions with the residents, there is a lack of
confidence between residents and the police. There is a general need to increase contacts and
to encourage residents to reach out to the Police when they see something unusual or wrong.
Circulation:
The street system is a grid network of streets. This makes getting around and through the
neighborhood easy with multiple options. Roosevelt Road along the southern boundary is a US
Highway and Principal Arterial on the City’s Plan. The primary purpose of a Principal Arterial is to
provide moving around and through the City. Wright Avenue is also designated as an Arterial
(Minor Arterial), with the same primary purpose as Roosevelt Road to move vehicles around and
through the City. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is designated as a Collector on the Street Plan.
The purpose of a Collector is twofold: to connect the neighborhoods to the ‘Arterial System’ of
roads and to provide access to adjacent properties. The remaining streets in the area are ‘Local’
streets whose primary purpose is to provide access to adjacent properties and secondary
purpose to move vehicles around the neighborhood.
Most of the Streets within the neighborhood have sidewalks, though many are in disrepair. A
good sidewalk system on a grid-street system makes walking around the neighborhood easy and
convenient.
Park/Open Space:
There are two areas zoned for ‘Park’ within the neighborhood. One is the Barton Park, west of
Howard Street and north of Roosevelt Road. The ‘green space’ south of the Barton Park to
Roosevelt Road is State owned and used for overflow parking for some events at the State Fair
grounds. Barton Park is developed with a ball field. The second ‘Park’ zoned area is the median
in Battery Street from Charles Bussey Avenue to 21st Street. As the ‘Southwest bike/hike Trail’ is
developed, Barton Park will be linked to the trail and provide access for the neighborhood to that
trail (from the Arkansas River to Hot Springs).
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Infrastructure
Streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, pavement; Street Light installation/improvement; Park Upgrades--
landscaping, playground equipment, facilities, amenities; Environmental issues-- brownfield; Green
Infrastructure--open spaces, parks, trees, plants, groundwater source, irrigation, native landscaping
The street system is a grid network of streets. This makes getting around and through the
neighborhood easy with multiple options. Roosevelt Road along the southern boundary is
a US Highway and Principal Arterial on the City’s Plan. The primary purpose of a
Principal Arterial is to provide moving around and through the City. Wright Avenue is also
designated as an Arterial (Minor Arterial), with the same primary purpose as Roosevelt
Road to move vehicles around and through the City. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is
designated as a Collector on the Street Plan. The purpose of a Collector is twofold: to
connect the neighborhoods to the ‘Arterial System’ of roads and to provide access to
adjacent properties. The remaining streets in the area are ‘Local’ streets whose primary
purpose is to provide access to adjacent properties and secondary purpose to move
vehicles area the neighborhood.
Most of the Streets within the
neighborhood have sidewalks,
though many are in disrepair. A
good sidewalk system on a grid-
street system makes walking
around the neighborhood easy
and convenient.
There are two areas zoned for ‘Park’
within the neighborhood. One is the
Barton Park, west of Howard Street and
north of Roosevelt Road. The ‘green
space’ south of the Barton Park to
Roosevelt Road is State owned and
used for overflow parking for some
events at the State Fair grounds.
Barton Park is development with a ball field. The second ‘Park’ zoned area is the median in
Battery Street from Charles Bussey Avenue to 21st Street. As the ‘Southwest bike/hike Trail’ is
developed, Barton Park will be linked to the trail and provide access for the neighborhood to that
trail (from the Arkansas River to Hot Springs).
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Infrastructure Goals
To improve and maintain the neighborhood infrastructure networks to have a safe, attractive
neighborhood that services current and future residents, and promote revitalization.
► Infrastructure Objective #1
Ensure streets within the neighborhood are safe, well maintained, and present a positive
image for the residents and visitors. (Maintain priority list of street, curb, and gutter
reconstruction and resurfacing).
► Infrastructure Objective #2
Neighborhood streets which are safe and accessible to all: reduce speeding, improve
safety for pedestrians and function to connect people within our neighborhood.
► Infrastructure Objective #3
Ensure the streetscapes are inviting for our residents and visitors.
► Infrastructure Objective #4
Increase safety by developing an inventory of streetlights in the neighborhood. Identify
locations where additional lighting is needed, and develop a maintenance plan for limb
removal and light replacement.
► Infrastructure Objective #5
Improve storm drainage in the neighborhood; eliminate street flooding.
► Infrastructure Objective #6
Add green infrastructure which provides safe places for residents to rest, play and visit;
include both active and passive green open space.
► Infrastructure Objective #7
Provide Wi-Fi and high speed internet access in and for the Wright Avenue neighborhood.
►Infrastructure Objective #8
Have a safe complete wastewater system in the neighborhood.
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Housing
(Preserve historic housing --redevelopment is better than teardown; Redevelop Abandoned housing;
Provide maintenance assistance for low income/senior citizens; Provide Rehab Assistance)
The predominant use is single-family detached homes
in the area. There is a scattering of vacant lots
throughout the neighborhood; most of these tracts once
had homes on them. There are also numerous
duplexes or parcels with two residential units on them
within the neighborhood.
Churches and religious structures can also be
found scattered around the neighborhood.
Some churches are small, one residential lot in
size, with others being up to a half city block
size.
There is an older commercial core along Wright Avenue from Dr. Martin Luther King Drive
to Summit. There has been some loss of structures over the years resulting in some
vacant land scattered in the historic commercial district for the neighborhood. Also along
Wright Avenue west of Park is another area of commercial uses with some churches.
Vacant tracts can be found in this area as well.
There are several older industrial warehouse distribution types of structures along Thayer
Street, south of Wright Avenue. The City also has a ‘materials’ yard in this location.
*# Vacant Lots = 214
# Attached Lots = 44
# Parking Lots = 29
# Parks = 4
# Gardens = 2
# Other = 5
*# Parcels w/Good Maintenance = 147 # Parcels w/Fair Maintenance = 110 # Parcels w/ Poor Maintenance = 38
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Housing Goal
To preserve housing; to promote rehab of existing houses, both occupied and unoccupied and to promote
rich history of area.
►Housing Objective #1
Develop programs and educate public on existing programs to rehabilitate and restore
properties in the area.
►Housing Objective #2
Market area to general public to encourage people to move into neighborhood and rehab
houses.
►Housing Objective #3
Work with the City of Little Rock departments to reduce the number of demolitions of
structures in the area.
► Housing Objective #4
Work with property owners of vacant and abandoned structures to educate them on
available programs to rehabilitate their structures or sell them to individuals that have
resources to rehabilitate them.
► Housing Objective #5
Work with Housing and Neighborhood Programs to enforce on derelict properties.
► Housing Objective #6
Work with City of Little Rock and property owners to explore a Design Overlay District for
appropriate infill when new construction, additions, or modifications to structures are
proposed.
► Housing Objective #7
Provide maintenance assistance for low income/senior citizens for housing repair.
Educate the public on what programs are available and how to apply for such assistance.
► Housing Objective #8
Create programs to educate property owners and others on the historic assets of this
neighborhood, for example a tour of area homes that have been rehabilitated.
*Number of Buildings = 826
Number Occupied = 709
Number Vacant = 117
*Number in Very Good Condition= 152 Number in Good Condition = 406 Number in Fair Condition = 211 Number in Poor Condition = 49
Number in Very Poor Condition = 8
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Branding Goals
To develop a branding/marketing strategy to promote rich history, to promote new businesses, retain
existing businesses and to attract new residents to the neighborhood.
►Branding Objective #1
Create a positive image for the neighborhood and counteract any negatives through social
media, press releases/conferences, etc.
► Branding Objective #2
Develop or refine brand to use in marketing plan.
► Branding Objective #3
Create a marketing plan for the neighborhood.
► Branding Objective #4
Document the rich history of the area including the built environment and the cultural
history of the people and events that happened in the area.
► Branding Objective #5
Develop neighborhood tours of important buildings, birthplaces, sites, and cultural events.
► Branding Objective #6
Develop Gateways into neighborhood and develop banners utilizing branding.
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Economic Development Goal
To assure that the Wright Avenue Neighborhood has employment
opportunities and is a location where individuals and groups come
to invest and reinvest to build a vibrant active business area.
► Economic Development Objective #1
Develop a Wright Avenue Merchants Association
(WAMA) of property owners and business operators.
► Economic Development Objective #2
Work with owners of commercially zoned vacant
property to explore potential development of their property.
► Economic Development Objective #3
Explore different zoning regulations so that future developments will be in keeping with the
historic nature of the neighborhood.
► Economic Development Objective #4
Work with property owners and City Officials on various funding (taxing – Tax Increment
Finance, special improvement district, etc.) options for continued redevelopment of the
area
► Economic Development Objective #5
Work with the property owners of historic buildings to take advantage of tax credits for
rehabilitation of historic properties.
► Economic Development Objective #6
Work with City Economic Development Officer to recruit new businesses to the area.
► Economic Development Objective #7
Develop a plan, along with property owners, to redevelop the abandoned industrial areas
in the area.
► Economic Development Objective #8
Work with the State Livestock Association on security issues during events and how their
economic impact can be spread throughout the area.
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Public Safety Overview
The incidents of Crime within the Wright Avenue Neighborhood Association area have been
showing a steady and slow decline. Over a ten year period, about 5 to 6 percent of all the crimes
in Little Rock were in this area with over 300 incidents a year.
However, in the last few years the number of incidents has fallen to around 200 or less or less
than 4 percent of all the crimes in the City. In discussions with the residents, there is a lack of
confidence between residents and the police. There is a general need to increase contacts and
to encourage residents to reach out to the Police when they see something unusual or wrong.
Public Safety Goal
To have a safe environment for area residents, businesses and visitors
►Public Safety Objective #1
Increase visibility of police in the neighborhood.
►Public Safety Objective #2
Encourage more interaction between the neighborhood and police officers.
►Public Safety Objective #3
Develop and maintain a neighborhood based information system for crime and suspicious
activities.
►Public Safety Objective #4
Work with others to improve resources for ‘re-entry’ training, jobs, support services.
►Public Safety Objective #5
Work with police to close drug houses.
►Public Safety Objective #7
Work with police department to enforce traffic laws – speed and stop signs.
►Public Safety Objective #8
Work with Arkansas Baptist College to coordinate efforts to patrol and monitor activity in
and around Arkansas Baptist campus.
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Youth Activities Goal
To provide activities for youth in the neighborhood to build strong positive citizens who have a strong
sense of who they are, where they are from and productive citizens.
►Youth Activities Objective #1
Provide positive alternative activities for youth in the neighborhood.
►Youth Activities Objective #2
Provide initiatives for area juveniles with mentors and help guide them to more positive
activities.
►Youth Activities Objective #3
Work to develop career pathway and employment experiences for area youth.
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Action Items and Priorities
Priority Project Type Project Name Project Begin/End Limits Comments
1. 1 Drainage Wright Avenue Repair Water standing in the street at the
southwest side of Wright Avenue and
Battery
2. 1 Drainage Howard Street Repair Storm drainage along Howard
Street
3. 1 Drainage Schiller Street Repair Storm drainage along Schiller
Street
4. 1 Drainage Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Repair Flooding at intersection of Dr.
Martin Luther King Drive and 23rd
5. 1 Drainage Dennison
Street Repair Flooding along Dennison Street
6. 2 Drainage Springs/
Waterlines
Evaluate springs/waterlines seepage
areas
7. 2 Drainage Problem
Inventory
Maintain prioritized list of priority
drainage problems to address with City’s
Public Works department
8. 1 Street 23rd Street Reconstruct Curbs along 23rd Street from
Martin Luther King to Wolfe
9. 1 Street 21st Street Reconstruct 21st and Martin Luther King –
intersection reconstruction (turning radii)
10. Street Dennison Reconstruct Dennison needs curbs
rebuilt
11. 1 Street 19th &
20th
Reconstruct 19th Street & Charles Bussey
-curb and gutter
12. 1 Street Wright Avenue Wright Avenue Street and Curbs
13. 2 Street Reconstruct streets where needed. This
includes adding missing, deteriorated, or
non-functioning curbs and gutters.
14. 2 Street Street
Sweeping
Work with the Public Works Department
on street sweeping schedules, begin
discussion about ‘no parking’ on street
sweeping days
15.2 Street Alleys Work to assure all alleys are clear and
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maintained to support traffic.
16. 1 Resurface Battery Re-surface all streets south of Wright
Avenue, Resurface Battery (Roosevelt to
Wright)
17.
18. 1 Resurface Wolfe Resurface Wolfe (Roosevelt to Wright)
19. 1 Resurface Summit Resurface Summit (Roosevelt to Wright)
20. 1 Resurface MLK Resurface Wright Avenue (Martin Luther
King to Bridge),
21. 1 Resurface Schiller Resurface Schiller (Roosevelt to Wright)
22. Streetscape Battery Median Work with the City (Parks and Public
Works Departments) to maintain and
improve the Battery median.
23. Streetscape Battery Median See if there is an organization (garden
club, etc.) that would take on the median
as a project.
24. Streetscape Wright Avenue Work with the City and property owners
to implement the streetscape plan for
Wright Avenue.
25. Streetscape Work with the City and Entergy to move
power lines underground to reduce
storm outages and improve the
appearance of neighborhood.
26. Streetscape Bus Shelter Add bus shelters at transit stops.
27. Traffic Street Lights
Problem
Inventory
Review the City’s (Traffic Engineering)
street light inventory maps for non-
working or missing lights.
28. Traffic Street Lights
Replacement
Report locations of missing or non-
working lights to the Public Works
Department (Traffic Engineering) for
repair/replacement.
29. Traffic Street Light
Blockage
Report locations of street light blockage
limbs, structures, etc.) to the Public
Works Department (Traffic Engineering).
30. Traffic Provide ‘period’ style for street lights
along Wright Avenue and other major
Streets such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
Drive and Battery Street.
31.
32. Green Space Pocket Parks Identify potential vacant lots that might
be developed as pocket parks.
33. Green Space Parks Work with the Parks Department and
Little Rock Parks Commission on plans to
improve Parks within or near the
neighborhood.
34. Green Space Park facilities Develop new facilities within Barton Park
–playground equipment, walking trials,
picnic area, etc.
35.HighSpeed Inventory available internet capabilities
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Internet
36. Work with the City, Arkansas Baptist
College, Philander Smith College,
National Park Service and local
businesses to expand internet availability
in the area
37. Wastewater
seepage
Identify suspected locations of sewer
lines under structures.
38. Wastewater
seepage
Work with the City, and Wastewater
Utility to verify Wastewater line
locations.
39. Wastewater
seepage
Relocate Lines
to public right-
of-way
Work with property owners and the
Wastewater Utility to relocate lines to
public right-of-way or an easement not
under structures.
40. Housing Tax Credits Utilize State and Federal Tax Credits,
41. Housing Grants Utilize Grants or low interest loans for
basic code based upgrades to houses,
etc.
42. Housing Rehab Rehabilitation or redevelopment of
properties is better than teardown.
43. Housing Redevelopment
Alternatives
Explore alternatives to demolitions to
redevelop abandoned structures.
44. Branding Search for pro bono expertise for banner
/ branding advice that includes public
participation that is inclusive to all
neighborhood citizens.
45. Branding Logo Review neighborhood logo that is already
being used.
46. Branding QQA Consider incorporating Quapaw Quarter
branding.
47. Branding Business
Branding
Encourage area businesses to display
branding items in their windows, signage,
and advertising.
48. Branding Incorporate recruitment of new
businesses in marketing plan including
local in-home businesses that may need
a storefront.
49. Branding Incorporate recruitment of new
homeowners in the marketing plan.
50. Branding Movies on the
Boulevard
Market existing activities, such as Movies
on the Boulevard, to the neighborhood
and the entire city.
51. Branding City Public
Relations
branding
Utilize City Public Relations officer to
promote positive events and aspects of
the neighborhood.
52. Branding
Rich History
Work with existing organizations,
churches, sororities, civic groups, etc. to
obtain information.
53.Branding Provide the information to those that will
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Rich History share the information in a public manner
for educational purposes.
54. Branding
Rich History
Promote various movies that have been
filmed in the neighborhood with film
festivals.
55. Branding
Rich History
Butler Center
Resource
Access The Butler Center for Arkansas
Studies for documentation of oral
histories.
56. Branding
Rich History
Tours Establish include self-guided tours by
vehicle or walking, yearly tour events,
etc. featuring important buildings,
birthplaces, sites, and cultural events.
57. Branding Gateways Develop Gateways branding.
58. Branding Review streetscape by Parks and
Recreation for applicability.
59. Branding Review Banners to be installed on Wright
Ave for further additional use in the area.
60. Economic
Development Branding Explore joint advertising and branding of
the commercial district, etc.
61. Economic
Development WAMA Include a WANA representative on the
WAMA; and/or attend each other’s
meetings.
62. Economic
Development
SOMA Meet with South Main business owners
to get items on funding, branding,
working together for the area
63. Economic
Development
Popup Talk with ‘Popup in the Rock’ to get an
event on Wright Avenue
64. Economic
Development
Explore environmental constraints of the
potential industrial property,
65. Economic
Development
Long Term
Goals
Develop long term goals for the
commercial area,
66. Economic
Development
Market
Potential
Market potential of the commercial
property
67. Economic
Development
Explore environmental constraints of the
property
68. Economic
Development
Work with Property owners and City Staff
meet to develop concepts for future
development standards for Wright
Avenue (Design Overlay District, or
special standards)
69. Public Safety Bike patrol
during fair
Need Police on bikes during events at fair
grounds
70. Public Safety After-dark
patrol
Increase after dark police patrols in the
neighborhood
71. Public Safety Police-citizen
relationship
Increase police contacts with citizens
when on patrol in the neighborhood
72. Public Safety Develop a public relations campaign to
develop mutual trust and respect
between neighborhood residents and the
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Little Rock Police Officers that serve our
community; i.e.: Slogans: “We Stand
United in Fighting Crime” or “We are in
this Together- Fight Crime”
73. Public Safety Continue the initiative by the CORO
officer to give information to the
neighborhood about crime in the
surrounding area of Wright Avenue
Neighborhood Association.
Understanding that all crime may not be
within the boundaries of the Wright
Avenue Neighborhood Association but
being aware that crime bleeds into close
proximity areas.
74. Public Safety Getting neighbors and stakeholders to
come together to openly discuss crime
issues in the neighborhood with sound
solutions. Building on trust of neighbors
and the Police Department.
75. Public Safety More personal and positive contact by
police officers with neighbors at
neighborhood events; such as Movies on
the Boulevard, National Night Out; in
order to build trust and mutual respect.
76. Public Safety Police involved in the community, attend
neighborhood activities/meetings
77. Public Safety Neighborhood representative to attend
quarterly watch meetings and other
police sponsored events
78. Public Safety Have ‘real person’ to answer phone
79. Public Safety Give key police department contact
numbers (i.e. Narcotics division) to
neighbors that will connect them for
assistance concerning public safety, but
keeping in mind that 911 is the best
number to call for immediate assistance.
80. Public Safety Develop a website for the Neighborhood
that will provide information about
community activities, services, and crime
watch initiatives.
81. Public Safety Develop a Yahoo group account to
disseminate information concerning
crime in the neighborhood as well as to
provide ongoing safety and crime
prevention tips.
82. Public Safety Develop phone tree to disperse
information on crimes and activities in
neighborhood
83. Public Safety Have list available of half-way houses
with contact for each
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84.Public Safety Have list available of parolees and parole
officers working in area
85. Public Safety Develop a sex offender website to post
photos of sex offenders and their
locations in the neighborhood. Can be
part of neighborhood website.
86. Public Safety Call Narcotics team immediately, if you
witness a drug transaction.
87. Public Safety Develop a public campaign initiative to
get neighbors to watch out for each
other. It was suggested naming the
program “Neighbors Watching Out for
Neighbors”.
88. Public Safety Talk to neighbors – know each other, tell
your neighbors about your plans (when
away etc.)
89. Public Safety Encourage all neighbors to get involved
in fighting crime. Develop Block Captains
to patrol the area (by vehicle or by foot)
in order to give tips to the police
department about possible crimes and
crime areas, as well as to give neighbors
information concerning public safety
issues. Review Hillcrest Neighborhood
Association “Forbidden Hillcrest”
Neighborhood Watch Program and
model some of their positive initiatives.
90. Public Safety Encourage residents who are reluctant
to visibly speak to officers after reporting
a crime to a 911 dispatcher, to give their
phone numbers to dispatchers for the
officers to speak with them afterwards
by phone or at another location for
follow up and additional information
91. Public Safety Encourage businesses to post ‘No
Loitering’ signs and then enforce them
both by property owner and Little Rock
Police
92. Public Safety Encourage residents to purchase cameras
for their homes/businesses to deter
burglaries, thefts and robberies.
93. Public Safety Better enforcement of the City leash law
and laws governing security dogs on
commercial property.
94. Public Safety Report loud music when happens
95. Public Safety Give key police department contact
numbers (i.e. Narcotics division) to
neighbors that will connect them for
assistance concerning public safety, but
keeping in mind that 911 is the best
number to call for immediate assistance.
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96.Public Safety Need more Parole Officers
97. Public Safety Provide programs for skills improvement
–job skills and life skills for parolees (Re-
entry)
98. Public Safety Make available job listings at the
resource center – ‘Job Bank’ (Make a
listing of jobs if not available)(Re-entry)
99. Public Safety Work with Community Programs
Department to advertise services- job
training, etc. (Re-entry)
100. Public Safety Develop and make available a list of
community service opportunities in
neighborhood (Re-entry)
101. Public Safety Develop alternatives for homeless and
drug/alcohol users (Re-entry)
102. Public Safety Develop programs with churches –
parolees and homeless
103. Public Safety Encourage alternative sentencing
104. Public Safety Need to close down drug
houses/prostitution in neighborhood
105. Public Safety Place cameras in strategic locations in
the neighborhood where there have
been reports of ongoing drug trafficking
and prostitution.
106. Youth Identify areas for play within the
neighborhood
107. Youth Develop educational activity for kids
within the Wright Avenue Neighborhood
Association (WANA)
108. Youth Develop a community garden for the
area to teach youth healthy eating
options
109. Youth Develop activities for special needs youth
110. Youth Develop more outdoor activities for
families in and around the neighborhood
111. Youth Develop a location for internet access for
children within the neighborhood
112. Youth Apply for Community Programs ‘Small
Grant’ for youth activity to provide a
neighborhood sponsored positive
activity.
113. Youth Develop a youth component to the ‘On
the Boulevard’ activities
114. Youth Advertise the ‘Summer Playground
Program’ (Parks & Recreation program)
in neighborhood communications –
newsletter, post at Wright Avenue
Resource Center, etc. (prior to May 1 of
each year)
115.Youth Identify juveniles who have been
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involved in a situation with the police or
judicial system and team them with a
neighborhood mentor
116. Youth Work with COPP officer to identify youth
who might need a positive mentor.
117. Youth Apply for Community Programs ‘Small
Grant’ for youth activity to implement a
neighborhood sponsored positive
activity.
118. Youth Develop training programs with
Community Programs Department and
others for youth and young adults to gain
meaningful work experiences
119. Youth Advertise ‘Summer Jobs for Youth’
program through Community Programs
Department in neighborhood
communications – newsletter, post at
Wright Avenue Resource Center, etc.
(Prior to April 1 of each year)
120.
121.
*Results of ReLocal study
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