New vision of Rogers' downtown plots 4 zones

ROGERS -- Residents and city officials have unveiled the latest version of a plan for Rogers' downtown: the creation of four districts, each with different zoning to create different experiences for residents and visitors.

"We don't want to lose what is already here," Scott Polikov, Gateway Planning president, said during several recent meetings to let the public know about the plans. "We want to build on what is already working."

Last year, Rogers officials hired Gateway Planning of Texas to create the plan. Several more meetings are scheduled to discuss the plan before it's finalized. Officials plan to have it finalized by the end of the month.

Polikov said it's likely the 154-page plan will be tweaked before the City Council takes it up.

At a recent meeting, officials told a crowd of about 60 people about the four downtown districts: the Water Tower District, Victory Row, Frisco Front and the Walnut-Poplar corridors.

Each district, officials said, would be different. For example, the Water Tower District proposed in the Rogers downtown master plan -- bordered by Walnut, Third, Arkansas and Locust streets -- could be developed as a multifamily region, Polikov said. He said residential, industrial and commercial would be allowed to develop in the area.

Daniel Hintz, of the Gateway firm, said the plan gives suggestions about what type of buildings in each district could be used for particular types of businesses.

"We specified more about what the market can handle and what type of business was needed," Hintz said.

Hintz showed pictures of several buildings mentioned in the plan, including one at the intersection of Elm and Second streets. The plan suggests the building could be a small grocery store in the future.

Officials also discussed transportation to and from downtown. Polikov said there could be an opportunity to use the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad as a transportation option. Tracks for the railroad run through downtown.

Additional information is available at www.gatewayplanning.com/downtown.php?page=240.

Metro on 07/04/2015

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