Vibrant Downtown Core

Recommendation 2

VIBRANT DOWNTOWN CORE

Throughout the master planning process, community members expressed interest in building up the downtown core as a lively place for people to socialize and enjoy, including destination restaurants and convenient places to shop. There is a strong interest in creating petfriendly outdoor venues that take advantage of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA). Other priorities for the downtown core include: • Making the area more pedestrian friendly • Creating additional green spaces • Implementing plans for the Hoover District • Developing a parking and wayfinding strategy • Identifying new opportunities for downtown housing

IMPROVE WALKABILITY

According to recent research from the Brookings Institution, walkable commercial districts tend to be more economically successful, with higher commercial rents and more successful retail businesses. North Canton has many distinctive local businesses, but they are spread across a wide area, rather than concentrated in the central Main Street district. Walkability offers many benefits. Residents of walkable neighborhoods tend to be healthier, both physically and mentally. Walkable destinations lead to less traffic and air pollution. Research from the real estate company RedFin shows that walkable neighborhoods have higher home values. The speed of traffic on Main Street inhibits walking in the downtown area. Most people drive to their destinations, park in rear lots, and have little presence or activity along the street. Traffic speeds also discourage people from walking between businesses and destinations on both sides of the street. For example, the YMCA attracts 2,000-3,000 people per day who could be customers for Main Street businesses if they felt more comfortable walking around and lingering in the area. Walk Score® is a tool for measuring the walkability of a neighborhood. For any address or district, Walk Score® analyzes hundreds of walking routes to nearby amenities. Points are awarded based on the distance to amenities in each category. Amenities within a 5-minute walk (.25 miles) are given maximum points. Lower point ratings are given for more distant amenities, with no points given after a 30-minute walk. Walk Score® also measures pedestrian friendliness by analyzing population density, the length of blocks, and intersection conditions. Communities are rated from 0-100 for their walkability. The overall Walk Score® for North Canton as a whole is 37, which is not very walkable. The downtown area scores much higher at 67, indicating that this part of the city is somewhat walkable and a good starting point for creating a place where residents and visitors feel comfortable on foot.

PARKLET Freewheel Parklet, San Francisco. Source: Mark Hogan By Mark Hogan. By Mark Hogan https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17841324

Investments in pedestrian infrastructure, including more prominent crosswalks and streetlights that are timed for pedestrian traffic could boost walkability in the downtown district. Sidewalk cafes would also enhance walkability by bringing pedestrian activity out to the fronts of buildings. The city could also consider a pilot project to create a parklet along Main Street in the downtown core. A parklet is a small seating area or green space created as a public amenity, built within the right-of-way. Parklets have been deployed in cities around the country and became much more popular during the pandemic when there was increased demand for outside dining. Parklets are often constructed in roadside parking spaces. Since parking is not allowed on Main Street, a parklet pilot project would require the temporary closure of a lane of traffic. The parklet would need to be designed with a structure edge, such as a low wall of jersey barriers, to protect people in the parklet from vehicular traffic. Parklets often feature planters with tall shrubs to create a sense of enclosure and shield visitors from traffic noise. Parklets function as a traffic calming measure, helping to slow down vehicular traffic to posted speed limits. Parklets also create a fun alternative to indoor dining and have become increasingly popular, even in cooler weather. Although there may be concerns about building a dining area and public space in the street right-of-way, it’s important to note that some of the busiest cities in the country have successfully implemented parklet projects before and during the pandemic. Many of these parklets are expected to become permanent since they are popular with residents and help to boost sales for restaurants and cafes.

DOWNTOWN AS DESTINATION

Residents have noted that the downtown area does not currently function as a destination. It is missing music and nightlife, public art, galleries, and performances. The Hoover District, discussed in the next section, will be a major downtown destination and anchor. But since the development process for the Hoover District has been slow to progress, there are other strategies to increase activity levels downtown. A first step would be to focus on businesses that encourage people to linger downtown, ideally for 30 minutes or more. Coffee shops, restaurants, and nightlife destinations are among the best options for downtown vitality. Small, regional grocers and specialty food shops, home and garden stores, and building supply retailers are reporting their best sales numbers ever in many national markets and will be looking to grow. The recently established Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) will support downtown businesses with increased foot traffic. Patrons 21 and over may purchase alcoholic beverages from approved restaurants and carry their drinks outside and within the DORA boundaries. Outdoor seating will create a welcoming atmosphere within the downtown and the DORA will help to attract additional restaurants, cafes, and bars to the area. Currently, there are very few establishments where patrons can enjoy outdoor dining, drinking, and socializing. Sidewalk cafes, the Hoover Lawn, and Bitzer Park could provide areas for these activities to take place. By focusing efforts on a small area from Bechtel to Charlotte Street, the city can begin to create an appealing, walkable hub of activity where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather and be connected to community amenities and economic opportunities. Public art and gateway features can create a sense of arrival in the downtown core. The first step to making the downtown area feel like a destination is to establish a critical mass of businesses and amenities in a compact and walkable area. The energy from this core district can be expanded to encompass more of the Main Street corridor over time. A guide to local businesses and a marketing campaign could focus on businesses in the downtown core and also highlight businesses elsewhere along Main Street. The millennial generation is currently the largest consumer base in the United States. Millennials are often willing to spend money on gyms, boutique fitness concepts, salons, and personal care retail offerings. Retail follows rooftops and daytime traffic. Getting more residents and employers in and around the downtown area will help attract retailers looking to open a new location downtown. Downtown needs a destination restaurant. A craft brewery or a fine dining establishment would be a good fit for the Hoover District, where the historic architecture and iconic smokestack create an interesting and authentic experience, a place that is unique to North Canton. While the development of the Hoover District takes shape, another option is the potential reuse of the current fire station building, if the fire station and police station are relocated to a new shared facility. The wide sidewalk in front of the fire station and the overhead doors could allow for indoor/outdoor dining. Interior spaces would need to be extensively renovated for a dining experience, with the addition of a commercial kitchen. This might be a complicated conversion, but since the city owns the property, it could provide the real estate as an incentive for a creative restaurateur.

LEFT Existing North Canton Fire Station BELOW Fire Station reimagined as a destination restaurant (Tullius Art & Design)

GATEWAY Proposed gateway design for entry points into Downtown North Canton (Tullius Art and Design)

DOWNTOWN EVENTS North Canton Salesman Parade circa 1921 (North Canton Heritage Society) and North Canton Chocolate Walk

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Four-season events and programming will draw people to the downtown area to enhance vitality and support local businesses. City residents have a well-established history of supporting festivals, parades, and other events. The success of the annual Main Street Festival and other events like Alive After Five, the Craft Beer Festival, and the North Canton Chocolate Walk, demonstrate a substantial audience for civic programming. Additional programming, including events that target a younger audience, is likely to be well-received. Expanding programming to encompass all four-seasons would draw foot traffic to support downtown businesses. This is especially important in the holiday shopping season, and in the post-holiday winter months when business tends to be slow. Lighting displays and special promotions, such as a ‘shop local’ week in January or February would help support local businesses during the post-Christmas winter season. Since North Canton was originally known as New Berlin, an annual Oktoberfest would celebrate the city’s heritage. This could include a beer-garden at Hoover Plaza, family-friendly activities, and musical performances. It takes time and energy to organize a yearround series of events. The city and the Chamber of Commerce could consider establishing a new position for a marketing and events coordinator to activate and promote the downtown district. The coordinator could work with local business owners and the North Canton Rotary to find sponsorships and volunteers to make these events happen. The city already employs many student interns from Walsh University. Walsh interns would be especially valuable in planning events that appeal to younger people and amplifying the city’s presence on social media. Funding Sources Special Improvement District - A Special Improvement District (SID) is a physical area, established by the Ohio Revised Code, in which property owners elect to pay an additional assessment in order to fund public improvements and services that benefit the district. Services must be for the public good and may include maintenance, physical improvements, and community programming. The services are chosen by the property owners themselves, through a Board of Directors, and cannot replace city services. Establishing a SID requires the approval of owners representing 60% of the front footage or 75% of the land area of the district, who must sign a formal petition to establish it. As such, the establishment of a SID might have to wait until there is more of a critical mass of participating businesses in the downtown core. Ohio Arts Council - The OAC makes annual grants to communities for arts programming and installation. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $20,000 with a 50/50 matching requirement. National Endowment for the Arts OurTown Program - Our Town is the National Endowment for the Arts’ creative placemaking grants program. Grants support projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes. Successful Our Town projects ultimately lay the groundwork for systems changes that sustain the integration of arts, culture, and design into local strategies for strengthening communities. These projects require a partnership between the city and a nonprofit cultural organization. Grants range from $25,000 to $150,000, with a 50/50 matching requirement.

HOOVER DISTRICT

The Hoover District will combine office space, rental housing, retail, and public space in a visually prominent and historically significant building complex in the heart of downtown. The Hoover District development will anchor the downtown district and enable many of the other community priorities for the downtown area to happen. At community meetings, residents expressed strong support for maintaining the authentic character of the city. Given the long history of the Hoover Company in North Canton and the distinctive architecture of the factory buildings, the Hoover complex embodies this authenticity. Investment in the adaptive reuse of the Hoover buildings, especially the west factory which has the most immediate impact on Main Street, should remain a high priority. Housing development is an important part of the plan for the Hoover District, although progress has been slow and the west factory building poses some challenges to residential reuse, including window heights that limit views from inside the building and projected rehabilitation costs that exceed the anticipated market rate rents. If these challenges can be addressed, the location and the architectural character of the Hoover complex are likely to attract young professionals interested in living in a mixed-use urban environment. Housing at Hoover could also attract older empty nesters who want to live close to shops, restaurants, the YMCA, and other downtown amenities. A mix of smaller, more affordable units for younger residents and fully accessible units that enable people to age in place would result in an intergenerational living experience. The city might be able to use its maintenance codes and laws regulating vacant properties for leverage with the developer to get the project moving faster. Code enforcement is necessary to stabilize the building and make it weather-tight. Many of the windows are missing at the back of the west factory building, which exposes the interior to weatherrelated damage. The city is very effective at enforcing its codes and should cite code violations in the Hoover District to ensure that the building does not further deteriorate. Although it may take some time for the permanent development to take place, perhaps part of the facility can be stabilized and brought into code compliance to the point where a temporary occupancy permit could be issued for pop up shops, performances, and temporary interventions that help people rediscover the Hoover District. Temporary uses are also a useful strategy for testing the market potential of possible permanent uses and for bringing potential tenants into the space who might be interested in a future lease. If no parts of the buildings can be made code compliant for temporary uses, perhaps the developer would be willing to make minimal upgrades to the Hoover Lawn, to make this green space safe and accessible for events and short-term uses. Possibilities include: • Outdoor festival on the lawn • Holiday tree lighting • Pop up croquet or miniature golf tournament • Beer and wine garden

HOOVER DISTRICT Development vision for the Hoover District (IRG | Industrial Realty Group. LLC)

There is strong public support for any actions that would get the project moving forward. In addition to possible activities on the lawn, perhaps the developer would be open to some low-risk, high-impact opportunities for public access. This might include a building tour or ‘Saturday Snoop’ where community members could have informal tours of the complex, interior and exterior as safety permits, to learn about what’s planned for the Hoover District and the challenges the development has faced. Funding Sources • Private capital • State and federal historic tax credits

PUBLIC SPACE INVESTMENTS

North Canton has an abundance of parks, including some green spaces in the downtown area. Bitzer Park is a beautiful little park that doesn’t get much use. It is perhaps too small for the types of programming residents would like to see. Some modest investments to the Hoover Lawn could help activate this space for public use. By adding a high visibility pedestrian crossing between the Hoover Lawn and Bitzer Park, these spaces could be linked and programmed together. Landscaping improvements to the small plaza in front of the YMCA on Main Street and streetscape improvements to Harmon Street and Park Circle, leading to Witwer Park would enable these separate green spaces to function as a linked system. Greening the edges of public parking lots in the downtown core and adding mid-block pedestrian rights-of-way between North Main Street and the new school would also enhance the sense of green space connectivity. Also, trees and wayfinding signage along Taft Avenue, north of East Maple Street, would create an appealing pedestrian route from the Hoover District to the high school and Dogwood Park.

BITZER PARK an underutilized gem. MID-BLOCK CONNECTION Acorn Alley in Kent, an example of a mid-block connection.

CHARLOTTE ROUNDABOUT

PEDESTRIAN CONNECTOR

MID-BLOCK CONNECTIONS

GREENWAY TO N. MAIN ST. TEMPORARY USES FOR HOOVER LAWN GREENWAY TO HIGH SCHOOL & DOGWOOD PARK

UPGRADES TO YMCA PLAZA

GREENWAY CONNECTOR

DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SPACE FRAMEWORK Linking Bitzer Park with the Hoover Lawn and the plaza in front of the YMCA would create a connected green space that is large enough for public events and small enough for quieter moments. Additional streetscape linkages to Witwer Park and Dogwood Park, along with midblock connections from Main Street to the new school facility would tie the downtown district together.

STRONGER CONNECTIONS between the Hoover Lawn and Bitzer Park/YMCA Plaza can be created through consistent landscaping and paving in public areas on both sides of Maple Avenue, along with a more visible crosswalk between the two spaces.

BITZER PARK + HOOVER LAWN together can become a pedestrian-friendly downtown destination.

ROUNDABOUT A new roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Portage and Charlotte to improve traffic circulation for the new school. The roundabout offers an opportunity to add greenery to the area, helping to tie new development into the existing neighborhood through landscape design. (Tullius Art and Design)

DOWNTOWN PARKING STRATEGY

Although there are many parking lots in the downtown area, it can be difficult to find parking and to know where public parking is available, especially for visitors and the large number of commuters who drive along Main Street every day without stopping to patronize local businesses. On-street parking in the downtown core between Charlotte Street and Bitzer Park would help to slow vehicular traffic to the posted speed limits. On-street parking also provides a buffer for pedestrians on public sidewalks and would make it safer to establish a temporary parklet pilot project in the right-of-way. On-street parking could be tested for a few months to see how it works, before investing in permanent roadway changes. A traffic study might be needed before conducting an on-street parking test project. Better wayfinding signage is needed to direct people to available lots. The existing lots are behind the buildings and not clearly marked, especially for visitors. Entry points to public parking areas should be clearly marked and visible from the intersection Maple Avenue and Main Street. A cohesive signage and wayfinding project could direct people to parking areas and highlight local attractions.

WAYFINDING Concept for a cohesive downtown signage program (2012 North Canton Master Plan)

PILOT PROJECT FOR ON-STREET PARKING

WAYFINDING SIGNAGE TO PUBLIC PARKING

PARKING A pilot project to allow on-street parking in the core downtown area could help to slow traffic on Main Street to posted speed limits while also making it easier for people to discover and access downtown businesses. Also, a wayfinding and signage strategy would direct visitors to available public parking lots.

DOWNTOWN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES

North Canton is largely built out, with few opportunities for new housing development. Finding opportunities to introduce new housing types will help to attract new households. In addition to proposed housing for the Hoover District, the North Canton Middle School might propose another opportunity for downtown housing, if the school is relocated and the site becomes available. New housing on the middle school site would bring more people within walking distance of the downtown core, while providing prospective residents with a convenient and appealing housing alternative. The site is large enough to accommodate new housing models that complement adjacent single-family housing and take advantage of nearby green spaces, recreational amenities, and proximity to the core downtown area. New housing could include townhouses to attract younger buyers as well as a possible co-housing community that could appeal to an intergenerational group of residents. Co-housing is an intentional community of private homes clustered around shared space, which could work well in this location. A Request for Interest (RFI) process could be used to gauge interest from private sector developers and include guidelines and restrictions for the types of housing that could be developed in this location and existing features of the site to be preserved, including large and well-loved community garden near the middle school building. The RFI would outline an appropriate program, size, and site development framework for a sustainable, mixed use, development that could be developed through a public-private partnership, based on existing market analysis and zoning restrictions. Any new development should avoid disturbing If there is sufficient developer interest, the RFI could be followed by a more formal request for proposals.

ABOVE Potential residential neighborhood on the current site of the North Canton Middle School. (Tullius Art and Design) LEFT North Canton Middle School site. (Google Earth)

CO-HOUSING DEVELOPMENT A co-housing community, with individually owned units organized around shared green space and amenities, would offer new kind of housing option for North Canton residents. ABOVE - Chapeltown Cohousing in Leeds, UK (Source: Chapeltown Cohousing) RIGHT Petaluma Avenue Homes, an affordable cohousing community in Sebastopol, California (Source: Grist, grist.org)

CHARLOTTE ROUNDABOUT

MID-BLOCK CONNECTIONS

GREENWAY TO N. MAIN ST. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SITES

DIEBOLD NIXDORF

PILOT PROJECT FOR ON-STREET PARKING

TEMPORARY USES FOR HOOVER LAWN GREENWAY TO HIGH SCHOOL & DOGWOOD PARK

SIGNAGE TO PUBLIC PARKING

UPGRADES TO YMCA PLAZA

POSSIBLE CO-HOUSING DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Public space and pedestrian improvements, infill commercial and residential development, and an improved parking strategy combine to create a vibrant downtown core.

Action Steps for a Building a Vibrant Downtown Core

Walkability • Conduct a walking audit in the downtown district to identify barriers to access and conditions that make pedestrians feel unsafe/ • Consider investments in pedestrian infrastructure, including more prominent crosswalks and streetlights that are timed for pedestrian traffic. • Conduct a traffic study to explore whether on-street parking could be accommodated along Main Street between Charlotte and Bechtel. • Consider developing a parklet pilot project in partnership with a downtown restaurant and/or Walsh University’s downtown facility. Downtown as Destination • Develop a guide to local businesses and a marketing campaign for the downtown district. • Conduct a preliminary analysis on the feasibility of converting the fire station building to a restaurant. • Hire a marketing and events coordinator, with a staff of Walsh University interns as youth advisors and social media specialists. Hoover District • Enforcement maintenance and vacant property codes to ensure the west factory building is weather-tight and protected from the elements. • Work with the developer on accessibility improvements to the Hoover lawn to enable public events and short-term installations to take place on the lawn. • Work with the developer to improve limited parts of the west factory building for temporary occupancy (i.e. hard hat building tours, pop up shops, performances) if possible. Public Space Investments • Develop a streetscape connectivity strategy for linking Bitzer Park and the Hoover

Lawn, with an additional connection from Maple Avenue north to the high school stadium and Dogwood Park. Parking Strategy • Consider an on-street parking pilot project in the downtown area between Charlotte

Street and Bitzer Park. • Hire a consultant to create a comprehensive signage package for the downtown district that directs people to public parking areas and highlights downtown amenities. Downtown Housing • If the existing middle school site becomes available, develop a request for interest process to define a housing development framework for the site and solicit interest from housing developers.