Oak Park, Illinois - Greater Downtown Master Plan

/

View PDF

Summary

Oak Park is recognized as one of the most historic downtowns in America. It includes many significant structures, including a number of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. To preserve and strengthen the downtown, Crandall Arambula developed a Downtown Master Plan and Tax Increment Redevelopment Plan for the Village of Oak Park.

The plan guides future development, bringing economic vitality and quality of life improvements to the greater downtown area. Area businesses and residents will benefit from improved amenities such as access to open space and recreational facilities, improved land use and transportation systems, and defined shopping, dining, and entertainment districts. The master plan, implementation strategy, and development regulations protect and enhance Oak Park’s historic character and will create developer confidence that will result in built projects.

Outcomes

Crandall Arambula’s master plan recommended that the Marion Street pedestrian-only mall be re-opened to automobile traffic to activate the street and create a successful retail environment.

Construction was completed on this catalyst project and led to the development of significant improvements including:

$45 million in additional streetscape improvements on S. Marion St. south of the Green Line, $333 million in new mixed-use development including 1040 multifamily units, 105,000 square feet of new retail use including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Target urban retail format stores.

Numerous renovations of historic commercial buildings have been made since the implementation of the plan.

OTHER DOWNTOWN PLANNING PROJECTS

Featured
Vancouver, Washington - Main Street Corridor Improvement Plan
Vancouver, Washington - Main Street Corridor Improvement Plan

Crandall Arambula, in collaboration with Harper Houf Peterson Righellis, developed a comprehensive Main Street Corridor Improvement Strategy for Vancouver’s Main Street, aimed at enhancing downtown business vitality and retail, with goals including streetscape improvements, pedestrian-friendly environments, parking and automobile connections, public art integration, and historic preservation, supported by a retail strategy, development standards, fundamental design guidelines, and streetscape requirements.

View PDF

Lincoln City, Oregon - Oceanlake Neighborhood Festival Street Site
Lincoln City, Oregon - Oceanlake Neighborhood Festival Street Site

Crandall Arambula provided the Lincoln City Urban Renewal Agency with a conceptual Main Street town center design and market feasibility assessment for a catalyst parcel on NW 15th Street, which the city is marketing to developers, with plans reflecting community consensus to enhance commercial identity and streetscape improvements, envisioning two two-story commercial buildings in a Northwest beach cottage style, supported by financial assessments.

View PDF

Yakima, Washington - Downtown Master Plan
Yakima, Washington - Downtown Master Plan

The Yakima Downtown Master Plan outlines a comprehensive strategy for transforming Downtown Yakima into a vibrant destination by integrating land use and transportation, centering around a public plaza to spur development, identifying key centers to enhance existing assets, and redesigning Yakima Avenue as a 'complete street' to calm traffic and enhance its role as a destination.

View PDF

Bismarck, North Dakota - Downtown Plan
Bismarck, North Dakota - Downtown Plan

The Bismarck Subarea Plan aims to revitalize downtown Bismarck by prioritizing pedestrians, reconnecting with the city’s history, and creating distinct, interconnected districts with mixed land uses and public spaces, aiming for significant implementation within five years to stimulate economic development and enhance the quality of life.

View PDF

Knoxville, Tennessee - Downtown Civic Vision Plan
Knoxville, Tennessee - Downtown Civic Vision Plan

Crandall Arambula’s downtown plan for Knoxville revitalizes the city's economic and cultural core through historic preservation, a pedestrian-friendly circulation framework, and diverse development projects, leading to extensive downtown redevelopment and enhancements including new residential units, hotel rooms, parking facilities, and retail establishments.

Lake Stevens, Washington - Downtown Subarea Plan
Lake Stevens, Washington - Downtown Subarea Plan

Crandall Arambula collaborated with the Lake Stevens community to create a vision and implementation plan, reestablishing the downtown and lakefront as a primary destination for events, recreation, and commerce, including the expansion of North Cove Park, the establishment of Main Street as a retail hub, and the addition of a conference center and hotel, all supported by the City Council's adoption of an Environmental Impact Statement, revised zoning regulations, and a capital improvement plan.

View PDF

Casper, Wyoming - Downtown Strategic Plan
Casper, Wyoming - Downtown Strategic Plan

Crandall Arambula's downtown strategic plan for Casper, Wyoming, envisions strengthening the area as a retail hub by integrating key elements such as a grocery store, conference center, hotel, housing district, and riverfront promenade, supported by a complete streets network to enhance pedestrian and bike access, leading to significant community fundraising and the development of the David Street Station public plaza as an economic catalyst.

Oak Park, Illinois - Greater Downtown Master Plan
Oak Park, Illinois - Greater Downtown Master Plan

Crandall Arambula's Downtown Master Plan and Tax Increment Redevelopment Plan for Oak Park aim to preserve its historic character while enhancing economic vitality and quality of life, resulting in significant streetscape improvements, new mixed-use developments, and the revitalization of historic commercial buildings.

View PDF

Springfield, Oregon - City Center/Glenwood Plan
Springfield, Oregon - City Center/Glenwood Plan

Crandall Arambula's plan for a 250-acre downtown area aims to create a pedestrian and bike-friendly environment with enhanced connectivity and mixed-use development, resulting in significant early investments in infrastructure, housing, and commercial projects, with further major infrastructure improvements planned for completion within the next three years.

View PDF

Racine, Wisconsin - Downtown Plan
Racine, Wisconsin - Downtown Plan

Crandall Arambula's two-phased Downtown Plan for revitalizing Racine's historic downtown includes a development framework, public area requirements, and a multi-modal transit hub, resulting in unanimous City Council approval and over $600 million in new private investment following extensive community engagement.

View PDF

Whitefish, Montana - Downtown Business District Master Plan
Whitefish, Montana - Downtown Business District Master Plan

Crandall Arambula's Downtown Business District Master Plan, developed with local stakeholders, focused on revitalizing downtown Whitefish through various enhancements and was successfully adopted, leading to significant investments and infrastructure improvements, including a new City Hall with integrated office, parking, and commercial spaces.

View PDF

Lincoln, Nebraska - Downtown Master Plan and Complete Streets Framework
Lincoln, Nebraska - Downtown Master Plan and Complete Streets Framework

Crandall Arambula’s master plan led to the revitalization of Downtown Lincoln, incorporating land use, transportation frameworks, and design guidelines. Since its adoption, over $1.3 billion in private sector development has occurred, and the downtown population has grown by 140% since 2020. Additionally, they developed a complete-streets framework, including a protected bikeway and a signature retail street in the heart of downtown.

View PDF

Missoula, Montana - Downtown Master Plan and Complete Streets Framework
Missoula, Montana - Downtown Master Plan and Complete Streets Framework

Crandall Arambula’s plan for downtown Missoula aimed to create a balanced environment for both residential and commercial uses. It focused on reducing auto travel and stimulating local economic development. The plan identified compatible land uses and circulation patterns, resulting in increased retail, parking, housing, restaurants, arts, cultural opportunities, and outdoor amenities.

View PDF

Mesa, Arizona - Transform 17
Mesa, Arizona - Transform 17

Crandall Arambula played a crucial role in guiding the transformation of a 27-acre block of City-owned land in Mesa’s downtown. They conducted economic analysis and developed urban planning scenarios, incorporating input from community stakeholders. The recommended urban planning concept, economic strategy, and development framework were approved by the City Council. Now, the City of Mesa is issuing an RFP to select a development team for this site, which has been dormant for nearly 30 years.

View PDF

Gilbert, Arizona - Downtown Heritage District Redevelopment Plan & Master Plan
Gilbert, Arizona - Downtown Heritage District Redevelopment Plan & Master Plan

Crandall Arambula collaborated with the citizens of Gilbert, Arizona, to develop their inaugural Heritage District Master Plan alongside the Redevelopment Plan. The main goal of this plan was to create an actionable strategy for redeveloping Town-owned land, which constitutes most of the non-residential property in the District. Over the past decade, Gilbert’s downtown Heritage District has seen significant commercial and retail growth, evolving into a vibrant entertainment hub

View PDF