The City of Coachella, in conjunction with RBF Consulting (RBF), was awarded the California Downtown Association's (CDA) Crystal Eagle Award for preparation of the Pueblo Viejo Revitalization Plan. RBF was recognized, with the City of Coachella, at the CDA Awards Recognition Luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, California on September 30, 2010.
RBF worked with the City and community of Coachella, SunLine Transit Agency and Southern California Association of Governments to prepare a community-driven vision plan for the future of Pueblo Viejo, the City's historic downtown. The team worked closely with local businesses, the community, and City Staff to engage all stakeholders in the planning process. The City hosted several community workshops, in English and Spanish, to invite downtown stakeholders to share their treasures, challenges and visions for Pueblo Viejo as part of preparing grass-root revitalization solutions.
The project team sought to encourage redevelopment of the project area into a vibrant district with a mix of cultural activities and land uses. The resulting revitalization plan provides for connectivity in the planning area through iconic development opportunities that celebrate the community's heritage, enhancement of streets into shaded and walkable connections, regional bikeway linkages and planning for a future multi-modal transit facility. Façade rehabilitation recommendations were made serving as near-term improvements for existing businesses and streetscapes. Perhaps most importantly, the Plan fosters long-term economic development through a comprehensive action-based implementation program that is market-driven and includes the identification of funding sources.
Throughout California and the U.S., communities are committing themselves to rediscovering their downtowns and neighborhoods as important social, cultural, environmental, economic and historical assets. RBF's Urban Design Studio (UDS) has worked with hundreds of neighborhoods and downtowns to develop revitalization plans and strategies that empower communities in their efforts to address issues of physical blight, building vacancies, crime and lack of community identity. UDS's focus on implementation and community-driven planning has helped neighborhoods and downtowns across the country experience significant revitalization success by tapping the area's most valuable resource – their own community members.
About RBF:
RBF Consulting maintains 16 offices across the Western United States with award-winning projects nationally and internationally. RBF is an American leader in design and sustainability of the world around us; providing a multi-disciplined approach to projects ranging from transportation and water resources to GIS, urban design, environmental analysis and survey/construction management, with innovative solutions and technologies. For more information, please visit www.RBF.com.
About CDA:
The California Downtown Association (CDA) represents thousands of diversified businesses throughout California within its network of downtown associations, cities, chambers of commerce, business districts, supportive vendors and consultants. CDA's primary purpose is to exchange information pertinent to business districts and to formulate solutions to mutually shared problems. CDA is committed to the long-term preservation and prosperity of business districts everywhere.
Contacts:
RBF Consulting
Barbara Eljenholm
Public
Relations Director
949-855-3660
beljenholm@rbf.com