Stantec, the consultant for the City’s EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, led the planning process for a plan for the River South District. Phase 1 of the project kicked off during the first week of December, 2019 with meetings with the steering committee, property owners, and other stakeholders. Stantec returned for their Phase 2 visit on February 20^th and 21^st, 2020. They held a property owner/stakeholder meeting, a steering committee meeting, and a public open house.

Phase 3 dealt with the public and open spaces within the district and has included an opportunity for online public comment. Phase 3 was a virtual process using the story map linked below.

 

• A virtual experience of the River South District

 

• Click here to view the final River South District Plan

 

Contact Dan Warner at dwarner@topeka.org or 368-3006 if you have questions about the planning process.

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Resources

• • • Phase 2 Visit Presentation
    • Polk-Quincy Potential ROW Impact Zone
    • Steering Committee Presentation
    • The Value of Downtowns
    • Downtowns & Center Cities

 

Background Information

In 2017 the City of Topeka was chosen for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances ($200,000) and petroleum ($100,000) grant funds. Grant funds have been used for:

• Inventory and prioritizing the City’s brownfield sites
• Outreach activities
• Small area-wide plan in the River South neighborhood – The work focuses on understanding existing conditions and identifying potential redevelopment patterns of this uniquely situated neighborhood, as outlined by the recently completed Downtown Topeka Market Analysis. As you will find in our proposed scope, we will work closely with the City of Topeka during initial study activities and will engage stakeholder input following completion of due diligence activities and preliminary concept development. Our goal is to provide the City of Topeka with high-level, general development concepts that will provide direction on ways in which the area can be reutilized.
• Phase I ESA and Phase II ESAs of 12 properties located in the future Oregon Trail Riverfront Park along the Kansas River adjacent to the NOTO Arts District and Great Overland Station.

 

 

Resources

Downtown Master Plan

Downtown Master Plan Presentation

 

View the Elements of the Plan:

PART I: Downtown Context

PART II: District Plans

PART III: Implementation

Appendix A – Urban Design Standards

Appendix B – Downtown Topeka Citizen Input Survey

 

Contact Dan Warner at dwarner@topeka.org or 368-3006 if you have questions about the planning process.