Uptown Westerville was built in the late 1800s, but it took more than 150 years before the historic district was a bustling commercial district of eateries, specialty shops, and host to special events. Having survived the Great Recession of the mid 2000s, Uptown emerged revitalized and prepared to embody its tradition as the heart of suburban Westerville, Ohio. As the Recession cleared, city leadership turned again to maintenance, design, and infrastructure improvements required to keep the district vibrant and aesthetically warm and welcoming. In the early 2010s, the Uptown Improvement Project (UIP) was launched to evaluate streetscape enhancements, sidewalk expansion for ADA compliance, bump-outs, and parklets, as well as resurfacing for this well-traveled State Route corridor. Challenges were anticipated early based on aged infrastructure and closures required for construction. Residents, merchants, and visitors were not eager to welcome the inconvenience of construction. A series of plans were diluted in favor of time, putting some of the plan’s most exciting features on the editing-room floor. Indeed, challenges were met. A major utility relocation and upgrade issue, Democratic Party Presidential Debate, and global pandemic impacted UIP, requiring several scalable actions in design, construction, and communication management. The Project adopted a strong communication campaign, with branded assets for merchants and other stakeholders to manage expectations and offer frequent updates on progression. UIP is the rare project that is highly visible amid a variety of unknown factors, including underground infrastructure that is outdated and potentially mismarked. This project was also performed where the seat of local government is located, with Westerville City Hall in the middle of a lengthy construction zone. This presentation will detail how design, partnerships, and strategy worked together in a challenging environment to achieve success.

Contributor/Source

Nate Lang, PE;Scott Tourville, PE, MPA

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