08-14-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Cover Letter 701 Washington Avenue North, Ste 200 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 612.338.2029 1 Fax 612.338.2088 LHBcorp.com August 4, 2017 Jeremy Barnhart Community Development Director City of Orono 2750 Kelley Parkway PO Box 66 Orono, MN 55323 RE: LAND USE PLANNING SERVICES FOR THE NAVARRE AREA PLAN Dear Mr. Barnhart, My daughter calls the Navarre Playground "The Blue Park," and it is one of her favorites in the area because we can bike there and frequently grab a little snack at the Lunds & Byerly's for a picnic. Plus, she knows that there is usually popcorn waiting at the hardware store. We love the hometown feel that the Navarre Area provides—businesses where the employees recognize us and offer convenient services and products we need, and frequent chance encounters with other Orono families doing the same. As a resident, Navarre is a quaint and practical destination for errands and play. As a professional, Navarre appears truly fascinating and rich with potential. Recent reinvestment and development proposals suggest renewed interest in the area, but past plans have not had the full buy -in of the community. Therefore, the focus of our approach is the development of a solid and compelling vision for Navarre upon which both public and private investment decisions can be founded with confidence in the area's unique future. As a part of our work, we intend to frame how the next steps should occur in the context of this vision, and the proper efforts that will be used to fully address them. It was not without consideration that we arrived at this approach. LHB has been involved in many downtown planning and revitalization projects in Minnesota and beyond. Without a vision, solutions will only be piecemeal; with a vision, economic, social, functional, and aesthetic solutions can multiply their effects on the vitality of an area like Navarre. We believe that an inclusive process builds momentum for change that lasts far beyond the approval of a document. We work collaboratively to ensure that plans embody the vision of the community and are implementable and maintainable. Our goal is that our plans become living documents that offer meaningful guidance for years to come. We hope that the information we're sharing in this proposal helps you understand our team's unique qualifications to complete this project in close collaboration with you, as well as our particular interest and passion for this area. We appreciate the opportunity to submit this proposal for downtown design services, and we look forward to meeting with you to discuss the merits of this approach. Please feel free to call us if you have any questions. Sincerely LHB, Inc. Lydia Major, PLA, LEED AP Project Manager/ Contact Person 701 Washington Avenue North, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55401 612.752.6956 I Ivdia. major0LHBcorp.com ®PERFORMANCE DMVEN DESIGN, Michael A. Fischer, AIA, LEED AP Project Principal Authorized Signer City of Orono - Land Use Planning Services for the Navarre Area Plan