Resort Street Streetscape Improvements
Resort Street offers downtown Baker City another opportunity to enhance its unique historic character. This eight-block downtown street is only one-half block from Main Street and parallel to the Powder River. The west side of Resort Street takes on the look of an alley with dumpsters and overhead power lines, but with improvements it has the potential to stimulate the vitality and activity of historic downtown Baker City.
If Resort Street is to attract new customers, it must present the public with a better image, one which is evident in a walkable and attractive environment. Currently, pedestrian amenities are minimal, parking can be a problem and business entrances are unappealing. Investments in the infrastructure of the street will contribute to revitalizing the adjacent historic buildings and better support the entire downtown.
Streetscape improvement opportunities include helping connect the downtown to the Powder River, attracting shoppers to double-fronted businesses, and encouraging new commercial, light manufacturing, professional services and residential uses through access to basement and upper floors. Other opportunities include making the street safer for users, improving parking and loading, upgrading lighting, providing access to underutilized parcels along the river, and enhancing the appearance of the street.
In the foreseeable future, the east side of Resort Street has the potential to redevelop as the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway evolves. Development on this side of Resort Street should maintain more open space following the area’s early development patterns. Off-street parking needs to be integrated into new development. Occupying the upper floors (“second floor economy”) on the west side will increase the use of Resort Street.
New sidewalk construction along Resort Street is recommended to ensure good pedestrian movement, improve safety, and provide an attractive street. The sidewalk design would follow the Main Street prototype with scored concrete, street lights, and street trees. Lights would be located at a staggered pattern with four lights on each side of a block. Street trees are a major component of the streetscape plan, adding a natural amenity to Resort Street and providing a continuous and changing element. The species selected should be a small Class I tree to minimize conflict with the overhead power lines. A decorative tree, such as a flowering cherry, plum, or crab apple (Malus Tschonoski) is recommended. To ensure healthy trees, an irrigation system is recommended. Plaques and/or street names may be indented into the sidewalk surface as appropriate. Wheel chair ramps should be installed as outlined in the standard specifications. Crosswalks are to be maintained on Resort Street and upgraded with full-width crosswalks where pedestrian activity is heaviest. Expanded curb lines for crosswalk connections at Court Street are proposed to connect Court Street Plaza to the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway.
Resort Street contains a wealth of historic architecture and future development potential. Property owners and merchants should begin to clean up and rehabilitate the buildings’ facades on the west side of Resort. As little change has occurred, most of the facades possess a rich architectural character that can be rehabilitated without major expense. In most cases, cleaning, new paint, repairing windows, new signing, and a few awnings placed over rehabilitated entrances will allow improved building use and an attractive image. An advantage to these buildings is that they have double fronting and can be accessed from both Resort and Main streets. This creates opportunities for improved access to existing commercial spaces or for new tenant spaces opening onto Resort Street. In addition, new entrances to second floor spaces can allow those areas to become functional, again in line with a “second floor” economic development strategy. Access from the sidewalk to the basement or second floors of buildings along the west side could be approved on a case-by-case basis.
To overcome the problem of visible garbage storage, a few consolidated screened garbage areas should be built. These areas would serve a number of users and be screened by a wood, brick, or stone partition designed for easy access and garbage removal. Some of these garbage areas could be placed within recessed areas along the west side of Resort Street. Two areas on the west side, where the building does not cover the entire lot, also have the advantage to develop small inviting courtyards.
The City, in partnership with the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway, Inc. and Historic Baker City, will work with utility companies to place overhanging utilities underground.
Estimated Project Cost: $2.8 million