Papillion to get a facelift

[Coyote]

The same company that renovated Ralston is now designing for Papillion.

Papio downtown revamp one step closer to reality

When Doug McWilliams saw the visual concepts for revitalization projects in downtown Papillion for the first time last week, two thoughts went through his mind: optimism and excitement.

"I guess I was optimistic because it seems like we are going forward and excited because I've liked what I've seen so far," said McWilliams, who is an investment representative with Edward Jones in downtown Papillion.

"When looking at the pictures it does tend to give you a homey, comfort, community feeling that will bring back the downtown area. I've looked at examples, Ralston and communities like that, and this looks every bit as nice or nicer than that."

The city's planning department and administration hosted a meeting last Thursday evening at the Sump Memorial Library to unveil the first artistic concepts drawn by Marty Shukert of RDG Planning and Design, the same firm that wrote the city's Comprehensive Plan.

In Shukert's plans, for which the city paid about $3,000, the concept for the city's revitalization plans are divided into six phases: the Washington Street corridor, the municipal plaza, Second Street, the Washington Street bridge, storefront renewal and Piazza Papillion.

Also included in the presentation are cost estimates for a variety of ideas that were the result of a brainstorming meeting in November with about 70 business owners from the downtown area.

The concept for the Washington Street corridor includes new sidewalks with decorative tiles, bench seating, decorative planters and uniform awnings and signage on all the businesses. According to Shukert's cost estimates, those projects would cost the city nearly $260,000.

The city's proposed budget for 2004-05 calls for $225,000 for revitalization projects.

The revitalization projects for the Washington Street corridor, Second Street, municipal plaza and a fountain overlook feature by the library would cost about $1 million, according to the cost estimates.

Cost estimates for the Piazza Papillion concept, a mixed use area generally located behind the fire station and public works building, were not included in the figures released last week.

One of the reasons for last week's meeting, said Mayor James Blinn, was to gain consensus from on which area to begin work on first.

Of the more than a dozen people at the meeting, it was generally decided the first phase of the project should take place along the Washington Street corridor, Blinn said.

"That's what I'd like to do," he said. "I think you have to it right in front of the businesses to convince them that it will look good. And hopefully that will alleviate the pessimism from years past."

Any plans, including where the work should begin and what should be done, have to be approved by the City Council.

Talk of revitalization projects in the downtown area is not new news to McWilliams. He is encouraged, though, by the force with which the city is moving forward with their plans.

"My business has been downtown for 16 years and several times we've tried to get downtown people interested in doing something," McWilliams said. "We've always had the interest, but we've lacked the opportunity for funding. I've seen the amount of effort they have put in and we haven't come close to this kind of effort before."

[eomaha]

It would be nice to see a Millard Town Center like development along the creek behind the firestation. Surely they will be running 96th Street through to Lincoln Street soon.

Of course Shukert suggested in their master plan... that Papillion relocate the focus of its CBD to the 84th and 370 area.

The 'old' downtown should become an entertainment district.

[Coyote]

You would think 96th street as a project, yet no word.
There are signs of another business complex across from the OPPD plant on 96th and Cornhusker. There are plans on linking the Walnut Creek trails with the West Papio trails.