Interest grows in car-free pedestrian plaza for downtown Missoula

By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian | Posted: Monday, June 13, 2011 6:30 am

Missoula closes off some streets for one farmers market and the people's market on Saturdays.

And crowds flock there.

The town partied recently on Higgins Avenue during Sunday Streets Missoula, when much of downtown was temporarily closed to vehicle traffic. An estimated 6,000 people attended the event this spring, up from 3,500 in the fall during the first Sunday Streets, according to Missoula In Motion.

"We want to look at growing," said the group's Alex Stokman.

A permanent plaza and walking greenway are noted in the Missoula Downtown Master Plan, and talk of a piazza has been a hot topic at Free Cycles. So more downtown space dedicated to walkers and maybe pedalers seems certain to be in Missoula's future.

Where? And how much? All that's still up in the air, as long as it isn't like Helena's Last Chance Gulch.

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Missoulians seem generally warm to the idea of a more permanent outdoor gathering space downtown. Linda McCarthy, with the Missoula Downtown Association, notes a plan for developing the heart of the city calls for such a space at the northeast corner of Higgins Avenue and Spruce Street.

"It's called Depot Square, and the concept is to make it a focal point of activity," McCarthy said.

The Missoula Downtown Master Plan refers to the area as "the city's living room" surrounded by homes, offices and commercial space. It's one of multiple ideas in the plan for more pedestrian areas.

Another concept in the plan is pushing the median landscaped grass on Pine Street west of Higgins Avenue, McCarthy said. That strip would create a more friendly walking zone connecting the Missoula Art Museum, Adventure Cycling, Sean Kelly's, City Hall and the Mountain Line transfer station.

The second Sunday Streets Missoula saw a huge jump in attendance, and some cities have permanent retail corridors just for pedestrians. Not all of them are successes, and folks in Missoula don't want the heart of downtown to end up looking like Last Chance Gulch.

Councilman Jason Wiener, who represents the downtown area, said he would be curious to see what would make a more permanent space work. He figured transit, or "some kind of dedicated people mover," would be an ingredient.

"Part of what makes Sunday Streets work is it's a festival," Wiener said.

When he goes to Helena, he often stays at a Holiday Inn on Last Chance Gulch, which is blocked from all vehicle traffic. But only on one of his most recent - and more leisurely - trips there did he actually spend time visiting.

"It's never struck me as a particularly vibrant downtown space," Wiener said.

Scott Laisy, who owns Butterfly Herbs, also noted Last Chance Gulch as an example of what Missoula doesn't need. On the other hand, he could support having a plaza that doesn't cordon off streets.

"That would be a really excellent addition to the community," Laisy said of a plaza.

He initially didn't think Sunday Streets would boost his business, but he said both of them did, and he pointed to business neighbor Scott Sproull, of Hide and Sole, as a knowledgeable source on the topic.

Sproull said Missoula backed off of the idea of a plaza in the 1980s after Helena lost retail, and he said it's apparent that Montanans want to drive and park pretty close to their destination.

"They keep talking about Pine Street," Sproull said of a plaza. "As long as you don't shut off all of Higgins, there are probably areas that would work out pretty well."

Stokman, of Missoula In Motion, said the next Sunday Streets will be Sept. 11. She wants to have at least two a year and maybe grow, but she isn't sure if that's possible.

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Across the United States, pedestrian malls had their boom and more of them have failed than succeeded, Stokman said. In one place, adding bus service helped. In Missoula, she said it might be possible to create some corner piazzas with tables, chairs, benches and plants - public spaces that aren't connected to any restaurants.

Bob Giordano, with Free Cycles of the Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation, created a temporary plaza on part of Pine Street during Sunday Streets. He said Missoula should explore other places for a plaza in addition to the Depot Square location noted in the downtown plan.

Walking malls have failed in places that haven't created spaces friendly to walkers, bikers and bus riders, he said. Downtown Missoula already is teeming with such infrastructure and poised for success when it comes to a piazza or - in Stokman's words - "a public resting place."

Said Giordano, who senses a resurgence of interest in such an area: "We do have a wonderful park system, but we don't have that plaza, piazza."

Boulder, Colo., has one of the successful models in its Pearl Street Mall.

Tony Distasi, general manager of a shoe store called the Pedestrian Corporation, said the mall's success relies in part on diversity. It mixes interesting shops with fun eateries, high-end restaurants, ice cream carts and taco carts, so it feels like a fun destination and place to hang out.

"When people come down and they can walk on the open air mall, it's like a street fair," Distasi said.

The vacancy rate is low even though the recession led to much turnover on the mall. But when a shop closed, another one quickly took its space, and Distasi said rents have crept up.

The environment there isn't necessarily typical, though, Distasi said. The district works partly because of Boulder's affluence and its college - it's a city of doctors and astrophysicists.

Like Missoula, parking is an issue. Distasi said he doesn't think it's a problem and neither do other folks from places like San Francisco and New York. But people from smaller areas find it "a little crazy," even though public and private garages are available.

"The city of Boulder does really well to try and get people here and keep people here and to try and make it friendly," both for business folks and tourists, he said.

Reporter Keila Szpaller can be reached at @KeilaSzpaller, 523-5262, keila.szpaller@missoulian.com or on MissoulaRedTape.com.

BROADWAY PEDESTRIAN MALLS GET PERMANENT TABLES, CHAIRS

I Dream of Denver
By DAVID BROOKS
February 17, 2009

Town closes beach roads to cars on Sunday mornings
Greenwich TIME
By Meredith Blake, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/24/2008 07:55:20 AM EST

Having witnessed a cyclist get hit by a car at Greenwich Point and countless more vehicles whizzing through the narrow street that loops around the beach, Old Greenwich resident Bernadette Mazzella looks forward to the Sundays when the town closes it off to vehicles.

"It's very dangerous," she said. " I think they should close it all the time."

Starting Nov. 16 and running through April 12, traffic is restricted at Greenwich Point between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to allow bikers, rollerbladers, and walkers to move around without contending with vehicles, according to Amy Burke, a member of the board of directors of Friends of Greenwich Point. Individuals who need handicapped access or have boat permits can still drive through.

"It's so much fun to have those open roads," she said. "People look forward to it every year."

The program started 10 years ago by Friends of Greenwich Point that thought it would be beneficial. Children could learn to bike there and more people could use it, Burke said.

Old Greenwich resident Laura Parisi, 53, runs six miles from her house and around the loop several days a week.

"It is nicer to run when there is no traffic. People don't always drive the speed limit," she said.

For her, running at the Point is very peaceful and serene. With less cars, it is a little more manageable, she said.

Riverside resident Bouha Ddada, 51, who has walked the Point every week for 24 years, agrees.

"I feel better when it's closed to cars," he said.

But Old Greenwich resident, Alison Haney, 78, who bikes around the loop almost everyday, said that closing it often invites more biker and rollerbladers, making it crowded on the streets.

"It's busier, but I guess that's the whole point," she said.

Greenwich Point caretaker Mike Henry said that closing off the road does mean more people are out taking advantage of the streets, but with the lower temperatures, it's already much quieter than normal.

By 11 a.m. yesterday only approximately 50 people had entered the restricted access area, which begins by the last parking lot at the beach.

The Friends of Greenwich Point chose Sundays because it the lowest traffic time of the week and in the morning because it is the quietest time of day, said Burke.

Henry said some people do give him a hard time, saying they just want to go and park by the second beach to either picnic or enjoy the view, he said.

Cos Cob residents Giovanna and Alejandro Gillioti like to drive directly to the point and then walk around.

"It's a little annoying when they close it off," she said, " We're just used to starting off there and seeing the view and then walking."

But all agree, that whether its open or closed to traffic, it is a privilege to have such a beautiful location to walk or bike around.

"It's quiet and beautiful place. We're very fortunate. A great reprieve from the lunacy," Mazzella said.