CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE The previously described catalysts for change are expected to help spur the creation of a transit station village at the Main Street and Stapley Drive light rail station and will also support the maintenance of the existing singleresidence areas within this Neighborhood. Specific issues and opportunities affecting this Neighborhood that are further catalysts for change include: 1. 2. 3.
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The automobile-dependent development pattern. A somewhat high percentage of rental housing units in an area dominated by single-residence structures. An abundance of underutilized land in the form of surface parking and large amount of commercial vacancies. An unwelcoming pedestrian environment along arterial streets that have limited shade, few amenities, and limited separation from traffic.
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A lack of connectivity from residential neighborhoods to arterial streets and isolation of some residential neighborhoods. The preservation of historic neighborhoods and maintenance/enhancement of stable neighborhoods that are experiencing negative pressure. The lack of property maintenance, both commercial and residential. The limited formal park and open space amenities for residents.
FRASER/SHERWOOD VISION FOR CHANGE The goals for the Fraser/Sherwood Area are to transform the Main Street corridor into a more pedestrianfriendly street and to evolve the other corridors over time into streets that better accommodate both pedestrians and vehicles. The Main Street corridor will be modified over time to improve connections to the interior neighborhoods and take on a more mixed-use, higher-intensity level of activity. An intimate, walkable, urban, mixed-use transit station village that serves the surrounding residential areas will develop at the Stapley Drive light rail station. Historic and stable single-residence neighborhoods will maintain the existing character and intensity while allowing enhancements such as small, compatible redevelopments. Distressed residential neighborhoods will evolve into viable and cohesive neighborhoods that interact with the public realm and adjacent neighborhoods while providing appropriate transitions between the Main Street corridor and singleresidence developments. The future character of the Fraser/Sherwood Area is described in more detail below. Organizing Element The organizing element for this Neighborhood will be the creation of an intimate village surrounding the Stapley Drive light rail station. The transit station village that will be created at this location will be four-stories or less in height to maintain a scale that connects with pedestrians. It will contain a mix of uses with active retail and restaurant uses on the ground floor. Residents of the surrounding neighborhoods will brand this as their neighborhood center. Figure 2 provides one graphic illustration of how this village concept could be realized.
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