A Vision for the Future and Recommendations, Continued

Shopping centers have a competitive advantage over older downtowns because there is a single management structure to coordinate promotion and special events. This is harder to achieve in a downtown where there is a diversity of owners, tenants, proprietors and diversity of businesses. Each has their own perceived market, and resources for capturing that market. An association of property owners, businesses, and tenants is needed to carry out activities on behalf of the downtown. This association could be part of the Chamber of Commerce.

Accordingly, an effort should be made to revitalize an association of downtown businesses and property owners. This group should develop a plan that achieves the following:

A general clean-up and repair campaign for all buildings and spaces in the downtown;

Upgrading the quality of service and products;

Organization of special events and promotional sales that will draw people into the downtown;

Coordinated operating hours. Today's lifestyles indicate a change in shopping habits. Stores and business must be open when the consumer is not working. This includes weekends and evenings;

Coordinated advertising that provides identity of the downtown and its business establishments; and

Promotion of the recreational and social components of the downtown, including the library, Hudson Crossing Park, and the Waubonsee Creek Promenade.

The downtown property and business owners can, and should be a vehicle for carrying out some of the recommendations pertaining to marketing and merchandising that are listed above. Also, they can facilitate communication between elected officials and the business community representing downtown properties.

Main Street Development Plan

Main Street is the heart of Oswego's downtown retailing district. The Main Street Development Plan presented as Figure 8 creates an attractive, pedestrian-friendly environment through the original core of the downtown. The plan, presented as Figures 8 and 9, proposes to enhance this street by:

Creating a continuous band of retail/service establishments on the ground floor involved in the face-to face exchange of goods and services. The ground floor of individual storefronts should consist of large, open glass areas with attractive window displays and continuity of lighting along the storefronts;

Cleaning and maintaining the richly ornamented upper floor of existing build-ings. The architecture of the buildings can define and create a distinctive space and enrich this space the detailing and character of the buildings;

Introducing well-maintained landscaping; pedestrian-scaled thematic lighting; pavement textures; coordination of colors; and places to socialize or eat; and

Providing a clear definition of space that separates the pedestrian from vehicular traffic.

Planned improvements associated with this part of the Comprehensive Downtown Plan focus on Main Street, beginning mid-block, in front of the Village Hall west of Washington Street, and ending in front of the library at Jefferson Street (see Figure 8). The plan incorporates the IDOT-programmed signal at the intersection of Main and Washington Streets. Paver crosswalks planned at this intersection will clearly define the pedestrian way, thereby improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists crossing Washington Street at this location. A push-button activated pedestrian signal would further improve safety at this key intersection, cited as a safety hazard by representatives of the Technical and Citizens' Advisory Committees.

Diagonal parking has been proposed along both sides of Main Street between Washington and Jefferson Streets (see Figure 8). This narrows the vehicular travel way to 24 feet, thereby slowing traffic through the downtown. Also, it allows sufficient area to create a minimum six-foot wide sidewalk and minimum four-foot wide brick paver edge along both sides of the street for texture, color, and definition between the pedestrian and vehicular travel ways. The modifications to on-street parking that are illustrated on the Main Street Development Plan do not result in the loss of parking, even though a number of landscape "peninsulas", crosswalks have been added.

Sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate benches, proposed to provide places for shoppers to stop to visit or rest (see Figure 8). Also, the minimum four-foot wide paver edge along the street will include:

Street trees, installed in raised ornamental planters rather than tree grates;

Movable decorative planters, with seasonal flowers; and

Pedestrian-scaled, decorative lighting.

The projecting "peninsulas" located at intersections and entrances to off-street parking facilities, accommodate landscaping at selected locations, define intersections, and further contribute to the visual and physical narrowing of the street. The lighting that is being proposed is similar in style and color to the recently-installed lights along Route 34 to provide continuity in the heart of Oswego. Optional floral baskets and/or banners are proposed for seasonal color and interest.

Proposals along the east side of Main Street, where the existing walk is raised, include the removal of the existing overhead canopy to expose the walk to light and air (see Raised Walkway Section "A", Figure 8). New, smaller-scale awnings are being proposed to provide shoppers protection from the elements, and introduce color. In this area, the sidewalk would be approximately 12 feet wide, and include movable planters along a decorative iron railing designed to protect pedestrians from the change in grade that exists between this walkway and the adjacent street.

Cultured stone is proposed to be installed along the face of the wall in this location, thereby introducing a material that is similar to the native stone along Waubonsee Creek. Also, the same natural stone is proposed to be used for low, decorative walls. These walls will define the entrances to off-street parking areas and provide screening of parked cars. Once again, a minimum four-foot paver edge, with ornamental lighting, street trees and planters is proposed between the raised walkway and on-street parking.

The plan also includes new and expanded stairs and crosswalks at the intersection of Main Street with Washington and Jackson Streets (see Figure 8). These stairs are intended to invite pedestrians to the adjacent walkways, as well as facilitate safe, comfortable pedestrian access to storefronts. The diagonal walk planned mid-block between Washington and Jefferson Streets defines the existing pedestrian traffic pattern across Main Street. Also, a handicapped-accessible ramp is being proposed at the Washington and Main Street inter-section, to provide access to the raised walk on the south side of Main Street.

The Main Street Development Plan has been designed to lead the pedestrian from Washing-ton Street, north toward the library. From here, the pedestrian can take advantage of the magnificent views of Waubonsee Creek, as it cascades down toward the Fox River. An information kiosk, water feature, and council ring are located at the beginning of a promenade that extends south to Hudson Crossing Park (see Waubonsee Creek Promenade, below).

The Main Street Development Plan provides an opportunity to build consensus for downtown improvements, and begin to effectuate change by individual business owners by encouraging maintenance of individual buildings and properties; promoting facade improvements; and generating enthusiasm for adaptive reuse of individual properties and development of recreation areas, including Hudson Crossing Park, the land south of Washington Street, east of the river, and the Waubonsee Creek Promenade. It also offers the Village the opportunity to begin to encourage office and service uses that currently occupy space on the ground floor of buildings along Main Street to relocate to second floor suites. This will increase the concentration of retail uses in the historic core of Oswego's downtown, and allow attractive window displays to attract the shopper.

Final plans and support documentation for Main Street will need to be carefully coordinated with an engineer, so that proposals are representative of both existing and planned infrastructure improvements (see Implementation Methods).

Waubonsee Creek Promenade

The Waubonsee Creek Promenade Plan focuses on developing a pedestrian path that connects the library to the proposed Hudson Crossing Park (see Figure 10). The upper portion adjacent to the library is designed as a passive recreation area, with an information kiosk, seating areas, and views of the picturesque Waubonsee Creek. A council ring provides the opportunity for story-telling, outdoor reading, or simply a place to drink coffee and eat a bagel. A sculpture plaza, seating area, and decorative lighting anchor the walkway between Adams Street and the proposed Hudson Crossing Park.

The same decorative lighting proposed for Main Street is planned along this promenade, in order to carry on the design theme established for the downtown. Similarly, the natural stone walls relate to the decorative screen walls proposed in front of off-street parking areas, as well as the natural ledgestone and stone outcroppings, characteristic of the adjacent creek. Pavers, used at key locations, provide focal points for both overlooks and seating areas, and accentuate the path by providing color, and texture that differs from the concrete walk.

The promenade provides pedestrians an opportunity to experience the existing creek, with its native landscape that is accentuated by ornamental plantings, just a "stones throw" from the more urban downtown environment. Also, it provides pedestrians and cyclists using the Fox River Trail a place to rest and relax.

Sculptures and interpretative signage could be designed to capitalize on the historical significance of the crossing of the Fox River at this location to the early settlement and growth of Oswego, thereby creating a resource that has a wider, regional draw. Convenient parking has been proposed north of Adams and east of Jackson Streets.