Preview: Downtown Little Rock master plan sets sights on economic development and regrowth
Preview: Downtown Little Rock master plan sets sights on economic development and regrowth KATV
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The First Draft of Downtown Little Rock Master Plan Completed
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) —
The first draft of a master plan to redesign downtown Little Rock has been completed. This plan is a significant step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.
Investing in Downtown Little Rock
“This is the first time that Little Rock has invested in a downtown master plan, and this document will provide us with a roadmap to bring our city to its full potential,” said Kyle Leyenberger, Director of Communications for Downtown Little Rock Partnership.
The City of Little Rock hired Sasaki, an international design firm, to develop the master plan using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Covid-era federal funds.
Four Big Ideas for Downtown Little Rock
The master plan consists of 44 strategies organized into four big ideas, aligning with the SDGs:
- Economic development and neighborhood building
- Parks and open space
- Mobility
- Culture and institutions
Increasing Downtown Population
One of the key elements of the plan is to attract more residents to downtown Little Rock. This will involve constructing more apartment buildings in the heart of the city and potentially rezoning surface parking areas.
“Downtown Little Rock currently has up to four times fewer residents compared to similar cities. This means we lack the necessary population to support local businesses. The plan’s draft emphasizes the need to double Little Rock’s downtown population by 2035,” Leyenberger said.
Optimizing Little Rock’s Location
The master plan also aims to make better use of Little Rock’s prime location on the banks of the Arkansas River.
“Currently, businesses in the Rivermarket area are oriented away from the river, which presents an opportunity for change. We can shift the orientation and create a more vibrant waterfront district,” Leyenberger explained.
Becoming More Business-Friendly
Sasaki highlights the importance of making Little Rock more business-friendly compared to its peer cities.
“Little Rock lacks economic development tools to incentivize businesses to move and stay downtown. This puts us at a disadvantage. The master plan will address this issue and provide solutions to attract and retain businesses,” said Daniel Church, an associate planner with Sasaki.
Learning from Successful Southern Cities
The designers of the downtown Little Rock master plan drew inspiration from thriving downtowns in Southern cities. These cities, such as Oklahoma City, Chattanooga, Charleston, and Greenville, South Carolina, have achieved success by implementing central guiding plans that steer policy decisions, private investments, and infrastructure changes.
“The master plan for downtown Little Rock will lay out similar strategies to drive our city’s growth and development,” Church added.
Public Engagement and Next Steps
The first draft of the master plan will be unveiled at the Ron Robinson Theater on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The event is open to the public and will include music and food.
Following the unveiling, there will be a 30-day public input period to gather feedback and suggestions.
For more information on the project, click here.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The article discusses the master plan to redesign downtown Little Rock, which is connected to the goal of creating sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). It also mentions the need for economic development and making the city more business-friendly, which aligns with the goal of decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).
2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Based on the Article’s Content
- SDG 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
- SDG 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation.
The article mentions the goal of doubling Little Rock’s downtown population by 2035, which aligns with SDG 11.3. This target aims to enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization by increasing the number of residents in downtown areas. Additionally, the need to make Little Rock more business-friendly corresponds to SDG 8.3, which focuses on promoting development-oriented policies that support job creation and entrepreneurship.
3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article to Measure Progress towards the Identified Targets
- Population growth rate in downtown Little Rock
- Number of new apartment buildings constructed in downtown Little Rock
- Number of businesses attracted to downtown Little Rock
- Number of economic development tools implemented to incentivize businesses
The article mentions the goal of doubling Little Rock’s downtown population by 2035, indicating that the population growth rate in downtown Little Rock would be an indicator to measure progress towards this target. The construction of new apartment buildings in the heart of the city would also be an indicator of efforts to bring more residents to downtown.
In terms of making Little Rock more business-friendly, indicators could include the number of businesses attracted to downtown Little Rock and the implementation of economic development tools to incentivize businesses. These indicators would reflect progress towards the target of promoting job creation and entrepreneurship.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries. |
|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. |
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Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.
Fuente: katv.com
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