One of the most important functions of the Revitalization is the creation and activation of pedestrian passageways, streets, and the Town Square. It is this activation of the area by pedestrians that will enable and ensure the success of the retail businesses in and around the Revitalization Area. Our design calls for the creation of several passageways and pedestrian streets of varying width (8’, 10’, 20’) and distance all leading to the Town Square and concurrently connecting all directions/areas of the city to Downtown South Pas. The irregular nature of the design’s shape was intentionally created to provide a variety of perspectives and to ensure that each subsequent visit feels as unique as the initial experience. This effect is further enhanced by the installation of a wide variety of trees and shrubs of varying height, maturity, and type.
Pedestrians are greeted mid-block on the south side of Mission Street by a burbling fountain and small wooded area planted in a playful, undulating pattern. Pedestrians are flanked on either side of an approximately 30’ wide walkway by retail stores and restaurants – all leading to the Town Square.
The Town Square is approximately 60’x70’ with a sub-square area measuring approximately 40’x50’. The shape of the Town Square provides lines of sight of over 150 feet in some instances and simultaneous intimate experiences in others.
In the spirit of providing the citizens of South Pas with all they have requested as well as providing an experiential space with a variety of related features that serve to complement and not outdo or dominate one another, the design includes three water features and planting of a variety of trees symbolizing South Pas’ status as the City of Trees. A mature Oak will be the centerpiece of the Town Square. Further to the point of being the literal symbol of South Pas, the great Oak provides the opportunity to have nature soften the architecture that has otherwise defined the space and the programming that has activated it. The water features are designed to be audible, but also to limit their splashing so as not to make the surrounding sitting surfaces wet.
The approximately 40’x50’ sub-square nestled between Bldg A and Luchas Shoes is designed to provide a secondary seating area as well as host outdoor entertainment and a ‘Walk-in’ Movie Theatre in the tradition of drive-in movie theatres. In addition to seating at dining areas, built-in seating (via steps) has been designed into the square encouraging casual meeting, socializing, and people watching.
Heading south towards the Bank of America (BofA) surface parking lot, one passes by a statue just in front of the public access to the subterranean parking area below Building D. The unique challenge of this area was to satisfy BofA’s requirements for 14 parking spaces, the need to provide pedestrian safety, and the desire for beautified public space. To satisfy these requirements, this area will have trees in landscape areas between every two to three parking spaces for beauty and as a protective layer between automobiles and pedestrians. A car park was designed to transform what once was an unsightly open area of asphalt into an inviting environment filled with natural beauty.