Pictured is the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial located in Village Green Park at 47 Hall St. in Powell.
Courtesy | City of Powell
The City of Powell is ready to move forward with initial plans to develop the entirety of the Village Green in downtown Powell.
During last week’s meeting of the Powell City Council, the initial phase of the Village Green and Downtown Powell Master Plan project, to be led by Pizzuti Solutions, was approved. The master plan proposal gives the City the opportunity to “look into options for how the 12 acres can best serve residents while also serving as a nucleus to a revitalized downtown Powell,” a release states.
“I think this is one of the most important conversations we’ve had as a community, certainly since I’ve been here and maybe well beyond that,” City Manager Andrew White said during the meeting, noting the conversations about developing all of the Village Green date back to at least 1997.
Phase one includes working with Pizzuti Solutions to gather the necessary information to “drive improvements to downtown Powell while also engaging the various constituent groups that represent our community,” the release states. The gathering process is expected to include market analysis, community surveys, stakeholder engagement, existing conditions analysis, and a summary report to guide the master plan.
“We are entrusting Pizzuti Solutions to begin this transformational project because of their knowledge of revitalization and development, and experience creating public spaces and facilities throughout the region,” said White.
At an estimated cost of $550,000, White said the cost of the first phase “is not light” but added the City has never been in the position it currently finds itself in to be able to bear the cost, thanks to the citizens’ approval of the income tax rate increase in 2021.
Once completed, the initial phase will provide Powell City Council and City staff with “hard data and analytics that will aid in the decision-making process for public investment for traffic, infrastructure, facilities, and more,” according to the release.
The release added, “It can also serve as a tool to identify market deficiencies, economic opportunities, and business attraction strategies.”
“This is a plan to set the table for potential redevelopment,” White said. “We’re going to take an inventory of the Village Green and come up with concepts that will help us make better-informed decisions that will strengthen the downtown core.”
Phase 1 is expected to last 10 months and be completed sometime next summer. Throughout the process, the findings and future steps will be announced by the City.
“If we want the downtown area to be enhanced, it’s up to us to plan and fund it,” said Mayor Tom Counts. “We’ve seen too many opportunities pass because we didn’t have the ability to make a difference. The opportunity is here now, and I don’t take that lightly.”
Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on X @DillonDavis56.
