This idea came to me after I visited several communities similar to Lexington in the summer of 2008. Most of those places had some pedestrian-only component in their downtown. It occurred to me one day while walking down Mill Street between Short and Main that this could be our pedestrian space.

I created the picture above and the ones contained in the link below mostly for fun. I showed them to my friend Phil Holoubek and he immediately got excited. Since then, we have been promoting this idea to anyone who would listen to us.

We have an opportunity to reclaim a part of our downtown for people, to humanize it, and to increase the overall economic climate of our city. This is the power of place - this is the power of City Beautiful!

Read the full story here: http://www.bizlex.com/Articles-c-2009-06-25-87904.113117_Mill_Street_is_a_perfect_place_for_Lexington_pedestrian_mall.html

Why Mill Street Ped Mall Will Work
A Ped Mall on Mill Street WILL work - it is not the type of Mall that has failed in other cities. It utilizes a street with limited car traffic - ie does not take the cars off of major thoroughfares nor does barring traffic keep anyone on either end of Mill Street from being easily able to access main thoroughfares. The one block distance of the Mall creates an intimacy that will draw people - ie it does not have any room for dead spaces. The street already has some great anchor destinations in place - ie. the Mall is not being used to try and create life, life already exists there. The Mall will become a true focal point of downtown. For a small public investment, we can leverage much more private investment - creating the kind of downtown we all want.

Andrew Wylie of Ace Weekly has a good, more in depth article about the future success of the Mill Street Ped Mall - visit his blog:http://is.gd/1omc7

Tom Eblen of the Herald Leader has a very nice commentary on the importance of Charlottesville's Ped Mall to that city.http://www.kentucky.com/785/story/848238.html

For more pictures click this link.
Mill Street Ped Mall.pdf
Let me know what you think: sd.austin@yahoo.com

Ottawa Pedestrian Mall

I recently had the opportunity to again visit one of the two great pedestrian malls in Ottawa. The William Street Mall is most similar to Mill Street here. Both are only one block long. Neither has rear alley access, meaning that front access has to be provided for. Both are anchored by thriving restaurants and bars. The William Street Mall Serves as a link to the city's great public market - the Byward Market. Mill Street can serve a similar symbolic purpose as the gateway to the emerging Cheapside market area, as well as to the Gratz Park neighborhood.

The Mall has a city information kiosk as well as bike rental.

The Byward Market is the heart of Canada's Capital. Note the structures that serve their purpose well - something like this could be done quickly in the Cheapside area to create a more permanent market.

Here are two videos of the William Street Mall.
Watch these videos about Pedestrian Malls If you are really into downtown planning, this video is very good.

I am an urban and landscape designer, artist, writer, teacher and traveler.

I am committed to traditional town planning, walkability, environmental protection, and inclusive public processes.

I believe that dense places are the only ones that will work in the future, but for humans to accept that, they must be beautiful.

My professional experience includes 23 years as a town and regional planner. I wear many hats throughout any given day. With City Beautiful, I design and implement plans for developers, create gardens for private clients, and prepare planning documents for communities and organizations.

I am the Founding Director of the Center for Community Legacy Initiatives at the Blue Grass Community Foundation. The Legacy Center will oversee the development and implementation of the community-endorsed ideas chosen through the World Equestrian Games Legacy Initiative funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. For more on this, click here: Read more here: www.legacycenter.ning.com

I have been as adjunct professor at the University of Kentucky Landscape Architecture Department since 1989.

For more information click on "My Page" on the bar above. Detailed project pictures are in "Photos" at left. Some sample images are below.

And please feel free to sign in and leave me a message.

Thanks

My work ranges from planning large mixed-use sites and small residential developments, to intimate urban design, to rural greenway construction, to public and private gardens. More can be found in "Photos" above.